The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-24

.ht' "a " aAL " a'
libretto appealed to him when he saw tho play
for the first time. He set himself. To work on
this text before either Manor ~l.escaut or
II was the success OF these works that EN-
boldened him 70 return 10 Sardou's tragedy.
II was. sung early last winter at Rome Tor ule
make 1t the dominating work Of the Italian
operate stage during the year. The opera Is
In three acts and the condensation Of the story
TO this length has crowded the Sardou horrors
into rather small space. The second act Of
the opera was found too horrible, at It's tlrst
performance. and this defect has already been
for It's own beauty, as well rs for It's appropriate
and, dramatic illustration OF the text. The
work was at one time said TO have been written
for Nine. Mclba, but anybody familiar with
the dramatic requirements ~ La Toscu and
with Nine. Mielba's complace demeanor on the
stage would never believe that.
Tn London performance will prove a better
test OF the value u the work muSicaly, AZ
Italians, especially in these days Of that coun-
try's musical barrenness, are likely TO praise
very enthusiastically anything her composers
that the work will be more successful in certain
particulars outside Of Italy. Rome, as we'll
as the other leading cities, are so backward
In the matter Of stagecraft. that the work even
at its first performance, was not properly pre-
sented. from a spectacular point of view. This
Is said To be especially true Of the prelude To
the last act. which shows daybreak In Rome.
In the symphonic introduction the bells of the
different churches are heard ringing out tho
Angeius. Much Of the text was declared TO
be undramatic, In spite OF the effective situa-
tons in the original dramatic form of the story,
One OF these, which in opera quite failed TO
exercise any potency, WINS the scene in which
La Toscd puts the candles at Sc0rptd's head
after he has been murdered.
Another Italian success OF the past two years
Is based on a Sardou libretto. This is Gior-
dano's -Fsdors," which has been popular,
has been produced already In a number OF
Russian cities. Both Of these operas require
very dramatic women for the leading roles.
Darcee, while Comma Bellincini was the first
Of the operate Fedoras. Nine. Ternina ought
70 be able to do JUSTICE TO the dramatic passages
opera Vanity and Love, with music by Gabriel
Pizzi, would have been one OF the notable sue
ceSses at La Scala. but for the lack of action
and originality III tho action. The Italian
operatic harvest during the last year was
meagre. IN comparison with the usual output,
Mascagni's frequent productions are prac-
that precedes their performance. and the valiant
efforts made To keep them above water after
their mediocre, quality has been discovered.
The fate Of The Masks" next autumn VIII, in
all probability, be the same as that which over
took iris" which is said 10 have been per-
formed only once outside of Italy and 10 have
met with failure then. One OF the more en-
during iriumphs in Italy is Luigi Msncinelli's
Fro 9 Leandro," which is superior In nearly
every particular TO the average opera of the
day, and seems In comparison with them a
NOIh VI WOHCcT llu thlfUi anu HluHN'luIlSIllI.
In German there. have not been any
new works that promise 10 enjoy enduring popu-
larity. Berlin, heard King Thrnshbeard. " BY
f fSSihx hdlIHfu ummei - fSse co arSsGeTs"" R ssi2l;d
Becker's 'Ratbold" and Johannes Doebber's
The Cricket" Not one Of these, made any
arother eff to get some OF the favor which
has been given IN Germany TO fairy operas since
"Haensel und Gre'l" made its success success
which hos not since been duplicated. Humper-
dinnk'a one a lS the most nOnlIlnr written Sit CO
the last OF the Wagner operas, and its popularity
shows no signs Of becoming exhausted soon,
drinfn's fairy stories. The history Of the
naughty princess, who wants 10 remain in single
b!essednsss, forms its subject; The beginning
S St ine O dsnsS fIa q. 'RS STurt 3. d, dIsd 2ni s' al offers
and makes fun Of the hing OF LorsIand. at whom
she scofIs, because Of The peculiar form OF his
6snTsSim SSiiins !, si aec rrhFq Ieai , Bea Vixen is IS to q
give her hand Ia marriage 10 the poorest beggar,
who. Of course, Is nobody else but Thrushbedrd
in Disguise. The marriage ceremony is per
formed by main force, ard the young bride,
elected from the castle, has 10 follow the alleged
rltfian into the woods.
