New-York tribune., 1900-12-23
THE OPERA "ZAZA.. /.
THE LATEST WORK BY LEoNCAVALLo
PROVES A DISAPPOINTMENT IN MILAN.
WHERE FIRST PRODUCED.

PROVES A DISAPPOINTMENT IN MILAN
WHERE FIRST PRODUCED.
The expectation raised by the popularity of "I
Paglaccf' and LA Boheme'' has met with partial
disappointment. IL had been confidently held that
the success Of Berton and Simon's play afforded
good ground for believing that still greater sue
cess awaited the opera drawn from it. and no one
doubted that Leoncavallo the man to COM
pose the music best suited to such a theme. Be-
ing poet as we'll as a composer, he had written
the lbretto of his Opera, thus supplying additional
proof that the subject had taken hold of his
fancy. Add to this that the artists engaged by
Sgnor Sonzogno, the impressario. first rate
that the orchestra directed by Signor Tosca-
mini, that no expense had been spared, and one
may we'll wonder that, under such favorable
auspices. the result should have proved compara-
lively unsatisfactory. The impression conveyed
by the music was that the composers soul was
not in it. and this being it naturally failed to
stir the audience.
Unlike the protagonists of other dramatic works
converted into operas and spiritualized by the
version. "Zaza'' loses her original attraction and
appears unreal 1t is wrong to affirm, as some
critics have done, that the choice of the subject
a mistake. Had Leoncavallo done much
for 'Zaza' a composer he had done for her
a poet. the subject would have proved inter-
esting enough, but. unfortunately, he failed to
bring into prominent relief the startling psyche
logical moments of his eccentric heroine, and al
which unavoidably proved fatal True, the or
chestra displayed richness of Instrumentation
quite in keeping with the development of the action
the stage, but it painfully lacked continuity,
being ftful and abounding with feeting melodies
which appeared to chase one another with disas-
trous haste and certainly was not improved by an
oyersonorous accompaniment
The first act, somewhat too long, is a lively ka-
leidoscope, in which excessive number of actors
appear and disappear with bewildertng rapidity.
Dufresne's song, although admirably sung by Sig
Garbin, coldly listened to- and later on the
Song of the Kiss fell fiat. As the curtain
dropped the composer was, under protest, called
out five times.
The second act was hardly more successful than
the first The tenor, after singing Aaza, Zaza;
the barytone, Signor Sanmarco after the
duet between Cascart and Zaza. He is unquestion-
ably artist of great dramatic power, and In
possession of ma agnificent voice The composer
the conductor also received tribute.
The prelude to the third act, with distant
good, and was appreciated accordingly. This sue
followed by a burst of genuine enthusiasm
over Dufresnes romance, beautifully sung and en-
cored. The scene between Zaza (Signora Storetrtol
and the child Toto in which the former sings and
the latter merely reciteS, is on the originality
of which Leoncavallo built great hopes; but alas,
it missed its effect, and was only saved from com
plete failure by Zaza's pathetic soliloquy, while
the child played Cherubini's Ave Maria on the
piano TO slight and ftful accompaniment by the
orchestra.
Sanmarco. "Zaza piccola zingara, was encored,
and elected enthusiastic applause The scene be-
tween the two lovers is full OF tfe and was inter
preted in a mastery manner by Signora Storetrio
and by Sgnor Garbin. When the curtain was
finally dropped LeoneavaEo was called out -FOUR
times.
At the second performance the house was less
crowded than on the FIRST but the audience ap-
peared better pleased with the opera