New-York tribune., 1907-11-26
MUSIC.
MANHATTAN OPERA HOUSE.
Miss Mary Garden and "Thais."

Miss Mary Garden and "Thais."
The title of the opera which Mr. Hammerstein
brought forward at the Manhattan Opera House
last night to signalize tho first appearance in
America of Miss Mary Garden is an index of its
contents and its character. The That's Of Messrs.
Gallet and Massenet is not the That's of classical
story who induced Alexander to burn the palace of
the Persian kings at Persepolis-who like an
other Helen fired another Troy"-but she is Of her
tribe Also of the tribe OF Phryne. Lais and Nessa-
lima, who live in history and in art because of their
beauty and their pruriency, their loveness and
hcentiousness. The operate ThaTs is the invention
OF Anatole France who borrowed her name for a
courtesan Of Alexandria some centuries after the
historic woman lived With the help Of suggestions
borrowed from the stories Of innumerable saints
who fed from the vicious world into the desert and
industriously cultivated sanctity and bodily filth
OF converted troops and holy Anthonys be CON
structed tale of how OF these desert saints
nlled with ardor 10 the soul OF a Cyprian
who had the gay world OF Alexandria at her feet
went to her. persuaded her put her sinful life
behind her. enter the retreat of a sanity sister
hood and die in grace, while he. falling at the
aSt INTO the clutches of carnal lust repented OF his
good deed at the end and wrought his own damna-
uon. changing the name OF the unfortunate zealot
from Paphnuce to Athanael NJ. Ioris Gauet made
an opera book out OF Frances story and Massenet
set 1t TO music II is delectable story. It fell
into the hands Of master craftsmen, and tho admir-
ers or art for arts sake" and at any cost have
cause TO rejoice at the treatment which II received
Gimpses into the life OF the frowsy fraternity OF
cenoDtes and fragments of their doleful cantIces
are not engaging in themselves but they are fine
foils to pictures OF antique vice and the songs
and dances of classic voluptuaries There are
splendid dramatic potentlaties for those who ike
such things and those who find profit in exploit
ing them in the tuxtaposito cheek by iovl OF
saintliness and sin; of Christian hymning and har-
lotry of virtue in physical wreste with vice and
coming out triumphant but handing the palm over
TO the real victor at the end; In the picture of a
monk sprtnkling the couch OF Venus with holy
With
There was a large personal note in the original
creation OF 'ThaHs" and there is large personal
note In It's reproduction. It is not altogether n
pleasant one for the lover Of real listen To-
Had there been Sybf Sanderson II is doubtful
II Massenets thoughts would have been di-
rected TO the subject True, he had shown a
prediction for frail women as his herones before
as witness Marie MagdaIen, Eve Herodias and
Manon Lescaut; but in the works which exploited
these women the personal equation did not enter so
far as the world knows or the printed page dis
closes. But when he wrote "ThaHs 1t was neither
histrtontc nor musical that he aimed primarily
to exploit. but the physical charms of an individual
Something was needed for the jaded boulevardiers
or Paris TO leer at while they feeby
clapped their hands and pped ''Ah! Charming!"
Ravishing.' 1t may be that the fine com
mand OF Oriental color which is supposed to have
affinity in the idioms of music with volupuousness
in all it's forms. had something do with the case
but the whole structure of the piece. superb it
Is in it's contrasting elements and theatricalIy in
genious and effective points nevertheless TO the
unfortunate Sanderson. And in the same way it's
Partisan revival points TO Miss Garden and Nine
Cavalieri. and its American production to the
former. For the sake OF gifted singers and accom-
plished actors merely the opera not created
and will not be kept alive 1t rests for its success
on the kind of argument which Phryne of classic
story presented to her austere judges.
The brilliancy of the play, its mastery handling
of contrasts. equally gratifying to the scenic artist
the actor and the composer. challenge admiration
and won 1t in large measure last night. From the
of ba
easy TO pick quarrel with the drama. 1t would be
almost churlish. when there SO much TO be CRATE
full for. TO pick flaws in NJ Massenets score. In
the first place. compared with the vast volume OF
stuff poured forth by his younger colleagues OF
italy and even by some of his confreres of France
It makes appeal for approval by its evidences Of
consummate technical mastery. It never trickes;
It grows stagnant; It never gropes; it never
fails for want OF matter and manner in utterance,
It's current is smooth and sef-reliant. It carries
action and score along buoyanty and unceas-
| ingly, IL II does not always eXpound
| them deeply give them adequate external
| adornrnent When II has real warmth it
| Stimulates II admirably It's texture is we'll knit
There is purpose, not deep, not long sustained but
so far IL goes logical, in the composers appca-
| ton of the system of typical or representative
| phrases. There is too a measure OF appositeness
in the structure and character Of his themes-the
themes of ascetlcism of Athanael. of That's (Which
! approves like haunting memory of the Ire whch
he led before his renunciaton in Athanaers recital
| in the first acO. of the monks missionary zeal.
| There is mastery of local color. which makes his
of Oriental tints dramatically appropriate
II is engaging in all the scenes of ancient proni-
| gacy which fill the centre OF the artists canvas
NJ Massenet's orchestra is an active agent in the
| development of the drama, and the episodes IN
| which II became dominant are not Pauses IN the
| action created because of felt need for some-
thing besides an undercurrent for the inane chat
| ter OF dialogue they carry the psychological
| acton-the concealed drama which is playing on
| the stage of the hearts of the people concerned
| in the story. There is fitness in the inter
| Jude in which That's disposes herself to re-
| produce the loves OF Aphrodite and Adonis,
| and a pretty touch of significance in
tho reniniscence Of the music which had disturbed
| Athanaers dream in the first act. There is more
| than mere musical charm in the intermezzo which
| follows the scene in which the monk wakes into
| life the conscience of the cOurtesan. She has de-
! fed him to the last, but the struggle in her soul
! has begun and while he sleeps the steps of
| the portco of her house the progress and out
come of the struggle portrayed in the instru
mental number which Massenet has called RE
lisious Meditation" In itself It Is not unlike
scores OF pieces similarly inttued but it
| Is made significant by its Introduction Of the
| theme of That's in a chastened mood in the
| garb of solemn gravity, and the melody of
the violin solo. borne up by almost indehnable har-
al r,xh harr eiaS I'm