New-York tribune., 1906-11-18
THE OPERA "ARlANE.'
com posed by Jules Masse"et and
Written by Catulle Mendss.
Paris. November 2.

Pr, ...+ar-niece Il is safe 10 say 'i'a' 'S
F - oManon" "Herodiade" and hsoia
s''ls has never produced finer passages ina"
b'O oon,nrtsed in the third act OF Afiaie'
- ,,ossanet has warm friends and oltter enc
After the death Of Gounod ne was the
.o,resentative Of the old French school oi
90 conceived by Luy and by GIdch'
.1or.beless the morbid languor that aerVades
Ne.osi,tops of NJ Massenet, and which
:i,s the severe censure Of his critics exercises
'..,b1a fascination with the Partisan public.
:, uassenet perhaps more than any other COM
~ &c the exponent OF the spirit of the Paris
:. his day. Vague sensuality and refineo mys-
80, lend 10 his music something of the charm
- ,be poetry Of Baudelaire or of Nerlaine. II.
,,.sssnet's influence is enormous. NJ. Charpen-
-. eutbor of Louise" and NJ Puccini, author
la Vie de Boheme," are his direct disciples.
- ,be misfortune of other young French COM
,ossrs that they have sought to enbody the sem
fno,,sro Of N. Massenet with the heroic vrility
:. 7raener. but this IS not the fault of the
to- of ..NIanon." nor does II diminish his pres
500 ss rnasterful composer. Academiciaris
.,.lr lament that the works of NJ. Massenet
,,.k strength grasp OF humanity and robust
,sss but their charm. mystic and perhaps too
sesrninate. seldom fails TO hold a Partisan
sis,ce spenbound. In "Ariane" NJ Massenet has
made g distinct effort toward simplicity and
classic purity. But the result is in this respect
merely TO reproduce certain forms and move
rqents Of classic workmanship. willis the music
Itself remains "NassenetiC' and romantic, like
that Of "AIanon" and Of "Esclamonde" In the
orchestration Of "Ariane" string instruments
preponderate, and the author Of the -'Medita-
thn de That's" has never evoked more delicious
phrases and symphonies from the viaains and
harps.
"Ariane." from dramatic standpoint. is a
sort OF prologue 70 the ''Phaedra" Of Furipides
and of Racine One day NJ Catuile Mendes
rallied the attention Of u. Massenet 10 a passage
in Toitaire which reads as follows: 'Ar1ane the
woman who did everything possible for Theseus.
who saved him from the greatest peril. who
sacrificed herself for him who believed that she
loved by him, and who certainly deserved TO
be. and who found herself deceived by her own
sister and abandoned by her lover, is one of the
most poetic conceptions Of antiquity" NJ. Mas
senet was csptivated with the idea Of COMPOSING
an opera upon this theme. and NJ CatuIle
Aendes forthwith set about writing the play.
and four years Of collaboration resulted in the
i've act lyric drama just produced at the Ma
uonal Opera House.
The first act passes IN the Island Of Crete
n.
Of The Minotaur. into which Theseus. the Athe-
man prince, descended TO slav the r,ons+e- -
which he and six other noble Greek youths and
seven Athen!an maidens had been sacrificed
Ariane sings Of her love for Theseus and takes
INTO her confidence her younger sister. Phs4dra
tAue Grano3ean), the virgin huntress hitherto
refractory 10 The worship Of Aphrodite Ariana
'Ale breYaD relates that, contrary 20 the ex
press orders OF her father, King Ninos. sbs
mas given to her lover. Theseus On Muratorel
us cleW OF thread which will enable him. after
saying the Minotaur. TO find his way out OF the
Aaoyrlnth Here e beautiful chant of Sirens Ie
'H"0uuceo- AFTER a few moments Of anxious
suspense Theseus emerges from the Labvrintb
ana with scared flesh and blood stained gar
menis glands proudly upon the steps. as ,,non
u[one. and is acclaimed as a hero Theseus
IN fascinating love song, recounts his pas
non for Artane. and declares that If she con-
sehts he VIII carry her and her sister Phsedra
Athens in his superb ship. The music at this
point Is triumphal. and nuptiaI
Ihe second act discloses the ship speeding
westward under sail. and aided by oars, beneath
noonIit sky. Suddenly a storm bursts forth.
ana under stress Of weather the galley puts
into port at the Island of Naxos. BY a cIev-
cry elaborated trick, familiar to panoramic art.
NE ship appears 70 move, and the apnroacb n
1Ae hIe Is fine piece OF stage mechanism. The
music is descriptive Of the wash of the sea and
VI ue rustling Of wind and sail There is a
NoFe ouet OF Theseus and Ariane and a soIo ~
e jealousy OF Phaedra- Here It is the hautboys
4-1 "ules mat alternate with vfolns and harms
@Ae miro act is in the Island Of Naxos, where
NeOO- U1Ag 10 the legend a stay of four months
Go MADE. Iheseus, becoming tired Of Arfane
'oO'ers mat he loves her sister Phadra. He
Ueciares his love TO Phadra, who Loyalty points
Ou' 20 Iheseus his duty. Phadra, however. re-
'u'hs Iheseuss love. which causes her both low
oiu teinoTse. Ariane surprises the lovers 4ust
- lhey fall into each others arms after q de-
"-ious love duet Ariane falls in q swoon and
"Neh she a|akes Phsdra has fed Exasner-
"'eu win Venus for having as she innaetnes
.---'eu Aer passion for Theseus Phedra defaces
a-e statue Of Adonis. which, like that NJ Ia
90 -''-ua' Al recent play by NJ. d'Annunzio
-'~f upon her and kills her This episode ,s a
rYeuc Incense OF M Catulle Mendes Ptrithous
N-l DelmasJ. the faithful comrade of Theseus
announces the death Of Pheadra Ar,ora ,r
epaoie OF the slightest III feeling and ov.r.
"HeAhed with sorrow at the loss of pbaadra
--p4oIes the assistance Of Venus Nille Denoou-
e''V' VINO enables her. atte .ded by ths tbree
-@0eS 10 descend into Hades to seek her sistar
Il upon the exquisite verses of N Cat,,uo
1es Ia This act that II. Massenet hss oor,
YSeeu 1he finest portion of the opera The com.
I-a4H' of Ariane. with a beautiful harp solo the
uilng chants that accompany the confess
81 -" OF Ariane the savage imprecations q,
-'7ofa against Venus. the lamentstion ~,
alIane' and the refrain. in violin solo. Of tba
I'VE song Of Ariane for Theseus, are admIrabla
aao reveal the composers rlasterful evocstton
iehheo emotion and mystic sensuaIity.
the fourth act takes US to hell This ia an
c. c., paroonable liberty on the part OF NJ
sr'- Ne Mendes for. according to mythology
10y tnree individuals ever went to hell and
a. "acK asain-namely. Theseus. Hercules
- Ofpheus. This voyage of Ariane TO Hao.s