The evening world., 1908-02-20
Singers Practically Chant.

Singers Practically Chant.
Deoussy's characters practically chant
their lines. There is not a single tune
IN the whole opera-scarcely even a
melody. Would 1t not be better that
the words should be spoken naturally
with the orchestral accompaniment
merely suggestive influence and a sus-
ta ming power?
Question as one will. doubt as one
may. the fact remains that Debussy' s
music grips and s;irs one strangely. 1t
NAV be decadent II surely is MAS
matte. 1t breathes the spirit OF the
swamps. of the dark forests. of the
subterranean. death-dealing wells and
caverns OF the decayinS houses. OF the
III and old people of the story. Maeter-
tnck himself IL he were musician
might have composed II. Almost one
might say 1t is Maeterlinck. not Dc
busy. that speaks through the mysu-
cal. haunting. tantalizing orchestradon
that seems TO brood and brew and never
reach climax.
MeIisande Brutally Shaken.
The story. which Is identical in origin
with that OF Francesca di Rimini only
that II is transferred to An carrier
period. placed in Northern wilds and
imbued with the weird fancifulness OF
Maeterlnck. was told briefly by the
writer last Saturday and in full by Mr'
Terhune in The Evening Worlds series
of stories OF the Operas" on TUESDAY
II is divided into five acts and a dozen
scenes Perhaps the most dramatic Is
that in which Golaud. snawed with
a jealousy OF which he is half ashamed.
exercises the rights of primeval man and
na,lls his wife. Melisande. like
drunken longshoreman. He did not last
night drag her about the floor by her
hair, for which the text calls. lie con-
tented himself with Selling her by the
shoulders, throwing her TO the ground
and shaking her as terrier wouiu
rat. The odd thing is that King Arkei,
who was present, never stirred finger
To help Melisande, although he is
Gentleman as we'll as q King and Is
fond OF her.
Not Covered by Her Hair.
That hair. five feet four inches long.
taken from the head Of a peasant OF
Brittany for the use OF Melisande In
this opera, was in braids at the time
In an earlier scene, when Pelleas sur
prises her q: her window letting her
hair down for the night. 1t Is supposed
to fall down all over him. But 1t
doesn't; for. II It did. how could he
sing? Pelless contents himself with
fondling strands Of 1t while he tells her
how she has enmeshed him.
All the scenes are we'll set. The
first. where Golaud surprises Nell
sande at the spring in the forest. both
being lost, looks very natural. She
makes a beautiful picture and the timid
and frightened way In which she fol-
lows him. fitting from tree to tree. Is
far more attractive than one would
expect from the text
The Fatal Fountain.
Melisande's first filtration with Pei
leas, at the fountain, when she loses
the ring Golaud gave her, is very pic
turesque. 1t is at this moment that the
horse of Golaud. who Is far away,
suddenly bolts and throws him. one OF
the many strange things that happen
in this story. 1t Is at this same foun-
tain later on that, Melisande and Pei
leas having mutually declared their
love within his hearing, Golaud kills
Pelleas. The grotto. where Golaud
has sent Melisande to find the ring she
falsely said she. had lost there, with
the three blind men sleeping inside,
typdfying something (who knows
what?), and the bottomless, foul-smell- |
Ing deathdealing we'll In the vault of
the castle to which Golaud leads Pei |
leas apparently to terrorize him, are |
also picturesquely effective; but they
might be omitted without loss.
MeIlsande Dies Alone.
Tho last scene. with Golaud's fran
tic and brutal ins!stence that Nell
sande, dying, shall tell him the truth
as to her relations with the dead Pei
leas. is most effective 1t Is marred by
one jarrlng note. Everybody. including
the Doctor. for some minutes beforo
the end. keeps away from the bedside.
Melisande dies absolutely alone. AnxAI
what has become OF 0ensvisvs, nothar
Of Golaud and PeilsaS. who. naturally.