The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18

long he had to wait for the performance OF the
OPERA which was not sung until five years AZ
ter the score was completed. Henri Gains
libretto follows somewhat closely the old fairy
story. but is said to have changed It In partic-
ulars important enough to suggest that he
might better have written an entirely new
text. Massenet. who was born in 1872 was
the youngest OF the twenty-one children
born to his parents His father was
the proprietor Of an iron factory at
Montaud. He was ruined by the revolution Of
1913 and moved with his large family to Paris.
Young Massenct was admitted to the Con-
scrvatoire. but gave up his studies after
short while. as his fathers plans we're again
changed, and he returned to tho country.
There young Massenet was sent to n clerical
school with the idea that he should ultimately
take orders He found the life intoIerable.
and although child OF 10, he resolved to cs-
cape. He fed TO the home OF some relatives
at Lyons who. instead OF taking pity on him.
returned him to his father. This escapade
failed. apparently. but the ultimate results
were ali right. His parents realized that
his taste for music was not to he overcome and
hc was allowed to return to Paris and the Con-
servatoire. I1e lived in an attic. gave piano
lessons for franc an hour. played tho side
drums three times week in an orchestra at
one cafe and during the rest Of the week played
instrumcnts because they allowed linn time
for study and composition. After he won tho
in Italy the woman who became his wife, and
easy S and success successful Il has been said that
he intends to compose no more operas.
sance has been successful enough to guaran-
tee its continuance for another season; Leon
Sy n%amn T be OF sFsr hsFe b
Georges Marry. who won the PriN de Rome in
1892. was one of the few new works given there
man who fell in love with his fathers young
vie, The old man. returning from cam
man killed and has the satisfaction Of seeing
his son commit suicide. The audieence was said
e he at hs r
of Menu J9SSgn the 0PerH hns SrofnGht
Of n great international opera house in Paris.
at one time cherished idea Of the composer.
4 His opinion of the Mehul work Is revealed in
Only France, or rather Paris; would be
erogrneous productions ACQUAINTANCE with
which is, IN my opinion. Indispensable to the
hn d% wrS ha sboud be rr
scented on this particular stage, which ought to
be independent Of the interests OF the moment;
Domenico Mascagni., father Of the composer,
died the other day in livorno, He had been
lived in such poverty that he was only able
with struggle to allow his son to learn the
m9 hsf the
family PsfHa t. knGT SaR bs op p
choir by the Pope . fTfhho lorna! oath requires
Singer of the Sixtine" Perosi refused to swear
on thr ground that he was NOT a singer and
Explanations that the words were merely
formal did not persuade him. and il is inter-
esting Italy to know how the difficulty will be
settled.
Johann Strauss was driving home after
having conducted gala performance OF :" Die
Fledermaus when he took the cold that re-
suited in his death. He was buried next to the
tomb OF Brahms His fortune, estimated at
about 100000. Is to be divided among his
wife, his two brothers and one Of the musical
associations Of Vienna. He had finished the
frat part OF ballet founded on "Cndcrell0"
which was to have been given at the
Royal Opera in Vienna. one OF his latest
waltzss was called after the artist. Lembach.
who had painted portraits OF Strauss
and his wife and then refused to accept
fee for them. His brother Edouard
who was only short distance away on a con-
cert tour with his orchestra. did not return to
Vienna to attend the funeral services. Strauss
had completed only the first act OF his ballet
and had left sketches for the rest Of the
music. These are said to have included one
beautiful waltz theme Leon Rains. who used
to be heard with the Damrosch company
here. has been singing at the Royal Opera In
Berlin. Ho Is an American. The Budapest
Opera Company postponed its visit to Berlin.
as the singers demanded very high salaries. and
the Hungarians. proud rs they were OF their
singers. were unwilling to advance the amount
OF money needed for the journey. Next year
the company VII go t. Berlin ana thence PRO-
sSsa to ars and he heard a, the EHr9b"n
work by Paris composer accepted for the
b%n It viii be- SpnE Gt 6 the R hsi
shown a greater readiness under trying cir
cumstances than any heard OF recently. A
TTH6 'Gsp naH and bad s nsh shs
habanera. when she staggered and fell heavily
TO the stage. TWAS necessary to take the singer
OF Carmen" that night. But the theatre does
not possess repertoire, for nothing. The
acts OF Lortzng's Gar and Carpenter would
be given and within quarter Of an hour the
eight years. Heinrich Wiegand, the most IA
nous of Bayrcuth's Gn"e'nd'nes in Pars-
Fra Grt'n WeranI had BEEN """o%ss
e The Sss at oD and
Witch S1ii THE the snssr never recovered; He HAD
Germany. Max schilIings. composer of " Ing
parts of it played in concert form. has finished
the score of n new, comic, opera Of am
s. Taneiew one of the hast known of the
younger composers, was recently performed
In St Petersburg. The opera contains seven
l6vys ia Juivc" has been accepted for
production in several German cities with
the recitatives recently written for the
opera in Paris and somewhat severely crit
icised. These were written by Bourgault-Dq-
coudruy. who used as their basis some " SOL
fNgns' composed by Halevy for the Conserva-
tore The piece was written originally as a
drama with music and the composcr wanted
that Ia against the rules of the Opera. and is.
indeed, supposed to mark the difference be-
tween opera ana opera comque. the reot atives