New-York tribune., 1907-11-16
MUSIC.
MANHATTAN OPERA HOUSE.
Ofenbach's Fantastic Opera.

ne produced Onenbach'S Les ConteS dHon-
mann" The opera at a revival and a
novelty. Il was given a number of times IN the
fall OF 1882 at the Fifth Avenue Theatre by
many Of French singers under the management OF
Mr. Maurice Grau.
For the purposes Of the historian, therefore last
nights performance a revival but the lapse
Of twenty-five years puts severe strain upon the
urrefreshed memory Of the ordinary operagoer.
and II there were any persons in the Manhattan
opera House last night who attended the per-
Torrance OF the opera on October 16 1882, or one
~ is repetitons, II is doubtful If their recollec-
lions went much further than the mere historical
fact that the opera had been produced at that
time and they were present For them. more
over. there were considerations which made the
performance seem first one; they entire
act which they had not before lin Kew York.
Of course) and a considerable change in the
anale Onenbachs opera has gone through sew
eral changes since it left the hands of its COM
poser and. by singular circumstance, only those
who have seen 1t in these later years. during
which It has enjoyed a well deserved popularity
IN Europe, have II in something like It's orig-
nal shape. AT the beginning OF its career the
opera was deprived of the act which. to many
who saw It last night must have seemed its prin-
cipal adornment- This IS the third set
down IN the book and the house bill. though 1t
would be very convenient IN discussion of the
work If the first and last acts could be spoken Of
as the prologue and epogue. leaving the three
tales OF Hoffmann,' which UP the dramatic
contents OF the work. its first. second and third
sets.
Unless the symbolism which finds illustration IN
The representation of two characters in each Of the
three acts by the same two artists is retained Les
Contes d'Hoffmann'' is not drama at all. but
three short lyric plays with impotent conclusions
The characters in question are Coppelius, Daper-
tutto and DR.. Miracle. Of the men, and Olympia,
Giuetta and Antonia, of the women. The In
geuious fancy of Jules Barber and Michel Carrie.
TIE authors of the book. made OF the first three as
many incarnations of the spirit OF evil bent upon
the persecution of the hero Eventually the char
acter d!scloses himself parsonage who. In the
guise Of physician with hypnotic powers. is moth
ing short of the devil himself
II IS IN watching this development that the
thread is found which binds the apparent pasticcio
into a harmonious whole The are phases
Of the feminine principle which obsessed the mind
OF the hero three phases of its development-the
early calf love given physical prettiness OF
outward charm excnplifed in Honmanns aHecuoh
for the automaton Olympia; the subsequent merely
carnal attraction toward the courtesan, GiuIetta'
then in the last the illustrative stories the sin
cere love for ideal woman In each case the
hero-poets aspirations brought 70 naught by
the Vaccinations OF his evil demon and at the last
he IS asked TO turn his thoughts TO the Muse as
the only faithful and unfailing mistress Of the
artist. This in the epilogre Mr.. Hammerstein.
having Renaud in his company. was able 10 make
one side of exposition plain but by placing the
female characters in the hands of three women
very different in appearance, and also very dif-
ferent In artistic capacity he did much TO destroy
the symbolism of the piece, which had been most
fngeniously conceived by the Ibrettsts and most
admirably carried out by the composer
Obviously this discussion Of Offenbachs opera has
proceeded thus far on the presumption that the
reader is familiar with its dramatic contents They
were set forth in the outline Of the plot printed
n this journal last Sunday; what is here rehearsed
IS only so much Is necessary to an appreciation
Of the opera as a work Of art The book tells of
g phase of French literary taste which made heroes
out Of two foreign rornancers two generations ago
These were the German. z. 7. A. Hoffman,. and
the American Edgar Allan Poe Very much alike
were these two in some Of their strongest
characteristics Both were possessed Of genius OF
high order; both led lives Of dissipation which
wrecked them physically and both found their
fantastic creations in the world Of supernatural
ism, which Imagination. stimulated by alcoholic
Indulgence. presented 10 them realities. At
least this is literally true Of Hoffmann who, COM
ing home from his nightly carouses with the boon
companions whom he has celebrated In his 'Sera-
mons Briider'' land who vulgarly pictured in
the prologue and epilogue Of Ofenbach's opera,
was won't to call for his wife TO sit beside him
through the remainder Of the night TO ward of the
ghostiy ghasty. gTisy creatures which his own per-
fervid imagination had conjured Sixty years ago
France was full Of admiration for the weird tales Of
Hofmann and in view of the singular vicissitudes
Of the fantastic romancer's life some Of them
quite as startling q the adventures which he
ascribed TO his imaginary creatures it was not at
all strange that Barber and Carre should have
conceived the idea of making him the hero OF a
play dealing with incidents Of his own invention
In 1851 they brought out their drama in five acts
at the Odeon. II did not endure long. but 1t made
so deep an impression upon the mind Of Ofenbach
that when he was seized with the ambition to write
q serious work which he might leave TO the world
as q legacy 10 prove that his ambitions went be-
yond the things with which he amused the careless
folk of the Second Empire. he turned 10 the old
plav for his ibretto. IN a way it was a happy
choice. II an author was 20 be blended with his
creations and utilized for operate purposes, history
would be searched in vain for better subject than
Hoffman, He jurist, court councillor, ro-
uancer carcaturst, scene painter. theatrlcal man
ager and composer. In several ways he is living
IN the musical annals Of to-day. His opera IN
dine IS forgotten, though It was highly praised
by Carl Maria Won Weber, who had not feared
souadly TO abuse Beethoven; but his literary crea-
ton the ChapeImaster Kreisler lives IN schu-
rnann's 'Kresleriana," and other conceits OF MS
filtered through Jean Paul. in other compositions
by the same master. His criticisms though cast
IN fantastic form opened the eyes OF many to the
Beauties of GIuck. Mozart and Beethoven his
admiration for Mozart went to such an extreme
that he cast aside part OF his baptisrnal name III
order 10 substitute for 1t one or the given haiI4e
Of his hero-Amadeus. OF this admiration neitheF
oSenbsch nor his nbrettists unaware, TOT
when Hoffman, and his companion, Nicklausse'
come into the tavern where the rostering stuoe's
greet them in the prologue, they are sun 50 Kun %
the opera OF Don Giovanni 10 which they haH
.ust been listening that Nicklausse quotes 'ii0
words Of Leporellos first song ana oIIeio0o-i i'
erently quotes the music - :. .n,
Barber and Care constructed their Drama IN 'S
wey: In a prologue they present Hohmann IN lio
midst Of d crowd of noisy drinkers ana carouse[s
IN resort which the perverted name OF the Ialu-
icTd shows 10 be intended for the winehouse OF
Inter mot Luther and Wagener IN 6eri'u' IA
which the vertabie Hoffman,. as great Coli'eii'
poraIy said Of him. used to write IN oroeF 10
drink and drink in order TO write" For the enter
aFliT