New-York tribune., 1901-01-01
MUSIC.
THE RETURN OF MR.. JEAN DE RESzKE

THE RETURN OF MR.. JEAN DE RESzKE.
The lessons OF The century that is gone sup
posedly NJ matter for discussion to-day. The one
that suggested by last nights representation
Cor representations, for the audience took part.
and there quite as much OF performance IN
the audience room as on the siage) at the Metro
poitan brought up thoughts of a hundred and fifty
years ago rather than Of anything belonging tosa
retrospect of ths nineteenth century. There
seversion tc TIE time of Farinel in London TO the
1nboundeG admiration of singer to the forgetting.
almost. of the song This was not In accord With
the artistic pEeachmeuts Of the last decade and
half, and Yet singHlariy enough. ii would have
gone hard to quarrel with it last night- Nr- Jean
de Reszke came back TO the people who adore him
and admire his art The New-Nork public ~ sup
posed tickle in It's loves and complacert !n rs
knowledge OF what IL ought to love: and there
a pretty strong conviction that though II mish.
turn out In large numbers 20 witness NJ De
Reszke's re-entrance. 1t would do So more OI:s Os
curiosity than love. and be quite prepared to wag
Its wise head ana say. Were nof told Of the
passing of that voice by the wise men OF London'
And Is 1t not even so? Farewell. now 70 the glories
of operar' But the outcome was different
very different. II there were any the thousands
who crowded the opera house who came prepared
20 scor thy remained to applaud 10 cheer, 20 for
get their critical impulses. 20 rush about the cor
ridors between the acts and embrace their friends
Joyously and exclaim in all keys. tempos and
nuances. praised be Apollo! All is wells Jean Is
Jean. and the abyss does not yawn for our operaT'
II a night os rejoicing. Mr. DE Reszke
his own inimitabe self, and his example and the
enthusiasm of the audience inspired the perform
ance In all its departments. So eager were his OH
admirers welcome him that they round
of applause TO his miniature counterfeit present.
ment. when ne was drawn across the back OF the
stage In that futile device TO create the impression
OF distance and so lend scenic verismIlitude to the
hero's gradual approach. When finally he appeared
in proper person there was most gladsome noise
of greeting. and when the first act had been given
and al1r had aid 9orf
cal artffce there seemed 20 be no limit 20 the
ner and scope of the popular rejoicing To the
singer himself IL must have been a trying moment.
for he we'll aware of the apprehensions Of his
friends and the ordeal for him. There were
a few moments OF nervousness betrayed by the
abbreviation of phrases and changes in vowel
coloring. but. then. all of old. and the
Celestial Knight assumed his Oldtime sway. AS for
the grateful enthusiasm which he evoked in the
later scenes, that must be left the imagination;
the history of the Metropolitan Opera House has
nothing down parallel
In its other features, except the glorifcati0n
which the occasion brought into Mime. NOrdica's
voice and manner and which lifted Il to lofty
plane Of loveIness and tender poetry, the per-
formance was like that of its predecessor-hied
with the tragic power of Nine Schumann-Heink
impersonaton of Ortrud. and the sOnOrOus beauty
of Edouard de Deszke's King and the strenuous
defamation and action of Mr.. Bertram's Telra-
mund. The audience room was crowded
II Is hardly probable that Nine sembrich in
tended the entertainment she gave last night in
Carnegie Hall TO be taken seriously in New-York-
The grand popular operatic concert" OF this sort
is happily wenigh obsolete here IL is plainly
intended for the benefit of remote parts OF
the country. where they do not have the pleasure
OF hearing Mime. Sembrch in such song rectals as
she has given here recently. and where they very
probably would not appreciate u II they did In
New-YOrk. at least. Mime. Sembrich Is much
more potent attraction alone the stage Of Car
negie Hall. with a piauOforte. than when she Is
surrounded by orchestra and assisted by
three such men singers as she was last
night. The contrast impressive IN
many ways-especiaIly in the size and temper Of
the audience. and In the atmosphere OF the Occa-
sion. But there was explanation OF this In part
in the potent attraction elsewhere Mime. Sem
briehs admirers also MI de Reszhs's There
nothing, however that could daTnpen the spirits
of the great soprano. who In admirable voice.
and sang with her most fascinating briliiancy and
ire-with that plentitude OF lovely quality and
sparkling animation that make even "Ah fors
lu and Pronta 10 SON. from Don PasquaIe' seem
interesting when she does them. and they lend
charm TO Strauss captivating Voce di Primavera'
waltz. as she has often shown 10 New-York
audiences. OF course she called upon 20 sing
again after each Of her selections. Her support
ing artists are SiguOri de Bensaude. Dado ROssI
and de Lara. whose powers il is perhaps neCes-
sary to discuss in detail further than say that
they capable OF performing the functions That
expected Of them in such an organization as
this Signor Bensaude put intelligent perform
Of the prologue 20 II Pagliaccf' to his credit
which the most enjoyable Of the masculine
efforts put forward during the evening. There was
an orchestra under SignOr Bevisnanis direction OF
It's dOings is not necessary speak since speak
Ing would be but unkindness.