New-York tribune., 1908-08-09
eooDyr,rh,. 1905. by H. E. Krehbiei)


rolsten I find are crowdng upon me so that
nnd it difficult apportion seasons ana chapters
.n this record. Later. II may be, when the new
order OF things shall have been estabhshed ana
again gives place the old, the relation hlaS
make more rapid progress. have already oe
voted much space second German season
but there are a details which deserve speciai
consideration The first Of these az the resoer
will accept the instantaneous popularity OF MI
se:dl as a conclusion from the remarks mace IN
his introduction fns these annslsl was the first
appearance OF Liili Lehman Circumstances
would have Il that she should show hersef hrst'
not as the singer Of old-fashoned nora roies
with which Except for her Bayreuth experienced
she was associated, yet the Wagneriah
--agedienne which she became later, but in
transitional character-that of Carmen In Bizets s
opera OF that name Lehman as the gypsy cigar
etfe maker with her Habanera and Seguiolla
with her errant fancy wandering from senti-
mental brigadier TO dashing bull fighter is d
conception which will not come easy TO the ad-
uairers OF the later Briinnhilde and Isolde: and
indeed she was a puzzling phenomenon 10 the
experienced observers of that time. Carmen was
already q familiar apparftion TO New workers. VINO
had imagined that Minnie Hauck had spoken the
last word in the Interpretation Of that character
When Fraulein Lehman came her tall stature ano
erect, almost military bearing were calculated to
produce an effect OF surprise OF such nature
that il had 10 be overcome before it was possible
TO enter into the feeling with which she Informed
the part. To the eye, moreover. she was a some
what more matronly Carmen than the fancy.
stimulated by earlier performances OF the opera
the reading Of Merimee's novel, was prepared
TO accept; but IL was IN harmony with the
picture that she stripped the character of the
nippancy and playfulness popularity associated
with IT. and intensified sinister side In
this, Fraulen lehman deviated from Nine
Haucks inpersonaton and approached that Of
Nine Trebeln which had been brought TO public
notice at the first Italian at the Metropol-
itan Opera House In her musical performance
she surpassed both OF those admired and expert
enced artists Her voice proved be true. heX-
ibe and ringing. and also Of most particu-
larly telling quality. She disclosed ability 10 fill
the part with the passionate expression and warmth
OF color which IL called for, and utilized that abil
ity 5udiciousy and tastefully- NJ Eloi sylvia. the
tenor. effected his American Introduction in
Meyerbeer's Prophet November 81 He
exceedingly robust singer. with imposing
stage presence. a powerful voice. which, in its
upper register. especially, vibrant, virile and
musical TWO seasons later he essayed English
opera, with about the same results, far
his pronunciation concerned. he achieved
in German Fraulein Lehman was first seen
and head as Brjinnhil6e ir Die walkire' on No
vember 90 She statuesquey beautiful and
her voice slorihed the music In the first
brought beautiful relief the joyful nature
Of the Wfshmaiden: her cries fairly brirn-
ming with eager happy vitality While proclaim
ing his fate 10 siegmund. she was first inspired
ny a noble dignity. then transformed instanta-
neO0siy into sympathetic woman by the herO's
devotion 10 the helpless and hapless woman who
lay exhausted on his knees
The first OF the two novelties Of the season
Goldmarks opera, Die boningin Won Saba
which had It's first performance in America on De-
ceTnber > The follows: Sulamith,
Frgulein Lehman: K6nigin, Frau Kramer-Wiedl;
Astaroth, Fraulein Brandt; Solomon Herr Robin
son; Assad. Herr Stritt: Hohe Priester Herr
Fischer Baal Hanan, Herr Alexi. Mr.. Seidl con-
Quoted. The opera (Which had had its first pro-
in Tien7 he<o and had
achieved almost much in Germany as
Nessler's 'Trompeter Won Sakkngen) pro-
duced with great sumptuousness. and, being also
admirably sung and acted, it made a record that
provided operagoers in New York with a sensation
Of kind that they had not known before, and to
which they did not grow accustomed until the later
dramas OF Wagner began their trfumphal
Ct the Metropolitan. Twenty years afterward (sea-
lson 1866 Mr.. Conried revived the opera az the
metropolitan. but found that in the interim
IT'S fires had paed In 1885 there were reasons why
1.-THE public should not only have been charmed but
even impressed by the opera In spite Of its weak
resses, II then and stfll is effective opera
Thoughtfully considered, the libretto IS of
any poetical worth. but in its handling OF the
things which give pleasure 70 the superficial OBJ
server Il is admirable. II presents story which
IS fairly rational which enlists the interest If not
the sympathy Of the observers. which is
spectacle and which is full OF pomp and cfrcum-
stance. Looked from ethical side and
sidered with reference the OF its poetica
elements falls under condemnation. The title OF
the opera would indicate that the Bible
story Of the visit Of the Queen OF Sheba TO Solo
mon had been drawn on for the plot That IS true
The Queen Of Sheba comes TO Jerusalem TO see
Solomon in his glory, and that is the end Of the
draft on Biblical story; the rest is the modern
poets invention. But that is the way of operas
with Biblical subjects fen names incident
end the rest of invention. In Gounod's RENE de
Saba the ragnifcently stored queen tries to elope
with the architect of SoIomon's temple like
w1ful uliIlonaire's daughter Saone is favorite
subject just row that the dGnse du venfre is work
ing its way into polite society but for the
dance and the names OF the teJrarch and his wife
:he Bible contributes nothing TO the Salome dramas
and pantorinnes. SulaInith. who figures like
abandoned Dido. in the opera Of Mosenthal and
C5cldmark owes her name but not her nature or
sns Of experiences 10 the pastoral play which
posornon Is credited with having written. The
Song OF Songs contributes also. few lines Of
poetry TO the book. and a ritualistc service cee
brated IN the Temple finds its prototype in some
verses from Psalms xvii and cxvii but with this
! have enumerated all that Die K0nigin
Saba" the sacred Scriptures Solcmon's
magnificent reign and marvellous wisdom which
contribute factors 10 the production. belong 10
profane well TO sacred history. and persons
with deeply rooted prejudces touching the people
Of Biblical story WIFI be happiest If they think
some other than the Scriptural Solomon the
prototype Of Mosenthal and Godmark. for in truth
they make him sorry seRtmentast al best
The local color OF the old story has been borrowed
from the old story; che dramatic motive comes
plainly from "Tannhauser' SUlamith is Elizabeth
the Queen Venus. Ashad Tannhauser and Solomon
wolfram. Goldrnarlk's music is highly spiced. At
!, times Il r.ishes along like a lava stream, every
measure throbbing with eager. excited and eX-
citing life lie regels in instrumental color; the
language Of his orchestra is glowing as the
poetry attributed the veritable King whom the
operate story celebrates. Many composers before
Ffoa made OF Oriental caQences and rhythms