New-York tribune., 1908-02-06
MUSIC.
MANHATTAN OPERA HOUSE.
First Performance of "Siberia. -


sre- 10 the local list. and the announcement is
.l-easv out that Debussy's -'Peileas ct Melsande'
,-l, he brought forward February 10. From
.rs-v pont of view il is extraordinary record
d the popular approval bestowed upon '"Thars
.qes Contes d d'Eofncarn' and Louise. to-
.-ne- with the extremely favorable reception
accorded TO the new opera last night. goes
*s- 10 Justify Mr. Hammersteins belief
,se- q profitable patronage for his institution can
=. sac1red by the presentation Of works Of the
-, school Of composers. The operatic situation
- presented Is fun OF interest. While Mr.. Ham
-,s-stela Is pursuing his policy. adding only the
,ioe Of the TeJrazzini sensation relying on a
,--oesedEe OF local conditions gained by years Of
,s-ssnce in the metropolis. the directors OF the
one-a company playing at the Metropolitan Opera
.sonse which the advantage of social and fash
,tla r-estize and many brilliant traditions, are
,s n he seeking manager in foreign lands. and
80, contemplating a step which would make our
o,s institution an adjunct of a music publishing
- l. ts almost inconceivahle. but strange things
- bs-oened II late years in our operate world,
- a. nav be that the last page In the book or
80 has not been turned yet One man, at least
s, contemplate the situation Win eouafhi'iits
,s,,a Is oscar HaT1merstein
- or,era is an experiment along the lines
s-.,-- suggested by Mascagni in Iris but boldly
- successfully drawn by Puccini in "Madana
@,..,-a--' and Charpentier in Louise The ltai-
s..,-,es of -verisTno' in full cry after
..o-.lie-, and local color generation ago the
~ - - characters and the subject Of an opera
- - no concern TO the composer His indifer-
-. :, enscrronisTn was like that Of Shakespeare.
- r.are folk whether supposed TO be ancient
,-oo-s Romans Britons. were all sixteenth
- ,---isss-,en When Verdi wrote his Egyp-
-. ,rs-a he was content with the little splash of
.l-s1sro which colors the chant OF the priestess
= =. .a-7rle OF PhIha: the rest or the music was
-. = 81 The Germans remained German in their
-. ,rs the Frenchrnen continued TO speak their
,z,o-,z saving few characteristic rhythn1s
50 incidental ballet. Mascagni injected little
- s,r IF the japanese sameisen into the music
= .-T-3s but let the effort 10 attain local color
stop there .,--. .--,., - Mi,
--.-soro and P1ccini, and apparently az about the
- time The former made an excursion into
.sgzsis the latter into Japan; Signor Ilica acted
= ,,i5e for both The more daring OF the two
g. p,,cri7i for Japan is El1Jscally sterile while
-,-eeis has q wealth OF Characteristic folksong
-.-.7,a7 ,7v that Of any other country on the
60 :. the earth Nevertheless. there is nothing
--o-A admirable IN tie score of Madama Butterfly
- the refined and ingenious skill with which the
composer bert the sQuare-toed rhythms and mo-
ra-o1ous melodies of japanese music 10 his pur-
poses,
TIE dramatic structure Of Siberia is not strong
-nc3dents Of convict life in Siberia. which have
-aa The staple Of Russian fiction for so long, are
ss-ar6es on e awaken interest and provide pict-
,,-esoue stage furniture. while sympathy is asked
.o- the heroine who a1tains redemption by IN
huuest love and an heroic sacrifice. OF course tat
TIE requisite degree CT piquancy may not be want
.nc the martyr IS & bawd who surrenders the lux
r-ies q S. Petersburg provided by a princely
lover, 70 endure the prlvations Of the Siberian
mines with that lovers successful rival Only in
the Redemption motif TO speak. is there any
likeness between the story Of the opera and Toll
etoy's Resurrection the play based on that
book which Mr.. Hammerstein produced at the
Victoria Theatre five years age. though the two
have been associated in the gossip OF the theatres
There are three acts The first, il which young
oHtcer. EassiI. with whom the heroine. Stephana-
is n love. draws his sword against his superior
ofsoer. Prince Alexis. and thereby draws down on
himself the sentence Of banshInent TO the mines
plays IL the palace in St Petersburg. which the
prince had given Stephana- who is his mistress
TIE second act discloses incidents IN the Journey
o. the co-vcts through Siberia Vassin being Joined
station by Stephaua- who has sacrificed her
al follow him into exile. In the third act phases
of convict life and belonging 10 the Easter
festival disclosed. end there is resumption
Of the dramatic story. which hurrfes rapidly 10 its
tragic conclusion. Gleby the seducer OF Stephana,
is found among e gang Of new arrivals at the
mines and the governor OF the province. who had
been among her admirers in the first act reneFs
his Pro1estations oF devotion and promises her lib
e7ty AID a life Of pleasure. Him she repuses
gently and proclairs the Joy which Siberia had
brought 10 her Gle5y also attempts 10 gain his
old influence over her but is cast aside with con-
turnev. ThereEpon he denounces her 10 the COM
raun1ty. She and her lover determine TO escape.
attempted fight. She dies redeemed
Siberia has no overture In place OF instrJ-
-nerrsl introduction there IS chorus Of moujks'
which, Russian 81 idea well as in hermoniza-
ron and OF performance, introduces al once
ths -nos- interesting il is the most effectlFe
element in the score. without this element the
opera would be deplorably dull far as its Mi
Sc is concerned Giordano's original melody Is
for the greater part commonplace anc uneApres-
sFe. T-e dramatic scenes between the lovers II |
ear hrs-- ~arn 7rlv n
toned willing 10 find passion in stTenuousness
Throughout Stepfana and Nassii sing as the Irish
nan PLAYED the fddle-by main strength ony /
sgnor ZenateIlo's ringing high notes at the close
q the f~St act saved st from falling to the ground
Ike lump OF lead In the second act there was /
much rnore warm the fancy and delight the ear
Here the lack OF opening overture was made /
ggod cv EXTENDED instrumental Introduction OF |
PEA beauty and power In way the music was |
both meteorological and psychological: It pictured
the creary waste Of country. IL seemed 10 |
speak of the falling STOW and biting frost. but II
slso gave voice 10 the heavy-heartedness which |
was The prevailing mood OF the act It intro
oUoed. too as z thenatic motive the opening
Phrase Of the Russian foIksong which the con-
Flcts sang they entered (as the pilgrims sing
II "Tannhsuser'). This melody is one OF the
gems Of Russian folksong. so much admired by
TIE composers Of the Cars empire that there are
-eE of them who have not put II 10 artistic use
4 Is "Ey Ouchnena,- the song originally created
to- the hsrgemen Of the Volga- who 10 its signing
shd grosning measures with broad straps across
'ner breasts toTyed heavy laden vessels UP the
Stream No- II is also used by workrnen 10
assist them in the lifting and carrying OF
Burdens. Giordano makes excellent use OF
i Al the end as well the beginning
q Tie act. though as q direct quotation. not for
'nenlstic treatment as Puccini uses the japanese
Tines in his score This IS Of the characteris-
ucs Of his score and one which illustrates his in
1eT1orty q musician his successful rival
IN the second act a serni-chorus OF women quote