The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-09
ITALIAN OPERA
It Is Still Very Much Alive, De spite it's Repeated
 Burials.
PERSISTENT POPULARITY
New York Given Over to the Wor- ship of Italian
 Music.


 was put in its coffin. The coffin lid was nailed down with shouts of derision. The coffin was lowered into the grave. There was great cry: And no opera manager will here be a resurrection ist." The theories of Richard Wagner had prevailed. His music dramas had swept all operas of Italian form and spirit from the stage forever Away with the foolish, trifiing plots, the silly tunes, the guitar orchestra! Let us hear only the story of the in- cestuous adultery in The Nalkyrie'; let us applaud only the night advent ure of Tristan and Isolde and the long sermon of doddering King Mark on the text, 70 Tristan, why did you do it,' let us look forever on the Venusberg, with the living statuary arranged thoughtfully for Tannheus- er's entertainment. Europa and the bull, Leda and the swan, perspiring Bacchantes and neurotic nymphs. And for time it seemed to all who anxiously follow the fashion in music that Italian opera was dead, with Rigoletto, Aida, Vioietta. Lucia, Gio- conda and all our old friends swathed and lapped in lead. Only Manrico per sisted in singing his immortal melody in the tower and our old friend the Count al Luna still sang his applaud ed aria near the convent walls.
 How is it today? New York is given over to the worship of Italian opera and Italian singers. The ltal- | fans have again invaded the opera houses of Germany. London has not yet recovered from the hysteria ex- cited by the singing woman Tetraz- zini The prima donna, who had heen put away for all time by the Wagnerites. is very much alive. Bos- ton has been faithful to Italian opera since Its first love, the Havana Opera company made sensation at the l Howard Athenaeum In ls41, the com pany brought here by Mir. Marti, the | fishmonger Fortunata Tedesco sang that season, the tickets commanded sf or S5 premium and did not one of Bostons most eminent citizens, lost in wonder, love and praise, throw at her feet his hat and cane as q symbol of his devotion?
 Is all this to be regretted? No, for since opera is an amusement or enter tainment, the plaything of the rich and the luxury of the poor, let us be easily and thoroughly amused. eXcit- cd. thrilled There is no room for symbolism or psychology In opera that should appeal to the ordinary human being, Suppose, for example, that Debussys "Pelleas and Melisande' were 10 be performed here? Would anyone care whit for the symbol ism of the play with music? The interest would be in the loves and tragedy of men and wopen, II is the old story of two men aud one woman, There must be this story, or the equal ly moving one of two women and one man as In Aida" or a common tale of genuine interest The more dra- matically this story Is told in music, the keener will be the emotion of the sung with passion by an Italian who honestly believes that there is no mel ody like 1t, except possibly by Verdi in another opera, makes it's irresistible way. The singers voice may wohble he may he vocally throatv. or she may sing only by main strength and with the assistance of a Vesuvian nature; it matters not---there is force, per. senal authority or magnetism that strs the blood When this music k sung with skill as well as force by $
 Miss Nelson. Nine. Noria. Mir Constantine. the mind Is also pleased.
 No sane person wishes to hear Ital- ian opera exclusively, any more than
 he would be content to hear only tn,
 music dramas of Wagner or only thu operas of Gounod. Bizet, Meyerbeer , Then there is the fashion in operas a! in hats, and in the matter of the widtt
 of braid on dress trousers" This l ipN. SnoHln pc CnnSluNitu HN itl' thoughtful. It would be as foolish tc say that German opera is dead as | , would be to deny the vitality of Yer ' dis "Rigoletto,' I'll Trovatore, 'Lt Traviata,' not to speak of Aida anc , the great masterpiece "Othello There is much more in Donizetti!
 Lucia" than the mad scene.
 There should be widespread inter
 est. for example. in the revival o
 Tristan and Isolde" st the Metropoi : itan Opera House Mme Fremstad <
 to be the heroine, and she has al
 redsy Illuminated her composition o
 the part so that the wayfaring mar may not err. Herr Isolde, she swears, will be wagner's Isolde, and therefore, she will wear sombre dresses. although she admits that she looks better in colors. Touching de
 votion to art! She will not wear white : in the second act forsthis subtle req son: Isolde is going to her lover and white does not look we'll in greer moonlight" Nor will Mne. Fremstad wear a blonde wig "Isolde's.ha mus have been a dark red, not only be.
 cause of her temperament" Hmm , Here indeed will be 3. revelation.
 Here is woman who has the intel i lectual comprehension" on which thu , surviving Wagnerites so noisily in
 sist-Philip Hale in the Boston Her aid. {