New-York tribune., 1900-11-20
MUSIC.
A NOVELTY IN ENGLISH OPERA

NOVELTY IN ENGLISH OPERA
Mr.. Savage redeemed the first OF his promises "a
bring forward operas in the season OF the
Metropolitan English Opera Company by producing
"Esmeralda" at the Metropolitan Opera House last
night. The undertaking had much 70 commend t.
and there is enough OF merit In the opera 20 have
saved the effort from being down as an expert
ment with dubious outcome. to put IL mildly. had
the purposes Of the bookmakers and the composer
been better served. AS French operas have zons
since Meyerbeer created the formula there can
be no serious objection made to the dramatic
structure OF "EsmsraIda" In fact taking
It's merit in that respect and adding 70 n
the decidedly negative value Of the English lines IL
seems safe thing to say that Victor Huxo's mans
might also have been added 20 the names or m.
hore'tists. for IL the book " EsmeraIda IS origin
ally English. : heard 1t last night and not =
translation. then Herr or slgnOr Mr.. Randegzer
and Monsieur or Signor or Ar. Marzials have com.
mand only Of the English created by the hack
transdtors OF hbFettos 1t is therefore kind view
OF the matter To that II Is the opera book which
Hugo made for Mile. Louise Bsrtfn that was NAL
treated by Messrs Randsgger and MarziaIs and r.
deemed as far it could be. by the music of Mr.
Arthur GOrins Thomas. from whom English opera
was entitled TO expect more than from any OF tbs
men who have tried to do something for IL since ths
old ballad opera became moribund- GOring Thornas
better than any OF his contemporaries. had ths
knack OF writing operate things He learned II IN
Paris, which fact might be deGuced from the nusI1
OF "Esmeralda, which is stamped with the Initials
impress of its composer. great deal OF shallow
operatic music has come from Paris. but il han
generally shown French ceverness in construction
and finish, and much OF il has lived and also
outside of Paris which has less inveutveness and
sentiment In ii than "EsmeraIda." To take sngls
nustrious instance. IL would be difficult FOR an IN
prejudiced critic say why Ambroise Thomas's
Hamlet should live and Goring Thomass "Es-
meralda" die Surely there ought not 70 be 81
much saving grace IN the single drinking song,
which, after all. is climax OF the French com
poser's ShakesDerian opera.
There scores OF the conventional operac,d
features in 'Esmeralda' but they hold together as
such things do and help make occa-
sion for pretty pictures and pretty music. Mr.
Thomas happy in his ensemble and in tas
creation OF the orchestral substratun on which
operate dialogue moves since the death OF the Old
dry recitativo. and always had melody to spare.
Dramatic his melody said 10 be
profoundly expressive. but ii has charm. fair
amount Of apposteness. and il flows on freely
through voices and instruments. receiving much
ingenious color from the orchestral part
Unfortunately the opera did not receive a per-
foFmance at all commensurate with its deserts
When all due allowance is made for the fact that
1t was first performance Of a work unfamiliar .
most OF those concerned in it. there is still much
10 regret. AS in many of the English perform
ances, the chorus was the star 10 sang frequently
with considerably more intelligence than soIue o.
the principal singers. and must be forgiven Z
sometimes its tone and its anxiety TO particulars
effectively in the performance were TOO much IN
evidence It's ensemble frequently fine a. in
the quintet which it accompanies in the second act
one OF the most effective numbers in the opera,
which had 20 be repeated.
Those who enacted the chief characters Of the
opera did not for the most part. show themselves
TO advantage. and the performance was of-e7 lack
ing in energy and smoOthness and II dramatf,
conference The best singing was that or Grace
Van Studdiford. Fleur de Lys. Harry Davies IS
GringOire; Philip Br0zel as Phobus de Chateau
and DaYrTT
Golden's imperSOnatiOn Of EsmeraIta was picr1r-
esque. but vocaly she did the level that
the part demands. Mr.. SeppiIu conducted with
anxious care and occasional vOciseratiOn. bur the
results in the orchestra sometimes rough and
there were places that required all his skill 10
avert disaster.