New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-13
MUSICAL COMMENT
sfGNOR MANCTNELLTs OPERA TIL.
STORY AND MUSIC OF ZERO
T. LFANDRO

I which went our amor the two VorfOrmaura. a..
/ the work received In Lon don last July and no :.
/ vcrborations ~ praise eyer reached A-,,.,
shores from the Representations in italy and G.,
/ The gratifying 10 sPnor Manclnem g..
/ fore. must have been tho gracious mood IN MI.
/ he met by the patrons - the Me,roror,
/ opera House An audience capable ~ f1rrni,v =.
J Independent, judgment and willing 10 DO 90 ,.,,
/ and listened without prejudice and pronounced
verdict that WAS distinctly favorable while mar,
agement familiar from past experiences with ~.
dangers attending new productions promptly ar
nourccd repetition. though the Idcs % March A..
upon us and there remains only fortnight n,,.
Of operate activity. II Il pleasant 10 contarnuls,.
so amiable an outcome to experiment yhie,
looked only dubious when In prospect. and genial
! task 10 inquire into some OF the causes.
| The fact that all mankind loves q lover ls n,a,
yellousiy oxemplined in the hold which the old tai.
of Hero and Lcander has had for centuries unon
! the human heart Centuries. said We? Nay mora
| likely ages IRONS mystical. perhaps mythical
poet Of the sixth century 81 the Christian era 4,
credited with having first sung tho story but curl,
Gus German Investigators have already tried 70 find
it's primal Sanskrit form. and though their specua.
lions have been discreded thus far II does not
follow that OF the tribe will no, one day sue
coed. 1t is assumed that the tale as told by Nu.
sTus reached the Ministries Of medirval Europs
through the recltals Of scholars and was sung by
Provenca troubadours and German minnesingers
| until II became universal property: but with such
aristocratic lineage 1t does not seem likely that
the tale would have lost much Of its distinctive
/ physognomy as is the I'm its folk-song form
throughout Europe The heroine would have re-
manned priestess. though her service might have
been bestowed on another divinity than Aparoite
the turbulent Hellespont would have remained an
arm OF the sea 20 stamp the Nero's deed with ts
most rugged virtue Instead. wherever the fate OF
the hapless swimmer and the maid who follows
him into death is sung, In Germany. Switzerland
Denmark Holland and Sweden 90 conhne ourselves
to the countries where tho evidence Is within easy
reach the n-s.arred couple are only the children
OF kings and their fate is wrought by the wicked
machinatlons OF a treacherous and dissolute nun.
rascaIy peasant a witch "old cozenng
quean" All over the Continent moreover the
story IS found localized. In Switzerland 1t is lake
that has to be crossed by the faithful lover in
sections OF Germany a wide river and IN one local.
ity where there are neither lakes nor rivers the
IIelIespont of Mussnus dwindles 10 forest brook
Plainly the story belongs 20 that common heritage
which our Aryan ancestors carried with them from
the cradle Of our race MusRus only sang the tale
as it lived in the Greek imagination and memory
What a simple tale to twine Itself thus around
the hear. Of mankind Hero Is a prestess OF
Apbrodlte who lives at Sestos. on the Thracan
coast: Ieandcr youth whose home IS at Abydos
pair meet at a festival Of Venus and Adon.s and
fall IN love with each other AT sight The maidens
parcnts are unwilling that she shall cease heT
sacred functions to become a wife. ana Leahoer
swims the strait every night while Hero hoids
torch at her tower window TO direct MN 70 "e'
side one night there arises tempest ana Lean
der is drowned and mis- body cast w at the foot
NJ rho tower Then Hero throws herself upon the
tagged rocks beside him and the lovers are United
I'm death.
That tale IS old. but love anew
May nerve young hearts 70 prove as true
sang Byron after he had put discredlting uou0u
TO shame by swimming the Hellespont himself and
catching an ague for his pains A simple iae' ye'
We have included more details than are ordinary
found In the recital. in order to show how ATTIC
poY,o the author Of Signor Mancnelhs opera
hook utilized and added TO them. simple tae
hut with what lovely fervor have the poets sung
# over and over again. Byron could smile at MS
oyy. quixotic feat In the lines winch ne wrote sh
davs after It's accomplishment. but in the Bride
Of Abylos" he did not attempt 70 conceal the afee-
ton which he felt for the tale or his pride IN me
Goo, that Holes buoyant wave had borne his limbs
as well as Lenders: and who can call up heatss
picture OF
Young Teander toning to his death
nursing his weary lips for Hero's cheek and snn-
ing against her smiles until he sinks ana
up bubbles all his amoroui breath
p,,b, rohv too. did Schiller hymn the overs
nd TWO centuries Of opera-wrters Italian Ger
man. French. English and PoIsn nav
weave their ptful story into a yr'' drama
por,o wrote the book OF "Ero Leandro ".
himself but after beginning the muS'' ' :,
"Nc0stofele" instead and io BottosiN 0y'"' 49,
Ro,.esini failed but that fact did not ''s"' "e
soul OF Mancnnli. We can only speculate 80
the cause Of BoItos abandonment OF hi' w" -,
Probably he concluded that 1t lacked me "a 49,.
clements which the composers "i "' i'S' -,
AIDES having tribute consciously or nn'','l'' 80.
vilinelv or unwilngly. 10 wagner genius "a,
Col, ., no necessary I'm q lyric drama bn' ,l'"'@ -.
,,or rood not always he movement ""e.
greatest tragedy has scarcely more Nv ,r,. q
dent than Fro g Loandro' ana. ii"'''' " 20.
IN that the interest in each OF ITS '"'' ,.,,,on
+, a meeting 81 TN" lovers ana inc" W -.
- 49,, MAY nI,viug ON the stage 90 tN'f -,
I'm, II takes music like Wagner 81 mN'' p, ,hs
with passion To- body form me H''" .sp.
,,r,,,i. ,crsonages ana make u- u""l D." ~,
t,,. NJ incident when that cannot 3D." ''' "A
rictures and functions Of al K"''' ..res,
fostivc must Ice relied ON I'D h''" ' ,ch
noyto bullt mp such pictures anu F'''l As,l
,uncflons about his simple tale "''' once
,,o,r,tv The eye H. charmed "'
a., i,sstn landscape IN ih' ifS
,,, .,n,.asos myrtles ana bl'omh- rh
IN, tcmplo portlco. the statues ''" ,.,s o.
ira votive offerings TIE H''"ns ,,ish.
,r,ostcsses and sailors. Hero VII" ~ the
Co.,. r,h,s rhink Of Nine Eam"s I'D tn' ..,on
~, ro,nler tSaleza) ana thr 9''''F ,hs
5 A,lop@aracs Goncou 1t the SCENE , o, "a. q.
tors, meeting NJ the festival. ana u INN,
interest .proyie somc'nns else , 'a" victor
and rites Bofto has turned Leander "'o IN and
IN the Aphrodsian games, bo'h 'H ~ "a n
ctharist Hero crowns him WIN 'n"'," ,. rom
sings two odes. which BoIto clcverly oorrONs IN.
Anacreon. the first without the secoh' W. me
plled but not expressed credit Inc oues and
mos, familiar OF Anacreon's poems novel, ,o,
no one could think OF moral obliquiy III 0O"' sS-ss,
9TH Rofo's use OF them They are the auu "a
- Tho ivra which the poet wishes 10 aVuhe
heroic measures. but which answers only IN cen.
- ,o,e how sunerblv II has been set By Schuoefs,
- sahn.n kllmus W.