The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-12

MISS SMYTH'S ONE-ACT LYRIC
DRAMA PRODUCED HERE.
An intensely Modern WORK. IN which
vigorous intellectually Il Active
Text and Music written BY the Same
Author-'n TrovatOre'' Also sung.

Text and Music written by the same
Author-'n Trovatere" Also sung.
An entirely new double bill was put for
ward at the Metropolitan Opera House
last night. The first feature OF II was a
genuine novelty, an opera hitherto I'M
known to the Metropolitan boards and to
the United States. This was Der Wald.'
bv Miss Ethel Smyth. It was followed by
I'll Trovatore,' which had not been heard
previously in the course Of the season.
Der wald' was hrst performed in Berlin
a, the Royal Opera on April .. 1904, and was
one Of the novelties Of the last season at
Covent Garden. London, where 1t was d.
rected by Otto Lohse 1t 10 q one-act
work, and In order that It might have q
fair hearing it was put at the beginning OF
last nights programme and the hour was
-.,t for 7a5. This was excellently suited
to the requirements OF professional OBJ
servers Of musical doings and the general
public, but II was MORALLY hard on the
society people. many OF whom were COM
mitted to the hearty support OF Miss Smyth
and her ambition.
The production Of an opera by a woman
is decided novelty, and 1t Ii not astonish-
ing that the public turned out In good force
to see what 1t was. After the curtain had
fallen and the artists had been called out
two or three times. Miss Smyth made her
appearance. She was spplauded to the
echo and laden with overs. She received
seven recalls and departed from public
view apparently well pleased with her
treatment.
Miss Smyth, emulating the audacious
Wagner. Is her own ibrettist; and the story
which she has conceived for der VALID >
Is one filed with good thought for musical
embodiment. 1t is well supplied with OPP
portunity for atmospheric effects ano
for emotional expression. II begins with
a dim, nocturnal spectre OF the primeval
forest. A fitful fire flames on an altar to
Pan and nymphs are engaged In their dec
orous devotions. In their chorus we hea :
the text Of the dramatic sermon; 'Hu an
joys and sorrows are swift and Aeeting;
We dwell here forever The mystic lights
and Q adows Of the forest fade into utter
darkness and the frst scene Of the human
tragedy begins. The forest u the same
one, but In the foreground at one side 10
hut. tho home Of R6schea and her father.
We learn that R6scheN IL betrstled to
Heinrich, young woodman. Friends como
with gifts. There IL happiness In the air.
A pedler appears and more gifts are bought
from him. Suddenly horn breathes in q
fsr-ofY glade. and all shudder with alarm.
The inquiring pedler In informed that 1t is
LAndgrave and q fearful witch. Presently,
whsn all have gone, young Heinrich arrives.
dragRlnR q deer which he has slain. R6schen
IL terrified, for II IL death to slay a deer.
She persuades Heinrich to hide II In tho
there. and decides that he viii 20 and
twane the cfossbow for venison himself.
Hssnreh, left alone. In confronted by
IoIs~tAs, who has been hunting. She strives
TO ensnArs the youth by her beauty and pas
:ion; ne SiinSs to his :v .rot h. which an per
b no cheerful frame OF mind The Land
grave comes and has . bitter quarrel with his
lady on the subject OF her iniSdelities. Tho
hunting pedler y caught BY the hunts
n s H. a SSse 81 hi Sam nG by MN s.a
about the dad dser In the we'll. The Land:
ersys $50 now how he viii Be revenged
% AsiWvteA, whom he suspects Of too much
favor with !o!antAs. Tho latter would save
R1sekem conjurss her love-. to abandon his
faith to her and save himself. But he, rising
with postio courage above his lowly sta.
ton, declaree that their love is sacred and
viii outlast hfe. He soorns fols.iAs. and
&. ~, ashs. Ro'eA'" falls ''n'''ss' upon
Aesin DARKNESS covers the scene and
presently the altar IRE and the nymphs
reappear. The dim cathsdral arches OF
the forest again rescho the old song, Hu.
man life and love are but span the spirits
Of the forest live forever. That 10 . gen
timely dramatic story, and its only serious
fault II its abundance OF incident. II
would doubtless he stronger " Il were
simpler: yet y 70 difncult TO see how the
thought could be worked out with less
An exhaustive review OF this ambitious
LITTLE work cannot properly be given this
morning. Il Il doubtful. however. whether
a summary Of first Impressions will not
serve al nsedfpi snds. Ma. s%yth . has
on plan similar TO that OF the old French
overture. with . slow movement 81 tbe
beginning and another At the end and a
quick movement between them. The two
atmospheric forest sosnes are the SLOW
movements and the tragedy the allegro
4 contrast In moods " afforded by the
change from the hrst forest soeDe 20 tke peas
ant dance and merry making. The tragedy
10 nov gradually developed TIL lie emotional
'wsen HssavseK and ietsaihs. though u !.
perfesly cIesr thai the composer aimed
a. r..aLlns Lss high level 81 musical clio !.
gisnos In Tho eager ApostFophe ~ Hsssr'eh
and Ro.cAsa 20 fis for~~i
The pnnnlpal clAfsss~flssiss ~ the work
.Ss usos and hA~sliiii,y No one Who
I'D Iot kneS would ever su-I<<s that this
snofs sss the sefk ~ ssmsn. u 1. the
lssd,sct ~ . mind which sork- faf from
feminine moods Aslsias ssssnts ~ ten
asFns-<, ssniinleOtsll-aa, tiss Aps~Al Va tho
.ymp.'h:s. q ,ss ys'f ss,rsa s,s .s :,
ihs ssesn dlfscse~~s ~ Ne !spS'.sl "a osiin
s.ss 10 . sod ,ilas sad Tho Ashi -
f.flssni rsss.A si.ssls . L.sltlfll illlsinli.s
iha hI.a tl~ gAsAss - go hsl . sage
b,.ssi II osssssssasssaS l.--s,sa hes s,ai'y
Gass SOD al easfsss.d<-i sass sad 81
saaae'sies ~ tis ssss a fsiab DE
4 tainly llss.a ti& sssslas s<s sstssASi.s'
- tasssaa sssg sss<lslp issarsss, ~ 80
iAa ~ 40 s.aysLs sss-lasl asN s,.s
10 a.sslaT - ss,sisls .sils.,i sisi ,,,ti.s.ass
iian ss.sas,l,lss is,ss's iis1 10 ssia issis-f,.i
We lsffsfts<slfs SO fe@S~sastalt 40
90 fssisis 60 40 s,sSs ,aysi,'li,s
fls ss.s.s sss sssg ses.alIs aud sss .
cd y l.slalss ssa Asss sssrssis'
~ Asi.',,s 80 ~ lss' $50 :, ~ As,,s !.
sitsis sas.ssa "a ~ s-a ss.s s,ss