New-York tribune., 1906-12-04
MUSIC.
TIE MANH4TT4N OPENS.
~ Pnyltam" ReUiued = Operate
Riualry in Ne1o York.


!" - has not known for a quarter of century
.,.-a was BeIlini's thrice woful I Purltani'
-, historians ard cctogeEarian operasoers may
- ss-ved TO introduce similar enterprise
...,-ro years ago, when iIa4lAh opera WIS
- - exotic in New York. Then Rossini,
80 ana Donzetti represented the highest taste
ST. -. fashionable form Of amusement, and such
10 <,,,,g sentiments as filed the hearts OF last
80 srnszfuE gathering could have had no ex-
s.,c. The play was as nothing the music ana
=. .ins4ns all Thirty-Iiue years after the opera
-. nssn sung for the first time in New York IL
s,,us for the last prior to the occurrence which
= -, ,bis review. The new regime inaugurated
- - Natropolitan Opera House had begun. and
=, rssane speedily led far away from the style
- -,usio which til then had been the be-au and
..s-s1 az the lyric drama that It seemed TO have
- eor good and al into the limbo OF outlived
- so-rotten things But the wonderful artist
.h,,ssnr the music alotred to the heroine in Mr.
.hhss,s first IS still ravtshing our
s.rz ana warming our hearts at the NetropolitaQ
d.. House and the od-fashioned music is exert
,,s rev charm because OF the excellence Of its
,,r exsmplars Ike Nine Sembrich. Signor Bouci
"a sgnor Caruso. and the revusion OF popular
ass against tire strange dcings Of the composers
~ to-dsy Mozart IS undergoing revfviacation in
,ha musical centres OF Continental Europa and
,v.n Don Pasquse' mas been taken in hand bv
,hs Germans IN the belief that It can be re-fash-
toned to meet Iongtngs OF those whose ears ana
srsnuous art Of the latter day In more respects
t5sn one last nights opening an incident in the
ar ne Of New York worthy q Serious consideration
was not an unalloyed pleasure. depressing
ssock net the multitude that pressed eagerly into
.hs new house Absurdly narrow doors admitted
fhsn sluggishly 4 r1diculously inadequate foyer
-~ssiTed them. and there were many discomforts
h.xuss OF the unpreparedness Of the building But
o.s within the audience room, there was mucn
tahzte gadsone spirit The new lyric playhouse
tE eheerfuness for its keynote Its proscenIum
sns open balcony boxes awakened Joyous recollec-
asus Of the old Academy OF Music It suggests dem
e-zcy. but refined democracy. 1t is not rich, but
pether Is i commonplace; IL Is ornate, but Il is
n@ gzrish: Il does not illustrate the finest art but
Il Is not vulgar What Its acoustic qualities are
could not be learned last night In fact there was
50 much confusion created by the vast assemblage,
with lis tnconsde-ate and boisterous contingent Of
tlAque-s. that there little opportunity TO give
serious consideration TO the artistic elements OF
he affair The few things that were enforced upon
those who were inclined 70 be judicious were the
excellence OF the conductor. Cleofonte Campanini
the superb artistic qualities OF the tenor. Sig
nor Bonci the admirable merit OF two OF his COM
psuious with whom New York's operagoers are
fSniiar-signori Ancona- barytone, and ArimonG,
bass-snd the satisfactory quality Of the chorus
and orchestra
The perfornsaace began late and moved slowly
because OF the inefaciency OF the stage manage
came 70 & conclusion Under the circumstances
much was parconable; indeed. the wonder OF II
70 those who have been observing the development
Of the enterprise was that there should have been
& performance AZ all Much was expected OF Sig
nor Bonci and he gave much. though perhaps not
n tae KIND that many had hoped for. Comparisons
are unavoidable bur those who are seeking for
the highest pleasures that may be found in the
singing Of men viii probably go 70 hear Signor
Cargse. for the sensuOus charm of his voice. and
Egnor Bonc. r9r eXeTlpl.AcattOn OF much finer
artistic skill IN nearly all the things which enter
into tie a-t Of vocaIizatiou he is incomparably
fnes than bis rival at the Metropolitan Opera
House. His tones are iInpeccaoly pure MS com
mznd II breath perfect. his enunciation unrtvalled
ty any singer now before the local public. his
phrssng also is sense Of proportion. symmetry.
rspOse exquisite The voice IS q pure tenor. with
e tnge OF that paGid quality from a love Of which
We have been EVeaned BY the tenors who have
Won our favor since Caupanini was with Us but II
has fine nobility IN the highest register. and IN a!
iE phases Il is completely under his command as
are te keys oS the pianof0rte under the diaboLeal4y
ingenious fingers Of Rosenthal- He achieved q
triumph bur such one as he would have had
had the obsrrepeTOus persons who had come to
tlrn the occasion into ''halcyon and vocifeToUs'
one not expended so much OF their energy IN an
obviously mistaken greeting OF Signor Altoona, who
took his place though in their despite) the best
q local barytones in the style exacted by the
lugubriOus old opera
AND 90 New York is launched again into a war
" opera houses and opera singers. II VIII be a
Ie'sy one though II may not stir society did
ne war IN London one hundred and seventy-hve
sears ago between Nj HaadeTs forces al the
historic theatre in the Haymarket and the opera
q Ire NobiIra Britannica" at the theatre in
Ane9ln's I'M Fields
We may have faction which VIII fight under
me banner Of Car1so snc which VIII rally
around the orihamme Of Bonci. but we shall proba-
ha
Witnessed. when Cuzzoni and Faustina- who had
1Fiaed families fell 10 II tooth and nail in public.
ma spirit Is happily past, and will probably never
.s11rl even II the cid school Italian opera comes
INTO vogue again.
IN the opera1ic annals OF New York rivalry be
Nssn Houses began within twenty years after the
n -ss-sn opera had first been heard IN the city. In
N ferdinand Pslmo, a fashionable restaurateur,
: ~e4llorico Of his day opened Palmos Opera
Nss' Il was the second theatre designed for
80 performances that had been built in the city,
- nfst being lhe Italian Opera House. at Church
:, 40 leonard streets. for which Lorenzo da Ponte,
1@rls AbrertisJ had raised the money. The
e-'4ee1ce OF the interior decorations OF the play
vas new thing IN the country. There was
suIse tier Of boxes which wers draped with
-'Aon silE- The floors were carpeted. and the
7A snc stalls tn what had used be called the
= D1t was now denominated the parterre. were
-.z'ered IN blue damask- The dome was deco
- WIN pictures OF the Muses., and the walls
tie oone. were painted by artists brought from
--lupe Tor The purpose or this sumptuous home
~ ~3A opera took possession in November. 1S5s.
- ne enterprise endured f0r two seasons. both
N-7h |oful financial failures. Then the opera
- az Tie National Theatre. given over 10
epoNsn drama which hourished there until the
- was destroyed by fire IN ls4l Two years
80 Fs--no opened hrs house. which was anything
1@lflous- u Was in Chambers street, between
,11a"ay and Centre. ana the building had served
hefn f,asyo
I-estFe 6ard benches were all that had been
a., eo ior tne accomn,odation OF the audience
nose whose tastes were inclined 10 greater
- S--llt and luxury had 10 provide cushions for