New-York tribune., 1908-09-13
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE SUNDAY SEPTEMBER Is, 1905.

long step forward In musical culture-a step toward
the foundation OF institution which should en-
durs and exemplify the aesthetic. moral and pnysi-
cal character OF the people OF America.
The expectations aroused By the announcement
were wofully disappointed. There were nights OF
wondrous briIliancy and OF extraordinary splendor
IN nearly every department Some of the reful-
gence came from the new ambitions with which NJ
de Reszke and Mr.. SeIdl inspired the organization
The had no prouder moments than those
filed with the performances OF Tristan and
"Dohengrfn' vouchsafed the subscribers TO the reg
ular subscription: but II had no deeper gloom tnan
that which settled upon the subscribers to the spe-
cial German season most OF the occasions set
apart for them The fate ''Fidelio' was utterly
grievous; two representations of Tristan filled
their souls with Indignation instead OF gratitude;
there is sanity intercossion which could nave
won redemption for 'TannhAuser.' The per-
formances of Tristan and of the italian Lohen-
grim at which Nordica BreTua ard the brothers
De Reszke sang brilliantly successful, but In
each case the regular performance was MADE 10
precede that get apart for the German suoscrip-
tion. That circumstance would alone have suf11ced
to arouse suspicion that the management was at
least willing to discriminate against the special
Thursday nights and the suspicion was wrought
into conviction by the disparity between the per-
formauces OF the two subscriptions. IL II was the
purpose of Abbey s. Grau 10 put German opera
ON trial their method looked very unfair. The
drama for it's own sake art work. and NOT
for the sake OF the singer Is fundamental prin-
ciple of German art, but 1t can only maintain It's
validity with the help of adequate performances
Saving the four singers who sang In Italian ana
French as well German (Mme- Nordica, MISS
Brema and the brothers De Reszke). the German
singers OF 1866 wofulIy inefficient and the
German season indubtable failure
shall append q list of performances of the
operas presented in the seasons covered oy TINS
chapter and It's predecessor. and its perusal WILL
that i'm spite of the shortcomings to which nave
called attention the administration OF Aooey q
Grau yet marked gigantic step IN the direcuoh oA
dramatic sanity and sense over the lists which pre-
vailed in the period when this story began IN
tho consulship OF Mapleson the repertory might
have been turned into verse quite as dramatlc as
most of that of the opera books Ihus'
"F,avorfta" .Puritani.''
Lucia di Larnmermoo-,
Marta" Linda lr dl ohamoGnIiA' tnrs,I
I'll Barbere e d Siyigna'
Don PasouaIe," "RigoIetto,''
"Faust." eli Ugonotti," I'm Ballo'
and so on for quantity. OF the old hurdy-gurdy
list "Fayorita" "Traviata, "Trovatore, LUCIA
and "Rigoetto'' given, but unitedly they had
only ten representations, and most Of them were on
Saturday nights. when popular prices prevailed
Even though Meba sang in Lucia" 1t had to be
consorted at the last with "Cavalera, which NINE
CaIye made attractive Against this fact we nave
the other that Carmen alone had greater num-
Der of representations than the entire od-fashioned
list and that the operas which were most popular
after 1t were Tristan und Isolde" Faust and
~Lohengrin"
OF the ten German performances three were de-
voted to Tristan" two to 'Tannhauser," one to
-.Fidelio" two to "Lohengrin' and two to Die
NaIkiire" Tristan" "Tannhauser' and "Lohen-
grim were In the repertory of the regular suoscrp
ton season Only two unfamiliar works were
brought forward-Bizets "Pecheurs de Perles' (two
acts onIy) and Massenet's La Navarraise but
there was an interesting revival Of Boitos Mefis-
tofele" after lapse OF twelve years. and a more
than interesting revival of Tristan und Isolde
with Mines Nordca and Brema and the brothers
De Reszks In the principal parts. Mime Melba did
not join the company until December II; she added
Massenets "AIanon' TO her repertory Jean De
Reszke increased the list OF parts in which he was
known by adding Tristan to 1t and the German
I,ohengrin Nine Nordica's roles were Isolde.
Venus in 'eTannhauser'' and Elsa in German Miss
Brena's operas were Tristan" "Lohensrin," or
feo." Aida" and "Die walkire," and. like Mime.
Nordica Mile. Lola Beeth and Signor Kaschmann,
she sang In German well as Italian La Ma
varraise' brought forward for Mime Calve on
December II, 1886: the acts Of LES Peeheurs
de Perles' at a matinee on january IL. 1895
Colonel Mapleson provided prelude to the Metro
politan season of 1s96-eT with a short season of
Italian opera the archaic sort at the Academy OF
Music The doughty manager could no longer fly
his old London colors. so he appeared as the sole
director of "The New Imperial Opera Company.
With thre9 exceptions all MS singers were
strangers to the operagoers Of New York Mime.
ScaIchi was again with him. and Signor de Anna
but the rest were newcomers. Among them were
Nine Hariclee- -Darclee. Nine. Bonaplata-Bau. Susan
Strong and Nine GiuseppiDa Huguet, Sopranos
Nine Parsi Mile. Ponzano and Nine. Meysenheirn,
contraItos Signor de march,. Randacio Betti, Oil
vieri and Durot, tenors; Sisnori Ughetto and Al
berti barytones. and Pinto. Terri Giordani Borelh
and Dado, basses. The conductors capable men
both of them, Signori Bimboni and Tango
Within q fortnight Aida "Trovatore. "Traviata.
Les Huguenots" "Sonnambula' and Faust had
been sung and a new work brought out. This was
Andrea Chenier," by Illica and Giordano, which
had its first performance in America on November
1S 1896 the cast being follows:
,d-sa cbanIer .Durot
Maddaena di Coigny
"
Contessa di Coigny
III Remanziero AAOsIe
Matthew
n Incredible. .CiOrdano
L Abate, poeta--S
~ I1 Atae STU " ~ Pinto |
Tango conducted and the performance had rude
forceuness quite in keeping with the character OF
the opera Under better conditions Andrea Cne-
nnier would doubtless have held its own for re-
spectabIe space IN the local repertory- But the |
NH.-~F In I