New-York tribune., 1901-01-27

harmOnic
olsuhct. and, what is more of easily distinguish
able, strains OF feeling. The tenor air. La donna
mobile, is one Of those catching songs readily
carried away by the audience, hummed in the
street as they go home and picked the
FAMILY piano next morning II is so easy to remem-
Der that Verdi. foreseeing its popularity held it
back even from Nitrate. who sing it, until
the last rehearsal fearing that would get out and
become town property before the performance
III Trovatore'' 0S53) with a book of incredible
hadness achieved instantaneous popularity, sur
passing that of most other operas Of this genera
tioa 1t spread over Europe and America like wild
hre and was sung by nearly all the greatest artists
OF the world The fact is that the broad effects
which Verdi and his admirers alike delighted were
seen at their full in this work; his melodous in
yentyeness never richer. his art in arrang-
happy: When it was dispiaced from the standard
nst @ OF @ attractions at the great opera houses it
cause the audiences had heard it often In cities
such as smaller cities of the United States, It
is still in high favor.
THE RECEPTION OF LA TRAvIATA"
La Traviata," produced at Venice in 1856 was
n complete failure. The singers principally
responsible for the disaster. At Turin little later
the opera made great hit; 1t equally success
ful in Paris, and after that It made a triumphal
tour OF the world. Don Carlos" produced at the
Grand Opera House OF Paris in 1867. showed a
snce anywhere The merits Of Aida have gained
Italian operas n was written and produced under
sensational circumstances. The Khedive, Ismail
Verdi to write an opera on On an Egyptian subject
for the opening Of new opera house at Cairo
by Marette Bey, the distinguished archeologist.
Lamont under Terdfs close superVison The COM
poser received $4,000 for the score. and It was
the performance he should receive $4,000 additional
I oT % 10 so G TO an5 Ggy M 1 ae
performance. December "a 1871 after years post
dresses and properties being locked up in besieged
only In Cairo, where the occasion was public
whose foremost critics travelled TO Egypt To de-
scribe the representation The splendor of the stage
ceptional conditions of the performance would have
Success of b here were Sc ceTfan
considerations which invested it with peculiar
the principles OF Richard Wagner had been making
even swept over Italy and it was no secret that
Verdi himself; the most Italian of all living COM
OF the stre5ta -and-caboetta school, acknowledged
Aida" did show traces of the German theory.
me old formal structure OF the aria was consider
ably modified for the sake OF greater emotional
freedom and the orchestra in the best parts of the
work fa,t acquired unwonted importance as an indie
ings But after all. these changes did go very
hs %c Ref I'M 6d
to nfuse into It by daring rhythms and strange
the glowing temple scenes. Otherwise he gained
little by abandoning his own style.
MODERN IDEAS AssIMILATED
The tendencies toward assimilating modern ideas
in the treatment Of opera that he showed Aida
he continued and developed 10 their highest degree
in his two subsequent operas. "Otello'' was pro-
duced in Milan. La Scala, February g. 1887.
The book. based Shakespeares play. was writ
ten by Arrtgo Boito, the poet and musician, who
has had large Influence on Verdrs later years.
having written also the hbretto Of ''Falstan.' In
'Otello' Verdi gives up the conventional forms OF
opera more completely than he did in Aida"
In this and in ''Falstaff." which produced at
his manner in the direction OF refinement OF melody
and of orchestration. In 'Falstaff he has reached
the highest level OF comic characterization in the
treatment Of the orchestra illustrating proceed
ings the stage In originality and unceasing
flow OF invention, turned to entirely channels.
though he was just eighty years old when his
musical world. In fact. his has been unique
probably in the history OF music in the changes ne
has lived through and the part he has played in
the creation Of musical works that seem TO latter
day amateurs to belong to different epochs.
Besides a few minor compositions of little signif-
cance, Verdi wrote Requiem in commemora1ion
Of Alessandro Manzoni II was performed in Eu-
rope and America with eclat.. and is beyond
doubt interesting work-not, however. in a style
for which the composer had genuine calling.
Verdi married as his second wife Signorina Strep-
occasion Of its first performance. Her death
announced November Is, 1897. He amassed a
handsome fortune by his music, and bought fine
estate known as SAINT Agata, on the Bay OF Naples
the first Italian Parliament, the desire OF that
statesman being TO assemble all that
distinguished in arts. letters. science and politics
around the new throne: but the musician soon
tired from post for which he had liking. He
reserved, fond Of retirement, impatient of puff
ferry. strong willed and somewhat brusQue but
honorable. charitable and affectionate.