The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-02

Il IFNlNfA lOl Nio bdhts IlH DTtlfllNlOAlr vi
the matter Of compensation will probably
interfere with his appearance here where
the Italian tenor il hot important enough
to be highly paid for his services.
Walter Damrosch has made N vow
that he Is not likely to break. He has
solemnly sworn that he will never again
conduct a performance without n pre-
liminary rehearsal whether It happens 10
be -Das Rhe!ngold,' or not. lie was OF
course, led 10 this decision by the results
Of the attempt to perform the first part OF
tho Nibelungen Ring at the Metropolitan
on Monday afternoon.
II was the first representation OF tho
solitary cycle Of the Nibelungen operas.
The audience was made UP almost entirely
Of enthusiastic lovers Of Wagner operas In
their most advanced stage. The absurd
mistakes that marred the perform nance
that women who had come TO the theatre
in the hope Of enjoying "Das Rhein gold,
wept with vexation at the feeble attempt
10 give the work.
One of tho Rhein maidens could not swim.
but stood In the wings and sang her muse.
One Of the Others continued during all the
time she was on view TO give audible direc-
tions to tire stage hands as TO the way In
which she should be swung about the scene.
The yellow light supposed to suffuse the
\ bNtTl III NHt III dIl was III u ~
| times and rarely fell on the Rhelngold at
all. Tho steam refused TO rise in the neces-
sary concealing mists and the bridge over
which the gods wero TO pass to Walhalla
was broken IN 30 many places that they
must have jumped at several ~junctures TO
reach their new home.
II was the multiplicity OF these Incidents
that made the performance 40 discouraging
and led Mr.. Damrosch TO declare that he
would never conduct another operate per-
Torrance without the necessary rehearsals.
he refused at the last minute TO give Fl
delio,' and he probably regrets now that
he did not follow the same course in regard
to @Das Rheingold.' 1t Is a comforting
assurance to the public that he has taken
this stand, for the ineffcienoy of the per-
formance last Monday did not mean any
loss TO the management. For the public,
expecting that the opera would be sung
In accordance with the standards that pre-
vail at the Metropolitan Opera House,
bought It's seats without knowing whit IL
was to get. Seemingly. the only possible
recompense 10 the persons who bought their
Rheingold" for those who heard the work
last Monday.
Mile. Calve Is to give a concert Of old
French songs at the W~aldorf-Astoria on
March 20. She will sing chiefly melodies
OF the south OF rance and will precede
oil OF them with brief explanations Of their
history and significance. She will repeat
the same concert in Boston.
One of the interesting features OF concert
giving in this city was exhibited the other
day, when n Young singer of some local
reputation ave nm entertainment with the
services of another sin ger, who Is popular
at the Metropolitan. Most Of the tickets
mora acld On tho lattarfa account h,,t tha
profits OF the concert went altogether to
the saRacious mana ger and singer, who
merely paid the Maurice Grau Opera Com
pany for the young woman's services the
Zee that is demanded.
The Theodore Drury Opera Company,
which Is composed entirely Of negroes,
will give later in the spring another per-
Torrance Of grand opera.
The French singers who are TO be heard
here at Hammerstein's Victoria Theatre,
beginning at the end Of next month, have
met with such success in the season given
at New Orleans that 1t has been decided to
give another series of performances there
next winter.
Alice Nielsen, who used 10 be so popular
here in comic opera, has made a successful
beginning as a concert singer in London.
She is TO make her debut in grand opera
as Marguerite in Faust" during the next
Covent Garden season.
Rose ZELDA, who il an American and is
really named Adler, has Just sung with
SUCCESS in Berlin. She appeared first
several years ago at the Opera Comique
in Paris. She is a light soprano.
Some idea Of the artistic standard OF
opera nowadays in Italy may be gathered
from the conduct OF a prima donna who
refused to sing Lucia when Otero was al
lowed 20 appear between the acts TO give
her songs and dances. The prima donna
tolerated this diversion once and then
rebelled. The manager consented TO change
the programme possibly because the former
beauty was Kissed from the stage when
ever she appeared, This operate incident
happened in Genoa. but Otero was Kissed
with equal warmth in Milan, Bologna and
wherever she appeared with the exception
Of Rome. There she was successful.
Nerdi's I'll Iroyatore" was recently
sung at La Scala in Milan for the first time
In nineteen years. Tho previous effort
to revive the work In lNs3 WAS such a 'iasco
that no manager had the courage 10 attempt
the opera. The memory Of this previous
effort was too vivid in the minds of the
Milanese public. Tho tenor was named
Marin and shrieked in az enormous voice
from the first act to the last. He drew his
fNblAA Mll SUM NakbA dANfA ~ hN'Nh
pira" and shook il in the air with such
ferocity that the promptoT fed from niS
place in terror. The III LUpd was q French
barytone, Nergcr, who was paralysed 50
badly he could not move hand or foot.
The Azucend. Signora Pascalis was so fat
that when she got on her knees before
Di Luna she could not rise and two chorus
singer had To lift her 10 her feet. Nerger
was paralysed for some years before he
left the stage and always stood on the spot
TO which he had been lcd.
Pietro Mnscagni Is now at work on the
opera which Is TO have Marie Antoinette
az its heroine She will be seen first at
the court Of Mother Maria Theresa and
later when she is received in France and
at the time Of her execution. The role Of
Louis XVI. is to bee composed for The noted
barytone BattiStini. Tho opera Is TO con-
sist Of several short scenes and will not
be long taken in its entirely.
The anniversary Of Richard Wagner's
death was everywhere celebrated III ter
many 10y performances Of his operas.
Iris ten ind isolde was sung on nine
different stages, including Berlin, Vienna
and I.iIGip. while Ip9r lV pNpTy OppTatip