New-York tribune., 1901-01-17
MUSIC.
ANOTHER REVIVAL AT THE METRoPoL-
ITAN

ANOTHER REVIVAL AT THE METRoPoIr
ITAN
Until popular taste has been steadied-and that
re is 70 be predicted. after three-ouarters Of
= century Of grand opera in New-York-it will not
- safe either judge of the value Of an onera hv
s reception. or the intelligence and honesty of the
-.,sntion by an opera. -Four years ago Massenet's
.~5" was given for the first time in Nevyoru,
The circumstances, as is usual in our operatic con-
sF,ons were purely adventitious. There had been
+rouble. and Nine Nordica had not been engaged;
-ssult-Afr. Grau was in need OF a dramatic prirna
Eonna Nine. Melba made unfortunate venture
a. ..Siegfried," took i'll, and returned to Furone
gre Litvinre was conveniently at hand She
,-new the part OF Chimene in lie CID; she learned
.hs parts Of Eriinnhide in Siegfried" and isolde
md before the end OF the season disclosed the fact
,hst she an artist OF remarkably fine instincts
,d accomplishments. So a season. full of misfor-
tunes was brought TO an honorable conclusion.
n Jean de Reszke, the Rodriguez at the original
-oauction Of Massenets ''Cid" in Paris on Noven
tor n 1855 a performance which had brought him
ons of his earliest triumphs tenor desired that
.ba opera be given here. In Mr.. Grau's companv
we're the original Rodriguez on. Jean de Reszke)
.be original Don Diegue ON Edouard de Reszke)
and the original Compte de Gormas On. Plan
con) Nine. Melba had studied the part of the In
san+a and her departure caused a temporary en-
barrassment, from which Mr.. Grau relieved by
Nine De We're. who learned it, thus making posi-
HE the first American production Of the opera
enoe was a numerous one, and what was good in
,he work met with ample appreciation. Three days
later It repeated, and then it was placed the
shelf
Last night it was brought forward again with
she same hero, the same Don DteQue and the same
conpte de Gornas. Whether the design was TO
cul out a holiday for NJ. Jean de Reszke Mile.
Breval who appeared Chimene, it was equally
successful The regular patrons Of the opera took
care of the tenor and the habitual claque OF the
zrTYa herrH in tha o-,,
SON of the opera lovers Of New-York had she not
been SO vocferously and unintelligently applauded
but the audience was pleased and lie Cid" scored
a sucoess-that is the phrase believe. LIE CID
Is an opera which is full Of pomp and circumstance
Of state and ancenty. Much OF it is good TO look
AZ and its ballet music is delightful 10 hear; hut
as lyric drama IT is pretty threadbare and empty,
and why it should please now, when IL did not
four years ago. is a thing beyond human ken But
perhaps NJ Jean de Reszke, an embodiment of
the opera can give It fixture in the repertory of
this season. He is a most puissant person, and
so long as he sings and acts he did last night
the Metropolitan opera public is likely to accept
whatever he does a significant and beautiful
uroclammation. Mile Breval is singing actress
OF boundless temperament and dramatic device;
but her voice is that Of the old fashioned French
dramatic singer, with the disagreeable vibrato
which New-York has long since ceased to abide
under any circumstances, and the inequalities in
power color and expression which tell either Of
unwise training abuse. She loudly ap
plauded. but reviewer. unconcerned with the
petty things which float the surface Of operate
life in New-York would care to be called up
estimate the quality of that applause. For Nine
Melba who enacted the part Of the Infanta, indul-
gence was asked on the ground OF indispostion,
and all that need be said that she went
through the part istlessly. Besides those already
mentioned, who did what was expected of them,
Mr.. Sizes appeared as the King "a small part un-
dertaken by NJ. Lassalle four years ago): Mr.. Bars
(st Jaeques), n Dufriche (as the Moorish Ambas-
sador), Mr.. Masiero don Arias) and Mr.. Vivani
don Alonzo). The audience crowded the theatre.