Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-29
THE OPERA GAIA"
The latest Work by LeoncaNafio
Proves Disappointment In Milan.

groves IA disappointment In Milan.
From. the New York Tribune.
Tho Expectation raised by the popularity
Of Il Pagliacci'' and La Boheme" has met
with partial disappointment. 1t had been
c. nfidently held that the success of Berton
and Smon's play afforded good ground for
believing that a still greater success await
ed the opera drawn from 1t, and no one
doubted that Leoncavallo was the man to
compose the music best suited to such
theme Being a poet as well as a COM
poser he had written the libretto of his
opera thus supplying additional proof that
the subject had taken hold of his fancy.
Add to this that the artists engaged by
Signor SonZogno. the impresSario, were first
rate. that the orchestra was directed by Sig
nor ToSCanni, that no expense had been
spared. and one may well wonder that,
under such favorable auspices the result
should have proved comparatively unsatis-
factory. The impression conveyed by the
n~sic was that the composers soul was
not in II. and this being 50 it naturally
failed to stir the audience.
Unlike the protagonists of other dramatic
works converted into operas and spiritual
lied by the conversion, tZaZa' loses her
original attraction and appears unreal. 1t
Is wrong to affirm. as some critics have
done, that the choice of the subject was
mistake. Had Leoncavallo done as much
for 'Zaza" as a composer as he had done
for her d poet, the subject would have
proved interesting enough, but, unfortu-
natey. he failed to bring into prominent
relief the startling psychological moments
of his eccentric heroine. and allowed the
same to melt into a level of uniformity
which unavoidably proved fatal. True, the
orchestra displayed richness OF 1nstru-
mentatiOn quite in keeping with the de-
velopment Of the action on the stage, but
it painfully lacked continuity, being ftful
and Astounding with feeting melodies which
appeared to chase one another with disaS-
frOi md pprf9 I'M m
proved by an oversonorous accompaniment
The first act. somewhat too long. is
lively Kaleidoscope. in which excessive
number of actors appear and disappear
with bewildering rapidity. Dufresnes song,
although admirably sung by Signor Garpln,
coldIy listened TO, and later on the
Song of the Kiss fell fiat As the cur
tain dropped the con- poser was, under pro-
test, called out five times.
The second act was hardly more success
full than the first. The tenor, after singing
''Zaza, Zaza, non Il attristare, was de-
servedly applauded, and so was the barry
tone. Sgnor Sanmarco after the duet be-
tween Cascart and Iaza. He is unquestion-
ably an artist Of great dramatic power,
and In possession OF a magnlhcent voice.
The composer was called out three times,
and Signor Toscaniui the conductor. also
'sived tribute.
~ prelude to the third act, with dis
tant chorus of washerwomen of the Seine,
is distinctly good, and was appreciated ac-
cOrdingly. This success was followed by a
burst Of genuine enthusiasm over Du-
f~csuc's romance. beautifully sung and en-
cpred. The scene between ZaZd (SigrOra
Storetrio) and the child Toto, in which the
former sings and the latter merely raCites,
is one on the originality of which Leon
caVaIIo built great hopes: but. alas it
missed its effect, and was only saved from
cor pIete failure by Zazas pathetic So
lficquy. while the child played Cherubini's
AVE Maria on the piano to slight and
fitful acc impairment by the orchestra.
10 Loot 4 cold IL fh,1 hes
air by Sanmarca ''Zaza piccola zingara,'
was encored and elected enthusiastic APP
plause. The scerO between the two lovers
is full of life. and was interpreted in
mastery manner by Sign1ra Storetrio and
by Signor Garhn. When the curtain was
finally dropped Leorcavallo was called out
four times.
At the second performance the house was
less crowded than on the first but the
audience appeared better pleased with the
opera.