New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-10-22
MUSIC
"THE MERRY WIDOW"

At length real operetta one that does not fitch
the appellation but fits ii and fills it and does It
credit. 1t produced last night at the New Am
sterdam Theatre by of Mr.. Savages companies
of singing comedians, and its is THE Merry
Widow its original habitat Vienna, but
before reaching it had successfully invaded
practically all the European countries. On this
side Of the il has been finding its legs land
it needs them and trying its voice in various
lions Of what the Londoners would call the prov
inces There can be no doubt that the representa-
tIon benefited by the experience, for it went of
with delicious sparkle from beginning to end.
and to-day will doubtless witness the beginning of
the NEST exquisite torture that the New York way
farer has had to endure since Isaac Bromley in
fected the popular mind with his horse car jingle.
We shall have to walk and talk and read and
smoke to the waltz rhythms which Franz Lehar
has invented and appropriated to deck out the
graceful little story Of how prince whom poetical
license permits US to call a Transylvanian won
the hand Of the merry little woman whose heart ne
had conquered long before.
II Is a pretty little story. free from vulgarity
and there Is nothing in its presentation when Is
offensive to a gentle taste. That is much; but It
is not all. The scenes change from the salon Of
ambassador. of the conventional operetta type
I'm Paris to the hilarious cafe of Maxim. with a
picturesque garden filled with merrymakers who
have adopted Transylvanian costumes and more
or less Transylvanian musical idioms between;
everywhere and always gayety Is dominant; but
running through the gayety there is a shining
thread of sentiment which by the ingenious con-
tFivances of lbrettst and composer is made beau
tifully and sympathetcally to tincture the music.
waltz which inspires the whir of Parsian cafe
life takes on the emotionality In the eli
max Of the dramatic situation effectively helped
by the nice and really refined art Of Mr.. Donald
Brian-an operetta tenor welcome as the flowers
that bloom In the spring. and the introduction OF
a dance. which might be SeTvian or Montenegrin
despite it's warbling of Carmenian flutes. helps
along the sentiment of the play because 1t is made
a part of the sentimental life of the lovers who
are in all respects sympathetic There is humOr
in the characterization of several Of the persons in
the story. but the ibrettsts and their transators
have not vulgarlzed it. and Mr.. Graham, who car
res off the best of It, does 1t with refined and in
gratiating art.
The music Of the operetta Is gracefully meodic.
II Is not markedly original but what of that?
Would that all operetta writer's could appropriate
familiar formulas ingeniously has Lehar and
sprinkle over them the same dewy freshness. The
waItzes and marches bear the hallmark of Vienna,
but of the melodies also have a familiar
Tilt. showing that idioms racy OF America have
penetrated TO the home Of Strauss and Supp6
The treatment of the orchestra and the voices IS
refined. and the musical current rippes through
the whole play. darting and flashing here eddying
peacefully there. never retarding the action but
carrying II onward buoyantly to the ravishment
Of all lovers OF graceful melody and innocent
jollity.
Mr.. Savage has given the comedy appro-
priatey gorgeous dress and enlisted large COM
pany of capable people IN its performance. All
the music is sung and played with spirit under
the direction of Mr.. GOttschalk. and there is more
than ordinary excellence in the singing Of Lois
Ewell (who ought to learn TO speak her dialogIe)
and several Of the besides Mr.. Brian. who
dances. acts speaks and sings with equal delight
fulness. And Mr.. Meakns is a low comedian who
needs no horseplay TO give amusement. So far as
the public are concerned there need be no end to
The Merry Widow for six months TO come. Let
the hearts Of the lovers OF real and ingenious
operetta be glad. II. T. X.