New-York tribune., 1903-01-06
MUSIC.
Double Bill at the Opera House.

To Nine. Senbrich in opera co1nique is to see
her her best; hear her in its music is TO hear
her at her best. OF the phrase must be un-
derstood. It has nothing in common with the prod
ucts CT the Boues Parisiennes: still less with the
mongreI thing which nowadays unasquerades i'm
pudenty as comic opera Moreover. when 1t is said
that in it Nine. Sembrich is seen and heard at her
best it is be understood that the term embraces
works which not only do not exclude pathos, but
really include sentiment of lofty a description
that to find its finest exemplihcatiOns must go
10 the creations of the greatest Of all musical dra
ulatists-Mozart. in LIE Nozze di Figaro for
ample. The lady is by disposition (by temperament
10 the term which comes gliby from those
who talk daily about music comedian. 1t is her
mission TO add to the gayety of nations; 10 make
old blood 10 with youthful pulse: to add 10
the simple happiness of living TO Danish the cares
that vex the day; illustrate the loveliness of
lovely music, the innocent happiness of innocently
happy acting.
She fulhls this gracious mission in Mozart's comic
masterpiece, IN Rossinis Barber in Donzetti's
Don Pasquale" and in La File du Regiment" ;"
which she called back from the limbo Of forgotten
things TO the delight Of the younger generation Of
to-day year ago. Last night she conjured up tht
pretty shade again and invested it with bones and
flesh and the best Of good, red, musical and dra-
matte blood DOnizetti's French opera IS old. and
not at all adapted to performance under the
dtions which prevail at the Metropolitan Opera
House; but its melodies fresh the Alpine
brooks and SHOWS arncng which its scene is laid
and its rhythrnica incIsiveness which the Italian
composer borrowed from his French military sub
ject still set the blood a-leaping in spite of the
tendency Of this latter day when 1t has the pretty
propulsion OF Mime. Sembrich's drumbaat There
was the happy freedom of the lark in Nine Sem
brich's singing last night and the mischievousness
of the gpie in her acting, and all the listeners
were tense with delight the first rising the
final falling Of the curtain Donzetti's lyric
comedy. Nine. Sembrich had the same gay
panv with whom she made merry and created
merrinent last season-Saiignac Tonic. Gbert
Sulpice. Dufreche Hortensius and Nine. Van
Cauteren La Marquise. 1t refreshing 10
note that Donzettis opera lifted two Mr.. Graus
company. who ordinarily present themselves the
most conventional of operate marionettes, into
pretty prominence as actors They were Nine
Van Cauteren and NJ Defreche. both of whom did
more than clever character acting-as such things
go in the opera For the sake Of the record it must
be stated that Mime. Sembrich sang Arditti's
-'Parla' at the close Of the opera
After the comedy came Leoncavallo5s hot
bIooded little tragedy. II PagIiacci," which
performed in way that helped to stamp the
ing notable The principal singers con-
cerned in the representations were NJ. Alvarez
Signor Scott, NJ. De Clery and Nine. FRITZ Schef.
The lady puny and acrd, but she showed her
stage blood nevertheless; the were admir-
able that the feelings Of the listners kept
a strain from the moment that the tragic element
entered until the close of the piece The chief in
terest so far the regular patrons OF the house
were concerned centered in NJ. Alvarezs irpersona-
ton of Canio. NJ. Jean de Reszke has set the
fashion in Paris and herois enors must now play
the heart-tcrn clown, chiefly. for the sake of the
composers agonizing Ride. Pagliacciot" at the
end OF the first act. But the game seems worth
the candle VI. Alvarez, Othello among the
rustics, stirred up great enthusiasm.