The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-08
nLA DAMNATION De FAUST"
BERLIOZ'S DRAMATIC LEGEND IN
OPERATE GUFSE.
First Performance Here OF the work I'm This
shape-A series Of Handsome stage
Pictures without Much IN
tPrest-The Opera Admir- ably Presented

Hector beTllOZS Ia DhIUiluthOh VIC
Faust was performed in operate shape
at the Metropolitan Opera House last night
for the first time in this country. The
composition in its original form is called
a dramatic legend. and in this guise it
ia not altogether unknown TO Americans.
though its presentations have been few.
The work in its operatic arrangement has
been a feature of recent seasons In France,
and Raoul Gunzbourg, a Partisan I'M
presario, il responsible for this rearrange-
ment of the legend.
La Damnation de Faust" was first rer-
formed in the United States by the Sym
phony Society under DR.. Leopold Dam
rosch on February II, 1880. the Oratorlo and
Arion societies providing the requisite
choral forces. Even at that time the theat-
rical quality Of some Of the music suggested
the possibility Of arranging the work for
oreratic performance, but the obstacles in
the way seemed large. However, Mr..
Gnnzbourg found it practicable to bridge
the chasms in the text and music by the aid
Of spectacular features now 50 common in
opera and by the addition OF a few phrases
in the voice parts.
Whether the work in its new form will
prove to be a permanent addition TO our
list Of operas remains 20 be seen. Inc
production last night was creditable to the
Metropolitan Opera House and to the enter
prise of Mr.. Conried. The opportunities
for scenic display were not lost and the
and the various tableaux were effective.
When all was said and done, however,
there remained an impression similar to
that made by Boito's "Mefistofele.' Ber-
loz's setting Of the story is f~ragmentary,
dlsiointed, episode. Scenes Of splendid
dramatic value alternate with others which
ere plainly not designed for theatrical use
The action halts and the dramati continuity
& Of the slightest.
With much Of the interesting instrumental
portions of the score this public is already
familiar. They are often perfor med in
concert. What more obvious than that we
should see the soldiers marching to the
str aims of the Rakoczy march, What more
nat ural than that the dance OF the syiphs
and the minuet of the will o the wlsps
should introduce ballots? But let 1t De
understood that these episodes are treated
effectively in the theatrical representation
There seems to ne no reason az .mls
II is not new. In the arrangement Tor
the stage the sequence Of the scenes In
the orr ginal has not been altered. some
changes have been made in the location OF
PORTIONS of the action in order that the
PRACTICAL requirements of the stage may
Re met. The score asks us to ind Fdust
alone on the plains of Hungary IN the nrst
scene. The orera shows him IN a room
with a large window at the rear giving a
view Of the country. Faust soliloquizes
and here the voice part IA extended 70 &C
company the long orchestral description
which follows the soliloquy in the original.
The peasant song and dance take place
out ide the window and presently soldiers
march across the stage to the stirring strains
of the Rakoczy lndulo. 1t Is a hne slght'
but il seems to mean little.
u HAzN ahnuvE ma EnMgf alone IN
his study in the first act OF the Gounod
opera. He is about TO take poison, when
he is Interrupted by the strains OF the EASIER
hymn from without. He prays ana Is
startled by the entrance of Mephtstophetes
from the fireplace. The fend invites him
20 20 forth and see the world and they
depart together. The next scene is LAID
in Auerbach's beer cellar in Lelpsic. Inc
students carouse and Brdnder sings a
drunken song. Nephistopheles, as in the
kirmess in Faust" sings his song, which
is this time about a big black fiea, Inc
students, however, first sing a capital tngue
on the melody Of Brdnder 8 song. Faust
expresses distaste for the scene and NE
rh,stophelCs hears him away. The two
disappear down a trap amid red hre IN
gCod old fashioned style. ,
. next ind Faust asleep IN a oeautlIul
f1,est with, the fiend singing TO him. We
near a mysterious chorus, and Fdust'
dreaming, sees Marguerite. After the
chorus comes the ballet Of the sylphs. The
0I@l a IL hdllN
snlsm. similar TO that employed in Peter
Pan" The sylphs soar into the air and
a1ring butterfly garments. give us a null
tirl "a version Of Ioie Fuller cleavlng the
ito nhcrc. The effect is deci !edly pretty
aal attractive. The dance was well ar
r nCei last night and was one 81 the sue
Cosses of the production,
Next We see a square. with a church one
5 da and MarqWerife's home on the other.
7 here are no garden and no garden scene.
Tho home is conveniently opened so that
wClray observe what goes on inside, AFTER
Il chorus Of soldiers and students, MephtsI
IorbcIcs Erlngs Faust upon the stage and
rshers him into the house. There is some
sIdad dial)que here. Marguerite presently
qrrIves and entering her home, vince
Faust has concealed hl,nselIi sings ner
end the will o. the Wisps to his
aid. They dance. while Marguerite appar-
entity sleeps.
sort Of hypnotiZed state, out OF the house.
She tries 10 enter the church and sees the
lace Of Faust in the wall. She strives 70
pray, hut her passion overcomes her' Al
this part of the action - carried on 10 the
concluding strains Of the dance. 10 IL at
this point that tho artlficiality OF the sta
arrangement is most notable. Back in the
house Marguerite meets Faust and tails into
his arms, while the nelghbors, VINO nave
through the cracks and call for the maids
mother.
BY this arrangement the whole of the
third part of B%erioz's. legend IL brought
INFO one act and a single location. The
fourth part requires for stage purposes
four scenic pictures. The first furnishes
a setting for Mdr0uerite's lament, which
is sunR in a moonlit m We are
transported suddenly from this TO a rocky
pass where Faust invokes Nature and is
suddenly Joined by Mephistophetes. who
informs him that Marguerite is about 20 be
executed for the murder Of her mother,
" WhA aiH Of the hRnd m Zlyn
her and is required to sign the fatal con-
tract which is brought into the very first
scene of Gounod's opera.
The two now set OF but not to rescue
the girl as Faust hopes. They gallop to
the fiery domain Of Ne phistopheies. The
original score is here c~urtsiled not a little
and its big choral effects give way to scenic
epectacle. A panorama conveys, ina manner,
the passage from earth 10 Hades, and a final
picture shows us the angels lowering over
Mdrouerite's little town.
The angels sing much too long while we
cit and look at painted canvas and the opera
-l"-