New-York tribune., 1902-01-07
MUSIC.
COMEDY AND TRAGEDY AT THE OPERA.

COMEDY AND TRAGEDY AT THE OPERA.
Memories strained at the opera last night.
Doubtless there hundreds in the audience
who could recall performances Of The Daughter
of the Regiment for it was an item In the Castle
Square Company's season at the American The
atre so recently 1899. and when Miss dc Lussau
became an opera singer IL was revived for her az
the Fifth Avenue Theatre by the Boston Ideal
Opera Company in 1855. Some older patrons of
opera may have recalled performances of La
F1glia del Reggimento' at the Academy Of Music
IN the days OF Marimon and some stn older
may have memories awakened OF Patti and Sontag
in the same Italian opera. But of la File du
Regiment" which the opera given last night.
very few could speak OF personal experience. Even
Mr.. Grau whose memory beginning with child
hood and intimately associated with opera French
and opera Italian ever since. could not recall
performance of the delightful opera which Doni-
zetti composed to a French book for the Opera
Comique in 1870, though he ventured a guess to
the effect that il had been done by a French com
pany about the middle OF the COS OF the nine
teenth century theatre in Fourteenth-st
Those who wish to back 10 first prin-
ciples must be referred back to the opera
season OF 1s43 when French company. headed
by a Nile. Calve produced the delightful work at
Nibo's Garden. Those were DAYS which will take
on a peculiar significance some day when New
York's operate history is written in the light of
modern knowledge and eXperience-days when
New-York frequently a decade or so ahead
OF London in its opportunities to become acquainted
with novelties in the operate field. La File du
Regiment" may stin be stranger the British
metropolis for aught that know to the
contrary. but even La Figlia del Reggi-
mento" had wait TIL Jenny Lind came to CO.
vent Garden in Is47 before London was priv
neged to hear Donzetti's sparkling music. Only
a few years later Donizettis original Marie
Mme Thillon. an English woman was carrying
the operatic evangel from New-York TO San Fran
cisco. Here texts for voluminous discourse,
but record OF present enjoyments is more the
purpose;
la File du Regiment is returned. thanks TO
Nine Sembrich. II ia returned brilliantly trI-
umphantly; returned TO give added lustTe to the
artist who keeps interest and admiration
tiptoe whenever she appears. and ask OF
the careless and the preju6ced iudg-
ment Donizett who only a few years
ago voted good dead at our oper-
attic institution. 1t is easy smilingy forget
the tragic Donizetti. despite his tunefulness; but
Nine. Sembrich last night vitalized his music
more effectively than she had succeeded in
doing that of Don Pasquale" for the simple rea-
that IN the French opera she had a bright,
ingenious and well constructed comedy for the
citing Of her exquisite art She not only
the brilliant vocalist TO whom accustomed;
she also actress full of pretty witcheries,
graceful coquetrtes. captivating righteousness all
of which were but the companions OF most en-
Ragng simplicity and heartfulness which pro-
claimed themselves with touching eloquence in
the emotional music which Donizetti put into the
score Of La File du Regiment" II was a good
thing to hear the old music again. 1t is a self
conplacent age, and there danger that the
proclamation which ii makes of Donizettis musi-
cal genius would be forgotten by it, The revival
of the original French version show
how successful the italian composer in the ,
assimilation of the rhythmicalness of French
music and how a comedy with natural emotion IN
IL could inspire him write melodies full OF
genuine feeling.
Mime. seInbrich celebrated of the prettest
triumphs Of her American career last night. She
accomplished a revival which is likely 10 have a
lasting influence upon this season. least, and
many other seasons shall be frightened by the
presence OF Nine. Sembrich. NJ. Gilbert confirmed
the excellent impression which he made in Puccni's
operas actor and Nine, Van CaUteren con-
tributed pleasantly to the comedy element. But
alas. how much of the deghtfuIness OF the work
was lost in the spaces OF the opera house |
After Donzettfs opera "Cavalerla Rusticana"
was given. with Nine Calve Miss Homer, Mr. |
DIppel and Mr.. Campanari the cast Mr.. Flon |
conducted both operas
The revival Of La File du Regiment empha- |
a need that has often forced itself upon the
attention OF lovers OF the opera In New-York- |
of small lyric theatre in which operas of the
lighter kind be heard and they |
ought 10 he heard 9nd in order 10 be |
appreciated he city needs Opera Comique $ |
a companion 10 its Grand Opera. II is not desir- |
bic that interest in lyric comedy shall die; is
it likely. The strenuous commercial and social life
OF to-day demands relaxation more than instrue- |
ton. Serious music, instrumental and vocal, is |
tending and toward the discussion of |
psychological and pathological problems. The ten
dency can not be checked. nor need It, In the |
course OF time II viii discover that ideal /
ism for which Il is cropping through |
dark and materialistic mazes; but meanwhile |
music is likely and 10 revert to
cid forms expression because of the innate love
for sensuous beauty That love will not die. II
must die; but it cannot be nourshed by one
sided insistence upon heroic, gigantic monstrous
types Of character fierce. pitiless turbulent in
tolerant agencies OF manifestation As life becomes
more strained and toisome the need OF merriment.
OF sportive mirth and amiable gaYety will grow, !
and for these gracious ministers music is po-
tentai 1t is for dolor and suffering. But mirth
full music be blatanty vociferous If il is to
remain mirthful and heart easing and comedy
cannot be enjoyed in place where dialogue cannot
be heard The comedy music OF Mozart. Rossini
and Donizetti cannot be adapted to masks and
cothurni. The present generation is not likely TO |
cry out for return 10 the tragic music or the
masters OF three-quarters Of a century more and
less ago. but IL will not lose capacity TO enjoy
lie Nozze di Figaro" "Il Barhiere" Don Pas
quale, Il Elisir d'Amore' and la File dr Rfei-
ment" IL IL is privileged to hear II under proper
conditions To create and nourlsh such conditions
New-York needs adjunct 10 the Metropolitan
Opera
THE TOREADOR"
The stage ministrations OF Francis Wilson IN tn.
last few seasons have formed series Of rather