New-York tribune., 1901-10-27
PARIS.
THE wALDECK-RoUSSEAU MINISTRY
wEATHERS ANOTHER STORM.
FIRST PERFORMANCES OF sAINT-sAENs's
NEW OPERA, LES BARBARES'-OTHER
THEATRICAL INCIDENTS
Copyright: 1901: BY The New-Yvk Tribune


Copyright; 1901: BY The New-Yyk Trbune1
tBy CABLE TRIBUNE.l
Paris, Oct 25.-The waldeck- Rousseau Min
tstry has met the legislature for the fourth
time in its history record unparalleled during
the Third Republic. and, after a very narrow
escape. safely weathered the storm caused by
the threatened general strike Of one hundred
and sixty thousand French miners. Indeed the
fact that the Cabinet was not shipwrecked on
Tuesday by the Socialist and reactionary coali-
ton was solely due TO the loyal honest attitude
OF MN. Meline and Ribot and those of their
supporters who followed them in voting for
ministry they oppose and 10 succeed which they
are impatient. They had the courage TO put
public interests above personal rivalries and
animosties. and thereby prevented the fall of
the ministry, which at this moment would have
been a national calamity, for il would have
been the signal for conflicts between the work.
men and the military scale almost ap-
preaching civil Happily. the effect OF the
government majority became at once apparent
by the tactics OF the miners delegates at st.
Etienne. They had postponed their action until
the decision of the Cabinet and the Chamber
should be known. Consequently, the general
strike, which would undoubtedly have been
Lacked with armed resistance. has been for the
time at least abandoned. and once again the
policy OF NJ. Waldeck-Rousseau has triumphed
in the Chamber and in the country The labor
members and the Socialists who have hitherto
voted more or less in support OF the government
are nevertheless very bitterly hostile and their
probable coalition with the reactionary oppo.i-
tion is the most serious element for the future.
Moreover, the financial situation which the Cab
inet viii have TO face when the budget is pre-
sented is a very grave one In financial circles
the belief is gaining ground that the new French
loan, said TO have been fixed at 100000 on
a 3 per cent basis, 10 meet the interest on which
annual instalments Of the Chinese indemnity
gre 10 be employed. will be Of the first
methods proposed toward restoring the balance
OF the national finances.
Les Barbares" lyric tragedy in three acts
composed by Camille Saint-saens and written
by Victorien Sardou and p. II. Gheusi, ELECTED
enthusiastic commendation on Wednesday night.
when the house was thronged with musicians
authors and eminent personages in the worlds of
fashion. politics and the fine arts but was not
welcomed by the paying public last evening
with the same unreseryed admiration. The new
work would have been far more effectively pro-
duced in the ancient amphitheatre of Orange.
for which IT was originally intended. and where
the action OF the opera takes place. The bar.
barians are the Teutonic invaders who destroy
The Roman legions in Provence. but spare the
city OF Orange, the ancient Arausio because
Their chef. MarcOfnlr, Idlls IN love Win florla,
the vestal virgin who b. consenting to wed
the Germanic leader, protects the citadel from
burning and pillage AS the barbarian hordes
sire about to retire MarcOmr is killed by Lvia
the widow of the Roman consul, Euryale whom
Narcomir had himself slain at the gates Of Or
ange. The theme is solemn and sepulchral. and
the music, with the exception OF two three
smpassioned passages which will take rank be-
side the finest compositions OF the author OF
'Henri VIII" and Samson ct Dalila," is cold
and mathematical in its classical purity and
fsultlessness OF composition. There is duet
IN the second act sung by Marcomir vaguetD
and Floria (Aille. Hatto). which equals the beau
tiful duo in Samson ct Dalila." Marcomir is
entranced by the charms of Floria, just as
Matho is before Salammbo I'm Reyers opera
founded on Flaubert's story of the Carthagini-
ans. This delightful melody in which Marco
mir murmurs:
Viens je suis rOi; tn seras refine.
Et partageras mon pouvOir.
Niens, tn connaftras les iyresses,
L'extase 6es males caresses.
Et celles de iardent baiser.
IS the masterpiece the -ew opera There is
also a superb death march. The charming far
andole IN the third is full Of sunlight and
Joyous rhythm. and I'm the intensely dramatic
death scene one detects the adroit handiwork
of Sardou.
The Interpretation of the female parts Is ex-
cellent. Nine. Heglon giving tragic grandeur