longing for the happiness she thrust away, and
these feelings move the heart Of tho princess,
as through need and humiliation her pride has
been broken, a last via puts her t to a s seyere
out at the court Of the Kin0 Of Lovelqnd. Az q
festive BANQUET however 70 which her father
Is also invited, 4 NTuSNOtuT0 ulSNtTQN MS DtSEdIN
As her klngly husband. The faithful amor
bearer Rttttrspurn, also gets his beloved first
lady Of the court, Miss Forpei-Me-Not and EVERY
Herman Becker's one act. ."Ratbold was
the next novelty sung az ,he Berlin Opera House.
in The space Of m hour with 2 .ort Of E4och
Arden subject, The story has a different ending.
RdtbOh, The Older 81 the two sons OF the sailors
widow WiGrca, counsels his younger brother
f'lrC IN Takp n certain irin nTOmiSllR good re-
suits. Rdtb5d does this with the intention II
capturing Gue's bethrolhed, Alta with whom
been as perllous az RGtboid. iorosaw. for Tue
does not return for many a long year. In the
meantime all the designs upon the girl are irus-
!rated through her true love for The Younger
brother. Ii is just after q scene between these
two that on a storn-ridden shore a sailing vessel
IN great danger OF straIding Is reported. One
bold, desperate because he has again been fooled
in gaining the hand Of Alta, sets ont to rescue
the sailor, who, OF course, Is nobody else but
the lSng-lost gws; me Two brothers ,Sa en, get qsh2Ts
Of his girl and his old mother. Rotbod con-
fesses TO all who want TO hear 1t. that his in-
before, when he saw that il was his brother whom
he Was about 10, rescue, he was tempted to leave
the shipwrecked man 70 his fate. But brotherlY
love conquered wicked impul,es and nov that
into his little skif and rows out iuto the vide,
wide ocean, nobody knows WHITTIER, while the
curtain falls mid the nna4 Peals OF the brassfs
by BeCker's work was no more than pleasant.
Eeldinand Huinmers second one act opera,
called The Confession" received less COM
mcndation. That Result appears TO hayp been
due, In a measure, TO the vague nature Of the
llbrettO, which puzzled everybody who heard
the work at its first performance. Its scenes
were as follows, ydcinto Herrera. mas bet
gaycd his friend, Mdn0ei. whose wife he So
duCed when all three were stll young. His
passion is soon appeased and Jaonto becomes
a repcntant hermit. who has retired from the
world into solitude, TO devote his life TO atone
ment for his sinful deed: When the curtain
rises he Is nearing the end OF his HE. N1nOcI.
and become a monk. lie appears with BcG'q.
the daughter OF his wife and OF his friend,
Jdcinto. To Bsat1 Jocinfo confesses and then
dies. Hummol's second work was found dis
him appear a composer Of promise;
Eugen dAlDerts Kahn" was declared quite
unworthy Of his reputation. The old story OF
George SANDS, ~ prepared for the stage by
TO make a success. Of Doebber's The Cricket"
In Berlin. although II wa received with favor
me n9'fs S 5 SSsSSSbhiial.} his iTst' op%rS, whIsS
consisted OF many attractive details not held
strength 70 make the work. really an opera.
II was rather 4 collection " lyrics. according
to the judgment Of the pest critics In Cologne
was given Karl Won Kaskcls opera. The Begglr
Girl If the Pont des Arts." taken from iinun's
shown by the ralldity with which II was ac-
ccpted In other German cities, but u Il "N-
tromely doubtful II II viii ever cross the Ger
mar frontier. in spite Of It's SUCCESS in pleasing
taste at home,
non CLARK's TODDY.
u.saurc~. of an MIIpoIS Candidate Hpcalled