New-York tribune., 1908-04-02
MUSIC.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
Beethoven's Opera and It's Heroine.

last night. The production of this opera in the
manner introduced by Mr. Mailer when he was
director of the Court Opera in Vienna feW years
ago was one of the chief objects had in view by
Mr. Conried when he engaged the distinguished
musician for the local establishment. The Wen
scenery reproduced and nearly all OF II
put TO use. It unquestionably the most costly
of the stage employed at the opera house this
season though not designed to be spectacular in
the ordinary sense and will be set aside for
q term months. possibly years, as crcun1-
stances may determine Whether or not 1t is seen
again it will long remain in the memories OF the
serious observers OF opera as the monument Of
a grievous disappointment and memorial OF some
of the fundamental obstacles which lie in the way
of a transformation of the gilded lyric playhouse
in upper Broadway into truly artistic inst1tu-
ton.
There are many musicians and music lovers to
whom 'Fidelio" is a precious thing; they may not
all have agreed with Mr.. Mahler as 10 the means
employed to larger popular recognition for the
work. they all sympathized with him in his
desire, and they will share with him the dlsap-
pointment which he must feel that the work spent
on the preparation of such masterpieces as Don
Giovanni and "Fidelio" should be so feeting and
so futile In its results But so long as the affairs
the Metropolitan Opera House are administered
they have been for many years there can be no
permanency of achievement; no development OF an
ideal in performance; no education of the public
toward an appreciation of the ideal The ensemble
in Don Giovanni disrupted after a second
representation; that in "Fideio'' has never oeeh
perfected. Mr. Mailer himself has not had time
or opportunity test the effect Of some OF MS
innovations by listening TO performance from Il
position in the audience room. He can never know
what some of his reinements in the treat
ment orchestral part emasculated Bee
thovens score, how lifeIess, for instance. the
'F,delio' overture and the finale of the first act
sound in the large house, nor how wofuHy his
brass ornaments in the introduction TO the second
act distorted its physiognomy. When he returns
l. tad 1ar he Efal
return before then-he will find another condition
affairs prevailing at the opera house; one that
he will have had little hand in creating and the
nature of which it is impossible for anybody now
10 Artistically the institution needs reI-
ormation from top bottom.
It was not an ideal cast which was placed at
the service of Beethovens opera, though, perhals'
on the whole, better than any single Ger-
man theatre could have marshalled- more ro-
mantle figure than Mr.. Burrian's might be found
for the role of Florestan, and singer with voice
of more appealing quality; but there are moments
in Beethoven's pianoforte works when he seems
to call fingers of steel, and in the music OF
'F1delio" when only a voice with the endurance
Of steam whistle can stand the strain. and so
we must be grateful for the vocal metal OF this
tenor There is much to be made dramatically
of the role of Rocco, which is beyond the ken
and the capacity of Mr.. Blass, but the euphony
of his voice is a delight in the concerted music.
Mr.. Van Rooy presents noble figure as the Min
lister OF Justice and does all that singer can tdra-
matte action is out question: to redeem the
last scene which Beethoven plunged from lyric
drama oratorio without even a moduIation
Had any of the Metropolitans younger women
singers other than Miss Alien been cast for the
part of Marceine, any of the men other than
Mr.. Reiss attempted the part of Jacquino, the pub
lie would have found the drama lacking on its
dramatic side in the elements which provide a few
detached moments from the prevailing gloom,
though the youthful soprano should have voice
not only in more marked contrast with that of the
I-.,r -;,,1 6nr
self with less exertion to the trying tesst"ra of
Marcelline's music
The character OF Ffdelio is thickly incrusted
with traditions. the majority of which are beaCti-
full and noble The foolish little devices of char
acter singers of to-day. who. having little voice,
less art and knowledge of that prOprety Of
creative expression called style, try to reduce
everything the level of everyday life.
tried this heroic figure We spared foolish
efforts realism" which is fortunate True, by
adhering to old and approved standards It IS be
coming more and more difficult for the repre-
sentatives of the character TO move experienced
listeners they were moved by some of the sing
ers of the past; but appreciation of great per
formanccs IN this instance tends 10 sympathetic
interest in every sincere effort to maintain the
high standard which every German dramatic artist
instinctively feels 10 be her duty reach. And
so the pathos and graciousness of Nine. Morenas
impersonation reach the heart. though they leave
a wish for greater vocal powers unstied. That
the case last night, when her performance
brought into contrast with the weghtier. more
intense hut less appealing that Nine. LETTER
Burckhard gave last week Both, however, awaIx-
ened some OF the longngs whic hhearers of older
generation must have felt to hear again some of
the performances of the past.
The original representative of the heroine of
Beethoven's opera Pauline Anna Mlder- Haupt-
mann the daughter Of courier IN the Austrian
service born in Constantinople December 13
1855. She was a Frauein Milder and only twenty
years old when il was her great good fortune TO
create" the role of Fideo-only two years after
she had begun her career She had extraordi-
nary voice might be guessed from the range and
style of the great and air in the first act of
the opera. II was the cause OF d great deal of
trouble between the composer and the singer, the
latter Declaring that parts of Il "unvocal'
ugly and i'll adapted to her voice. She wanted
Beethoven to alter them, but he refused until the
revision of the opera in 1914, when she made the
changes condition precedent TO ner participation
IN the revival
OF the early Fideios the famous (as she
also the finest ever seen in the parO was
Wihelnne Schroeder-Devrient. born in 1894, died
in 1860. She the first representative of Fidelo
in London. when the opera was brought there
in 1892 Chorley who heard her there. has left an
analysis Of her manner which is illuminetive. He
disapproved of her singing in toto She what
the Germans call naturalist" Her tones were
delivered without any care, to give them due
force Her execution was bad and heavy There
was air Of strain and spasn throughout
performance-of that struggle for victory which
never conquers' But different her acting.
The devOurng suspense of the disquieted wife.
throughout the first half of the tale enabled the
German LeonOra to exhibit all the passion of by
play in iudicious Interpretation of the situation.
Her eyes quickened blythe yearnings OF her heart
were everywhere; her quivering lip, when her
countenance the most guarded. told how in
tensely she listening 1t impossible to
hear the Prisoners Chorus aid to see the
eager woman she unclosed cell after cell. and