New-York tribune., 1905-02-17
Mr.. CONRIED'S BENEFIT
Operett0 and Vaudeville.

There is no single point of view from which the
doings at the Metropolitan Opera House last night
can be discussed. For a portion of the evening
the home Of grand opera was given over to comic
operetta. which might he viewed seriously since
the work produced masterpiece OF it's kind;
another portion devoted to a mixed concert
OF the Sunday night order. but enlivened with
haUonal color in dress and music: a third portion
was raree show, all of Mr.. Conrieds artists
choristers and opera school pupils dsporting them
serves upon the stage taking part in the sing
ing and waltzing, and calling for superlative
powers OF description on the part of the
olety reporters and theatrical gossps with whom
ola sembrich dance? and Eames Nordica and
Nchte ana walker and the rest OF the opera ladies'?
Mhom did Caruso make happy, and Plancon, Scotti.
van Rooy, Dippel and Rurgstaller? Momentous
questions these, but how shall they be answered
here and now? Impossible. Director Conried had
culled out a holiday; he knew that the public are
always eager to and hear as many of his song
birds at once as possible; they were all
under contract to give him their services
gratuitously once in the season. and he shrewdly
planned an entertainment in which public curiosity
would be more than satisfied in different manner
than that pursued by his predecessor who was
content to serve up annually an operatic ragout
Last year the financial purpose of the scheme was
suoserved by representation of "Parsifal." and a
large dignity seemed 10 have been acquired by the
institution over which he presides This year he
substituted froc; artistic dignity was 10 the
WINDS, but the public regaled by the spectacle
OF artists OF worldwide reputation disporting them
serves IKE unconventional. fun loving folk a
masquerade ball
FOR nearly generation Johann strausss operet-
Ia Die Fledermaus" has been accepted as one
OF tne most sparkling operettas ever composed.
ne sparkle Of its comedy and the fascinating lit
Oh It's tunes have kept II alive after later and
more ambitious efforts of the composer have been
forgotten. 1t has frequently been given in New
hOrh' Doth in German and English. As a
composer, Strauss. while universally acknowl-
edged, disclosed his full significance only in
cf4y ha haIn ef,ya
lts proverbial character; but all who yield
It's rights 10 elegant and intellectual frivolity
"h1Ie retaining love for art-its serious manifes-
tations have rejoiced that his muse was so aris-
Coccaucallv born and well bred. They have noted
WIN deep satisfaction that while his measures
tempt the light fantastic toe like no other music
OF our une, they can stin be listened TO without
onence TO a correct ard pure taste. The genera
uon OF to-cay, whose recollections Of his waltzes
are the recollections OF youth remember him also
as the creator Of a dozen operettas which are as
chdFacter1stic OF Vienna as Ofenbachs of
Paris under the Second Empire and Gilbert and
sullivans Of the England of time. OF these
operettas Die Fledermaus'' is the best But that
TACT does not Mt il for the repertory Of the Metro
politan Opera House. There its music with all
its piquancy and grace sounds thin. and there its
comedy is wasted The humor Of the dialogue is
dissiPated in the yawning spaces of the audience
room, and the vulgarity Of the farce in the third
act with its scenes of drunkenness and its horse
play, is out of place. Those of Mr. Conrieds Ger
man singers who served their apprenticeship in
German provincial municipal or even court
theatres know how to speak their lines and act
their parts in the spoken drama as well as the
lyric, and therefore IL surprising that
Miss Alten, Mr. DippeI. Mr.. Goritz and Mr. Greder
should have borne themselves capitally the farc
cal action as well as the music last night, though
the most irresistible representation Of the Wis
comica was Mr.. Haenseler Of the Irving Place The
atre, as the drunken jaier. Nine. sembrich
sprighty comedienne that she is, was out Of her
element IN the spoken dialogue, though she made
up for IL with her seintillant singing,
pecislly in the Czardas Of the second act
which she gave with fine spirit well as
beautiful voice. Miss Walker. too. excellent in
song, only touched the edge OF the character Of
Prince Orloffsky. Deprived Of its musical high
lights, the most dazzling OF which the choral
finale OF the second act the performance was not
effective many performance in Broadway
and the Bowery has been in days agoae. But
there will be time for discussion CT this kind here
after. Last night It the brilliant frolic that
challenged attention After the ballroom scene was
the interest in the performance OF a large
part OF the audience gone; the house rapidly
retired. Following the programme Of the
concert IN the second act:
Cavatna 'serniramide' Rosstni
By Robert Bass. Alos Burgstaer. FRANK POLLOCK and
Norwegian song God AIorgen .Greg
A. ..o,.-, -, By Nine. an AinO ; Acktt v.,,,
Quartet from 'eFgoetto Verdi
By Mines Louise Homer and Lillian Nordica: Enrco
51a@ Gsruso 50 ana all Ersenio Giraldooi n.,,n..
BY Miss Olive Fremstad
y srn Emma Enes Pol Pancon and francesca Nuibo
Conductor. Nahan FTanko.
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