The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-11
THE ABSURDITY OF OPERA.
An English Writer Treats the Sub
ject with Undue Levity.
London Globe.

LOlOOH blODC.
Some one in the journal called Music has
TO apply his remarks solely TO opera In Eng
land, asserting, as is the fashion, that they
do these things so much better on the con-
tinent. OF course this is not so. The writer
seems TO be particularly offended by the
fact that at Covent Garden singers of va
rious nationalities go to the making up OF
the cast. Then he takes exception to the
fact that you cannot get an experienced
Juliet to sing Gounod's music of an age ex-
actly corresponding with the years Shak-
speare gave to his heroine. Just as If they
have Fifteen summer" Juliets in France.
Let the writer speak tor himself. He says:
Without wishing to be ungallant, refer
ence may also be made TO the personal APP
pearance of the lovers. Juliet is a young
lady of fifteen / don't know how
old Romeo is supposed TO be. But We have
the spectacle usually OF a lady of mature
beauty and some thirteen stone avoirdupois
being embraced by q hve-foot-six Romeo,
whose age, if one could but inspect the
census papers. verges on sixty. This would
not matter so much If the ardent couple
were wrapped up in each other to the total
eclipse of the conductor. But this is never
the case. When Juliet sings Hist Romeo,
hist, Oh, for a falconer's voice TO lure this
tassel-gentle back again! she keeps a
steady eye on the conductor. as IT that gen.
tleman had been playing the deuce with the
time. Then Romeo appears. and with the
same distrust of the chef d'orcnestre' in his
gaze. MARBLES, 1T is my soul that calls upon
my name whereas il is really the gentle
man with the baton. From a spectacular
point of view the conductor IS decidedly the
central figure In opera Next TO him and
the principals come the various members or
the chorus, who represent peasants, sol
diers, monks, fishermen, brigands. etc. Inc
men nave rotund figures and red noses, and
the women look as IL they had lived long
enough 10 know their business. AIRS Tonga,
vita brevis;' we must wait Till the miilen-
MUM for a chorus OF middle-aged folk. but
is it too much to expect the veterans OF
to-day to sing in tune?
The absurdity of opera Is pretty plain
when the poetry OF Englands greatest
bard. stultifed by an alien. is shouted at
an English audience in various continental
dialects. but absurdity reaches It's climax
when Wagner is performed. In the comic
opera, Die Meistersinger, We have Eng
lishmen, Frenchmen and American Il lave
registered this name) posing as
of the middle ages. OF course, they can all
sing. but how ridiculous they must appear
TO a Teuton versed in the literature OF MS
country, In the cycle of the Ring. rarely
performed in this country, eminent parry
tones have TO sing inside the carcass OF a
dragon. Ladies who can't swim are ex-
pected to float on the waters Of the Rhine
and chant meaningless refrains; others ride
through the air and feign sympathy with
the woes of an incestuous twain; birds talk,
and the dement's comport themselves IN a
manner unknown to science.
add. that all these things can be explained
by the serious opera-gOer, who. II he read
these remarks, will have but a poor opinion
of me. But l am not Hazlitt. VINO also, l.
believe, saw nothing but vanity In the
opera. TIC that brilliant writer / refer the
serious opera-gOer for pungent critlclsm on
the entire subject"