New-York tribune., 1908-11-14
OPERA AT THE MANHATTAN.

The music of Saint-Saens's opera Samson ct Da-
lila has been known 10 New Yorks musical public
from frequent performances in concert form by
the Oratorfo Society for sixteen years Only once
in this period until last night attempt made
to give it dramatic representa- ton This was on
February s, 1895, when it was brought forward at
the Metropolitan Opera House in order 70 display
the physical and vocal strenuousness OF Signor Ia
7,arno Nine NanteIIi sang the music Gt is scarce
" correct to say acted the parO of Dalla- and
there were hopes that the opera might be added
70 +he repertorv OF the lyric playhouse in upper
Broadway: but they vent down in the ruins OF the
temple in the last act The opera was never re
heated At the time this seemed natural and just
The oratorfo performances had thrown so much
stress upon the choral music that II did not seem
possible that any stage representation could aoo
ma reriaIIv TO the effectiveness Of Salnt-Saenss
composition On the contrary, it was felt that TO
adj costumes and would only serve 10 en-
phasize the paucity Of dramatic actlon IN the
piece while nobody familiar with operate affairs
az the time dreamed that thear1caF chorlsters
would ever be able TO do justice to the dne choral
music in which the work abounds.
Mr. Hammersteiu's production last night at the
onera house was well calculated II set the criti-
cay minded to specuiating If the early Judgment
was altogether sound. The ChOrUses in the first
act came like delightful shock, not only because
or the splendid seniority, precision and expressive
ness of the singing but also because Of the addi-
tionaI effectiveness contributed by the stage
picture and the plastic movement Of the various
unison chorus Of Hebrew men. in which there is
surely an echo of the psalnlody Of the temple az
Jerusalem OF course. there is nothing that will
ever extenuate the dramatic absurd1ty Of such a
scene as that which accompanies the nrst appear
ance OF Dalila, in which she pract-ses her wheed-
ling arts upon the hero in public place and in
the presence Of a city's populaCe, but even here
the lovely music benefits from TIE picture Of a
vernai celebration Still we fancy that Samson
e4 DaIfa' is too much good music and TOO little
4a-1 rro1- h0l
public
Being good u111sc-son7e n the best, indeed, that
ever came from the feCund fancy Of its compose
# affords fine opportunities for some of Mr. Ham
n7ersteins admirable singers. Those who were
specfaIlv favored by the work were Nine. Gerville-
Reache and NJ Dalu1ores. NJ Dufranre, whose &C
n,laintance Nj Hammerstein's patrons made last
season and NJ VieuiIe. his last enlistment from
the forces Of the Paris Opera Contque. also had
onnor+11nirfes IN disclose their fine powers. but no
better opportvnitv and no different than concert
Into the music of her scene with Samson in the
Vale Of Sorek Mile Gervtlie-Reache threw a
warmth tonal quality which her singing IN the
scene before Dazon's temple had but partly pre-
narad her hearers 10 expect. Hers is scarcely
voice Of the natural luscousness which Saint Saens
properly assumed should enforce the physical ap-
peal of his operatic Delilah, Yet there was some
thing near TO mellow se5ucriveness IN Mile Ger
yille-R Reaches utterance of The familiar measures
bv which the ensnaring OF the man Of might was
accomplished. Here, too, the singers management
Of her long phrases was .rGictous and she mated
the music effectively with her acting Mon conur
s'o,Ivra IA vox.'' which is concert Datnstay OF
every contralto, took its place in the dramatic
scheme with the Clin7acteric potency intended by
the composer and in its note Cf mounting passion
both the DelilaE and Samson shared NJ Dalmores
communicated by voice and bearing the full tropi-
cal srdor of the hero OF this ancient adventure
His personation pitched in high key of color
"a II was not devoid subtle beauty and delicare
n,tancee. Samson. as ne portrayed him, alter
E--~r- HF-+u ul1-.r
human In NJ Dalnores's singing there vas the
ringing note of opulent beauty II F. 4