New-York tribune., 1905-11-23
MUSIC.
At THE OPERA.
Goldmsrk's Queen of Sheba. :

.o,d night OF Mr. Ccnried's third season
1a . metropolitan Opera House Ghe night of
81 ssvl brought tc the patrons of that institu-
-evtvzl of Goldmark's opera THE Queen Of
noI II was its composers first and only oper-
Sns0~ ~-sss It endures in Vienna where. in 1875,
sue discouraging vicissitudes, it fell to the
si.I s. NJ cericke. who now comes to New-York
ol - n dispense better music. to produce It.
,-n--York Il had Its period Of brilliancy under
i cs-mau regime. and then gradually paled its
e.s before the rising sun Of Wagner: but that is
"e - ~rhich may possibly be discoursed upon
n,odIcum OF profit for the serious minded
ne other time. OF more immediate interest
,.s+ nights revival. upon which much stress
= ha., laid. Quite naturally, in view OF the
s.one hAs tendency of the institution That music
- largely given way to decorative gauds was
-, manifest two years ago. If Tho Queen
- chehan meets with popular approval the
,ssncy may obtain a firm footing ana De
-,,nned until fad and fashion. satisfied and over
- make way for something more artistic
1res+ber or not such an outcome may be looked
a. n the near future scarcely be said after
-. ,,gh+'s disclosures. The assemblage gathered
= .se and hear the opera was a large one, though
=. as numerous as that of Monday evening, and
=, M wise so noisy in its demonstrations Of ap-
o-sl II heard as excellent exposition Of
rr,s-,a-ks music as could well be asked for any
-. and If saw such a scenic investiture Of the
-, es we are willing to believe, the public which
- 6Splayed the greatest fidelity toward 1t would
80 beeu satisfied with For scenery and costumes
-,a from Vienna Here some comments are in
- which may sound dissonant in the midst of
=. r-ssert reriod Of halcyon and vociferous enjoy
,..rt But in some respects the comment is un-
-o,debe and in others II seems called for ny the
,,otesations Of the large instructive value which
: national theatre under the management OF MI
r-,,riaj Is 70 have upon the American nation AS
~ +rfnrs 90 there we're gorgeous pictures on
,Ls stage last night; but they were pictures which
-0s5 rude glaring, garish color upon color TIL
ans's visual sense reeled back in amazed and hor-
-zssd stupor. Goldmark's music is full OF dis
onsnce and redoIeut Of the East, with its use of
oriental intervals which fall with strange cadence
,,to Occidental ears; but il preserves dramatic
,-on-ietv and does not outrage the ear as the IN
discriminate mixture Of yellows. reds. blues ana
-.e,s does the eye Besides, II it does not always
conserve historical propriety it does not offend 1t
ND challenge protest like the mixture Of decora-
-rs figures which burden the representations OF
,bs tsn,ple on Mount Moriah and the palace or
King Solomon. The houses which the King built
for the worship Of Jahveh, for his own habita-
,on and for his wife the daughter Of Pharaoh,
snd the seven hundred othe- lives, princesses
,s +be three hundred concubines, were
doubtless gorgeous affairs. but we are not
uermitted 10 think that in the days even Of
his dubious pietv they were filled with images
NJ the heather nations-with human-faced winged
bulls with sculptures Of Izdubar, the Assyrian
Ninrod strangling lion. and eagle-headed beings
coped from the sculptures OF Nimrud and Khor-
ssbsd and with the sacred emblems of Egypt.
Carved figures OF cherubim. open flowers, palm
trees lily work and network (but not on the legs
Of his dancers. making them look like inverted
churns) might all be justified by an appeal 10
he Biblical story. but not such a garish mess,
fat as mural painting IN the tombs OF Egypt
and as void Of atmosphere. such as was displayed
last night But The Queen Of Sheba'' is an opera,
and as such perhaps ought not to be studied TOO
euricusy Il is for diversion. not for instruction
an -
The play is a sorry perversion Of the tragedy
which wagner Incorporated in his '"Tannh6user,"
but while Wagner created types of human nature
IN his opera Mosenthal and Goidmark created only
stage uarlonettes Only one Of their characters
appeals for moment TO the sympathies Of the
spectator. Assad is a rnilksop than Scribe
and Meyerbeer's vasco Ga Cana in his 1uctuation
betEeen his loves; the Queen OF Sheba- whose
story in the writings which are at least quasi
historical in nowise besmirches her character, is
here wicked harlot: solnon is pompous cad,
gning about with uplifted eyes, receptive for
Inspiration that never comes hut oozing priestly
unction from every pore Sulamith alone. who de-
Tives her name from source which has only a
literary connection with tbs story Of Solomon,
iouches the chords Of human sympathy. Fortu-
nate IL was for Nine Rappold. & novice, that she
could effect her entrance on the operate stage IN
such character, which made telling her fresh.
Qure voice and her pretty appreciation OF a sym
pathetic dramatic ngure.
But IS spectacular operas go ''The Q"een ot
shebs,'' presented last night, is effective
opera Much Of its music is tiresome because Of
iK sustained righteousness Of tempo and mood;
much Of II sounds unnatural TO our ears because
Of its unusual and mixed tonality; but the Oriental
i'm Of the luring strain of Ashtaroth in the Gar
Ger and the Hehraism OF the temple chant are
really its best claims on perpetuity The
pictures must float the drama: the singers must
justify the music. Mr.. Knote did nobly in the
German sense, with mis- fine voice and his sincere
manner; did Mr.. Van Rooy, Miss Walker, Mr..
btass and Miss Alien, but TO characterize their
singing and acting one ought TO have better basis
than this opera affords. H z K.
CAST.