The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-09
PADEREWSKPS GYPSY OPERA.
ITS PROMOTION NEXT FRIDAY
THE SEASONS NOTABLE EVENT.
Eight Wears the Composer Has worked
IN N-Iu Theme Is Polish. and In IL
the Love Motif IL subordinated to
Racial Feeling Great Cast TO Sing II.

the Love Motif IL subordinated to
Racial Feeling Great Cast TO Sing II.
The most interesting event OF the musical
year "a to be the first performance next
Friday at the Metropolitan Opera Hous
OF Ignace Jan P~aderewski's opera, "Manru.'
The composer Is the most popular virtuoso
who now visits his country. Interest is
certain to attach to any OF his compost
tions. When the favorite singers at the
opera house combine 10 interpret the
work there Is little wonder that the public
chooses TO regard the occasion as the most
conspicuous Of the year. SO for next Fri
day night every seat In the Metropolitan
Opera House has been engaged and IL Is
practically certain that the law against
allowing hearers to stand will DO openly
dehed. The composer has given up his
projected concert tour In Italy. where he
has not yet played, for the purpose OF COM
ing here TO attend the rehearsals and
watch over the details Of the performance.
Walter Damrosch is TO be the conductor.
sManru' is the composers first opera.
II took eight years to get the work
into its preeent condition. II was sung
last year at Dresden for the first time any
where. Ernest Won Schuch prepared the
opera for three months. Berlin asked
for the privilege OF the premiere. but it
had already been promised 10 Dresden.
On May 20 the work was first produced.
The members of the Dresden company
who appeared In the novelty were NM.
Antilles, Scheidemantel. Hopeh n Rains.
and Mines. Krull, Won Chavanne and Kram-
mer. The first performance was a triumph.
The opera was taken into the repertoire
again last autumn and has frequently been
sung TO large audiences during the present
season. IL has also been sung at Prague,
Cologne and zurich. 1t is a fore
gone conclusion that IL will be presented
also In Berlin and Vienna. The composer
had Just superintended the first production
Of the work at Cologne before he came TO
country. two weeks ago.
Alfred Nossig was the hbrettist OF the
work, which is in three acts. He IL a writer
and sculptor, and above all a Pole and an
intimate friend of h composer. NJ. Nos
sig IL not the first lbrettist who has
been found to have fallen below the
OF the composer, 30 the text
Of "Manru" has everywhere been regarded
as the weaker side of the opera.
The first act passes in a village in the
Tatra Mountains, on the borders Of Galicia
and Hungary. Hero lives Hed,rip, mother
OF Uiana, a Galician maiden who has mar
ried Manu-, the leader Of a Gypsy band,
TO the despair and Indignation OF her mother
who has refused TO receive the girl since
marriage. The village women are
the Autumn festival in front
of Hed,1u's hut W hen the first act opens.
Oh alnra IL pnalannhnlv thinking of her
daughter, who was nj one time a part OF the
group OF girls in front of her. Pres
emily to them comes Crok, a dwarf, who,
in his uncouth way, had loved UIdnd and
declared his passion for her. The village
girls mock him, but to Hedlug he declares
that she should welcome back into her
the outcast Uidnd. The mother vows
that she will never smile on her 80 long rs
ULdnd remains the wife OF Ndnru
At this stage UlGnd returns TO her mother,
begging that she will forgive her and AXE
her back into her heart. Thu girls, her
former companions, have Knocked her.
Now her mother refuses TO receive her so
long as she is faithful TO her husband.
Then her mother prophesies that Bdnru
will soon be weary of his wife and desert
her. The unhappy wife learns that the
gypsies are again near the town awaiting
the return Of their chief, Mdrru, whom
they hope TO persuade to enter their band
again. This is disquieting TO UidHd, who
suspects that Mdnru has begun 20 grow
Of her. She begs n owe philter of
Urok. her devoted but grotesoue lover. but
he hesitates 10 grant her request, IN the
vain hope that IL Uidnd is deserted by
Mdnru she may fall in love with him. But
gees how devoted she will always be 70
her husband and sorrowfully goes 10 pre-
pare the potion for her.
Then the villagers enter the square and
up the holiday morrymaking. Alone
Uidrd X lad and stands aloof. The men are
taunting her when Mdnru enters He
PUSHES 20 take her part and a struggle be-
gins. The mother appears at the door
Of the hut aud commands the people 10
the outcast pair alone. The VII
layers retire and when the curtain falls
the two are alone on the stage, spurned
the race 10 which UIdnd belongs.
The second act passes in the mountains,
is unhappy. He longs for the roy ing life
with the bard 10 used 10 lead. HE wife
sits within ia, hut singing to her child:
His love is not restored by the sound Of
the lullaby. Rather do his thoughts turn
10 the other type OF women he has know!
In the past-the wild gypsy women Of
quite another strain from tie gentle Uidnd,
he thought he loved 50 much. He
shows his wife that he is weary of her and
that her calm love i~rritates him.
Presently Urok, the dwarf. 20
tell them that the gypsy tribe ia near. The
music OF n violin is heard In the forest.
81 soon ms he recognizes the music Of his
people, Mdnru PUSHES in search OF tho
fiddler. Then Urok, who is alone with
Iidrd, shows her the love potion he has
prepared. When Mdnru returns he brings
with him Jdgu. He has come 20 beg NdHyu
TO rejoin the tribe. marry Asa, lis queen.
and become the leader OF the band. He
refuses, but he shows his desire for tho
old life, and Uiapd, fearing that he will
desert her, gives Mdnru the love potion.
He falls under the influence, and the act
closes with a beautiful duet, which has
everywhere been described as the gem
OF the work.
The last act shows another part Of tho
forest. The voice of MdHru is heard and
the gypsies are gathered on all sides, Asa.
tho queen Of the tribe, accompanied 10y
Oros. the present chief, sails over the lake
I'm a rude boat. When he meets her, Mdnru
forgets every vow TO Uldnd and succumbS
20 the wiles Of Asa, who il determined
that he shall love her. She dances before
him and sings for him. He shows his
love more and more plainly, TO the dis
gust OF Oros. who sees that Mdnru will
win Asd and his place as chief Of the tribe.
When he ENDS that tho men prefer Mdnru
TO him he throws down his staf Of Office
in disgust. But MdHrus hour Of triumph
is brief. As he IL marching away with
Aso the Jealous OrOs hurls him from a
cliff into the lake. The luckless TlanG
browns herself so soon "a she realizes that