New-York tribune., 1908-03-28
MUSIC.
MANHATTAN OPERA HOUSE.
Giordano's Andrea Chenler.

House last night under circumstances which made
the occasion a gala foT Sgnor Cleofonte cam
panini who for two seasons has been the artistic
director of Mr. Hamnerstein's enterprise 1he pro
ductjon OF the opera was not contemplated when
Mr.. Hammerstein prepared his prospectus I0r 'iie
season. II was however promised by Mr. Conrieu'
seems to found that the production Oh lNo
novelties of vastly inferior kind taxed to the unit
the resources of the proud establishment IN oroau
uav There 1t permitted to slumoer on Win
"Otello" Der Freischutz" and "Das Nachtaeer III
Granada" whose titles graced MI ConriedS 5 pros
pectlIs That circumstance may have had some
thing to do with Mr.. Hammersteins s resolve at uie
eleventh hour add it 10 the list OF flVe otlsr nv
productions which he has placed TO ms circuit t'''0
If SO, he gave no indication OF lir Ido' oU
permitted the announcement TO go out 1ha' TIC pr
durtion was In a way a compliment TO Signor Gam
panini and his wife. who. as Slgnora Eva -
ziri had retired from the operate stage after
singing in the opera three years ago 1hciutn'"1.
the circumstance appealed 10 whatever lee'iie VI
gratitude the Manhattan's patrons may nav
toward Signor Campanin and also 10 the popuIdt
curiosity to hear a sister of the Ieta%%i'H WINS"
coming 10 the opera was seasons chlei Sehsa-
ton
The occasion was calculated To set lls yea
of memory n1ongers 10 vagging. Those who couid
recall some the minor incidents OF a quai 1eh u
a century ago remembered that the indetatsaD'e
director of to-day modest maestro o Gem
halo at the METROPOLITAN in its frs season. ana
on two or three occasions. when his famous
try his prentice hand at conducting Next they
recalled that four years later when tha' DroIiei
made an unlucky venture as impresario ana Sought
TO rouse the people Of New York to enthusiasm
with a production Of Nerdi's "Otello, then
novelty II was SGnor CIeofonte Canpanini who
vas the conductor of the company and Signorina
Eva Tetrazzni who the prima donna Slgnor
Campanini's enterprise, which began on April To-
1855. endured only two weeks and at the third
performance the veteran tenor. who had not been
heard in opera for four years was obliged TO take
the place of Sgnor Marconi, who had been brought
from Italy TO the titular role OF the opera
OF him great things had been expected, but there
realization OF them; the prima donna was
youthful and had not been heralded, yet we hnd
in The Tribune record Of her conscientious zeal
and warm voice" and Of the fact that she came
in for her share OF the honors with such prime
favorites Nine. Scalchi and Signor Galassi.
These last nights "reminiscences OF the per
chiefly in evidence; others surrounded the
opera. Andrea Chenier'' was performed here for
the first time November lS 1895 at the Academy
OF Music, by the last company with which Colonel
Mapleson tried remain before the public as an
trnpresario- II back 10 mind pleasantly last
night when singers OF larger artistic calibre than
Bonaplata-Ba BaU the soprano: Durot the tenor, and
Jghetto the barytone (who sang in K before). in
terpreted principal parts. Nine. Canpanini did
disclose such freshness OF voice and skill IN
vocalzation marked her singing Of the much
robler music in "OteIlo' in 1888, but there Vere
evidences of the old warmth and OF ali the stage
routine which has become necessary since the
Italian conception a lyric drama distinguished
from oId-fashioned opera came into vogue. First
OF all the work OF the librettist. which has con-
tinued without signs OF depreciation comes IN for
praise The hero OF the opera is a historical char
acter q poet fell under the guillotine in Paris
in 1874 at the age of thirty-tvo- The place which
Sainte Beuve gives him in French letters is that OF
the greatest writer OF classic verse after Racine
and Boileau The operate story, which has been
told in this journal is all fiction AS a matter of
fact, he was thrown into prison on the accusation
of having sheltered political criminal ana was
guillotined along with tweuty-three others on d
charge of conspiracy while in prison. II Signor
IIIica is be believed, number Of French authors
were before him In looking upon the story OF the
poet as good operate material though they dd nor
nut their belief into practice. The verltles or
history were not permitted 10 hamper him IN the
construction of the book which Giordano set 10
music. Chenier does not die for political causes
though they alleged as a pretext out because
he has crossed the love path of a leader OF the
revoIutionsts who. when the play begins Is a
footrnan IN the house of the highborn lady whom
the poet loves and loves him Repulsed py
the lady and wounded in an encounter with Chen-
Ter the low born leader takes his revenge py coih-
7assing the death of the poet At the last moment
the Countess secures admission 10 the prison and
taxing the place Of of the condemned women
mounts the scaffold with her lover. shouting viva
IA Norte!" Good material for music not IN the
mouth truly
When Andrea Chener" presented at the
,c.d.,,~- of Music the public not accIs-
ror7ed as they are to music Of the character
Of that in its score, "C'availera f&usticana theF
knew and "Paeliacc' and they had had 3 taste
NJ ..r a Navarraiss'; but they not quite used
~ the hot blood which courses in this opera with
,te snice of revolutionary airs-'1a Carmasnole'
..C-a ira" and La Marseiais--" The opera MADE
= deem inpression, and even the thoughtfui listen
ere who were inclined 10 be critical OF the ten
deDcv Of Young Italy, were forced TO ADMIT maj
+he music contained food for thought, and that II
Ciordano failed to attract as much attention as
Mascagni and Leoncavallo within fe" years II
,o,,ld he because popular taste would have turned
.,ay- from the perfervid style which he and MS
colleagues were Cultivatng- Glordano mas dI9ai'-
nointed expectations After Fedora and d
hsria. il is possible realize that Andrea
Cbeuier'' Is to remain his masterpiece lie has
p-ospered and married wealth, and his talent seems
70 1acx centives II is another demonstration o.
the truth that poverty ought TO 60 hand III mana
;+l s,erius If the latter is to fulfil its mission
Nesnpyhile those who were his successtuI rlNalS
,t.roe lnstrurs ago, though they have WORKED aS
irdus1riously as he, have also remained oneop'ia
men PlIccint who came later has beaten 'ne',
81 ont ~ the field PerIa aps the style is eXha'i-ie"
or nonuIsr taste has changed If not now. the
change will come. Even the most oloooLnir7y
lover Of the modern Italian muse must sooner or
,.-e- uesrv of musical ferocity and begin 10 long
for the old cantiIena for the 1osicalness ana
confluence Of the older writers-hke VERDI ana
ponchjelI-vho though in way responsible LOT
the tendency Of the veritists, never dreamed OF
e,,,t an outcome as has been brought about oE
CIordano. Cflea and others.
r-rd.r the circumstances Mr.. Hsmmersteins pro
-,;o- NJ -he opera was creditable. Historical &C
- has never received much attention in the
~cenir departnnent Of opera houses and II vas
d,45c,lr 10 look upon the stage pictures as copies
-. ANYTHING ever seen In Paris In the eighteenth or
,r,, other century But this seemed 10 De OF Httte
~,cr,ent. There was plenty Of hustle and aniIna-
x1-Hfr rir