New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-24
MUSIC.
1 DOni~etti ReriCal.

Extremes meet at the Metropolitan Opera House
this season. After "ParsifaI' had seemingly de
Voured all interest In the representations. al
most forgotten work brought forward yester-
day afternoon. and Immediately old heads began
10 "dgr smiles innumerable spread over the tat D
on the thousands gathered in the big lyric play
mouse, and the veteran auditors harked back to
their artistic childhood, and were simply. sweetly,
unanectedly happy again. The opera was Don-
zeLu s. Il I-llstr dAmOre, which, except in an
English adaptation Boston locals. at Nibo's Car
oen IN February, 1883, had not been seen and heard
III Ne"-Nork for twenty years Its production by
colonel Mapeson's company at the Academy Of
Music was in the nature Of d revival then. and
though it had fairly numerous company in the
Est II was nevertheless already regarded as cut
worn and Anticipated. Under the doughty coloners
management the old Academy forces We're contend
ing against Mr.. Abbey and the new establishment
IN Broadway. Italian the language at both
houses, but there were new gowns. pictures,
new notions of oDulent stage attire the Metro
poItan Opera House, and Meycrbeer, Wagner.
Verdi and POnchieli made brave shows. At tho
Academy two of the queens Of the lighter order
of song were reigning alternately, and If in
sheer despair they reverted to the works popular
halt century before. Nine. Patti revived Girls
Pine Ia Comare"; Nine. Gerster, Linda d
Chamounix' and Il Esir d'Amore"
It was not written in the book Of fate that these
old works should prevail against Mr.. Abbey's
heavier ordnance, but # is pleasant memory that
they provided the happiest moments which the
patrons Of the house in Fourteenth-st. in those
troublous days. Moreover. contemporaneous mem
orandum opposite the text Of Nemorinos ro-
mama, which reads, "Vicini bis Deem
Der T. 1883 recalls a singer who had much
IN common with the hero Of yesterdays repre-
sentation Signor Caruso also had to sing Una
rurtIVa lagrima" twice, though much against his
Will As to the two representatio Of Adina-
that Of twenty years ago. and that of yesterday
we must restrain the natural tendency to reminls-
eehce which their names calls up Both were known
10 our operagOers then, and both We're admired; but
one has become only a memory though still in the
hesh while the other flashed like n sunbeam across
yesterdays stage piquant arch, graceful in fig
ure and action, and lavished the untarnished gold
OF her voice upon her listeners without stint. Nine
Sembrich has done the service for Donzettis
opera that Nine. Gerster did for II twenty years
ago, and we should be grateful We have drifted
far from the old moorngs in the interim. but they
loom up iuvitingly when singers like Nine. Sem
brich, Signor Caruso. sgnor Scott and Signor
Rossi point them out SO graciously they did
yesterday. Tho story Of the opera is tenuous and
fmsy It's feelings lie the surface, and the
humor OF the quack Dulcamara is not calculated to
entertain us long But there is a winning grace
and pretty sparkle in Donizettis music. which
fits the simple scene, and il really seemed ycster-
day TO have taken freshness with tho stage
pictures and the dresses Of the characters Nine.
Sembrich followed custom which IS old tho
opera and interpolated aria in the last scene.
Nine Malihran used to sing a waltz composed by
her husband, De Eeriot. Twenty years ago Nine.
Gerster sang the waltz with some orna-
mouts added by SiEuor Ardiu Yesterday. Nine.
Sembrich, with artistic instinct. borrowed an
allegro from Donizettfs "Lucrezla Borsia' thus
preserving unity Of style. The old opera con-
not dull moment in it. either dramatically or
muscaIly.