New-York tribune., 1908-01-24
M[JSIC.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
A REVISED "DoN GIOVANNI"

Though Mozarts Don Giovanni" as performed
under the direction OF Mr.. Mailer at the metro
poiitan Opera House was not an unaiioEed uehsii''
it came that and even more in some OF us
features, notably those in which the distinguished
conductor could give expression TO his wishes IN
hampered by the shortcomings OF the stage foiK.
The restudying of old operas, which is q tnins Oh
periodical occurrence in Germany. and generaliE
accompanies a Quitting. Is little known here
and In the manner introduced by Mr. Mahler NOT
at all. Unfortunately for the performance, though
much work devoted 10 the music than is
usual even in the case of new works. at the local
opera houses Mr. Mahler's labors stopped there;
he could not look after the stage pictures or tns
action, and the greatest weakness OF the Metro
politan regime is in these departments there was
repetition of much of the old folly and confusion
which have always made the opera look ike
thing of shreds and patches. This was particularly
noticeable in the second act, with its finale. whcn
has been the despair of all stage managers and
conductors since the original finale was aool-
ished and the opera brought to close with
the death of the lbertine We were spared the
spectacle of a host of celestial women clad in
white, who seemed to have been enlisted for an
apotheosis OF somebody something. but could
only be identified by straning the imagination
with the thousand and three Spanish victims 0f
the wicked Don But We did have again the
strange and unaccountable destruction of Don Gio-
vannfs palace. We were also treated to the spec
tacle of six persons finding their way into room.
two Of them having entered in an obviously burg
larious manner, and cropping about in a darkness
which may have been felt but certainly could not
be seen, inasmuch IL Illuminated by toTcnes
considerate1y held at the foot OF a staircase by
two lackeys in livery. This is the scene before
the last, and has long been a cause of worriment
to stage managers In some scores Il is supposed
to represent a court in front OF Donna Annas
house. IA others the interior of dinly lighted
church; last night 1t plainly room in some
body's house, but how Donna E1vira and the dis
gused Leporello, Donna Anna and her milksop
attendant, Don Ottavio: Donna Zerlina and her
bruised Masetto, all in search of the arch scoun-
dre, got into it at once must be left TO the ex-
PLANTATION OF Director Conried. But there is no
time to go into the discussion OF unpleasant de-
tails when other things. many OF them agreeable
in the highest degree, call for mention. For some
OF them mention only must suffice, but the bare
mention will show in what respects the representa-
ton differed from most of those with which the
present generation of have been familiar
Mr.. Mailer. It plain, attempted TO recreate
the opera 1t was in the period OF the composer.
both in spirit and matter. In doing this he was
hampered by the magnitude of the theatre, in whose
spaces much Of the beauty of the performance
disspated He gave the work in two acts.
and thereby saved a great deal OF time; he played
the accompaniment to the recitatiyes on
harpsichord; he abolished the chorus in the finale
of the first act, and improved the verisimlitude OF
the dramatic action by confronting the Don and
LeporeIIo with only Don OctaEio and Masetto in
stead OF q crowd Of peasants; he put Donna FL
vira's air, mi tradi quelf alma fngrata, In the
third in the place usually occupied by the great
rondo commonly called the Letter Aria sung by
Donna Anna; he went back to the letter OF the
in respect Of the Instrumentation Cutting
out the trombones in the 1nale); also he refused
follow the traditional tempt in a few instances
generally to the grievous disappointment or MS
hearers. These things which must walt Tor
discussion at a more auspicious time.
But this notice must not close without a word
of praise. which cannot be made warm enough Tor
MI MahIers treatment of the orchestral part The
Metropolftans walls have never echoed to any
thing SO exquisite as last nights instrumental
music. Mr.. Mahler used the full string compile
ment OF the Metropolitan Orchestra but the
Mozartean list of wood and brass wind lnstru-
ments But the volume eff tone was that appro-
pirate TO the ideal house for which also the sing
ers sang. The effect was ravishing. There was a
special need of the restudy in the circumstance
that Mime. Eames. who sang the part OF Donna
Anna; Nine Gadski Donna Elvira) and NJ. Cha1-
apine (who made a dirty. vulgar boor and ouffoon
out of the part Of Ieporello). were all new TO the
work Criticism of their performances must also
be reserved for the future IL T. n