New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-19

Sc he says although II has not been tried
on the stage I'm Italy. is. however. not
known in private circles. In these latter years
have seen Luigi Gordigiani and Fabio Campana
making themselves known principally in this style
OF music called da Verdi with his "TFav-.
lata has transported this chamber music on 10 the
stage to which the subject he has chosen still
lends itself, and with happy success. We meet
with more simplicity in this work than in the
others of the same composer especially regards
the orchestra where the quartet of stringed instru-
ments is almost always predominant: the parlanti
occupy a great part of the score: meet with
several Of those airs which repeat under the form
OF verses: and. finally the principal vocal subjects
are for the most part developed in short binary
ana ternary movements, and have not, in general,
the extension which the Italian style demands"
Campana and GOrdigiani were prolific composers OF
romanzss and canzOnettas of a popular type as
solos, duets. triOs, etc. They are drawing room
music, very innocuous very sentimental. very in
significant and very far from the conception of
chamber music generally prevalent now. How they
could have been thought to have Influenced so
virile composer Verdi IL Is difficult to see.
But musical critics enjoy e wide latitude OF OBJ
servation In all likelihood there was nothing
more in Dr. BaseFis mind than the strophic struct-
ure OF Id PrOyeRza.' the song style of some of
the other aries to which attention has been called
and the circumstance that these, the most striking
numbers in the score, mark the points OF deepest
feeling In this respect, indeed there is some re-
lationship between La Traviata" and Der Fret
schdtz"-though this is dissertation which will
probably appear far fetched to some Of my
critics as Dr. BasevFs does To me.
There We're other reasons Of a more obvious and
external nature for the failure of La Traviata''
on its first production. BOdOvico Graziani the
tenor. who filed the role Of Alfredo was hoarse
and could not do justice to the music; Signora
Salvini-Donatel, the Violetta Of the OCCASION was
afflicted with amplitude OF person which de-
stroyed the illusion Of the death scene and turned
Its pathos ipto absurdity. The spectacle OF lady
OF mature years and more than generous integu-
mental upholstery dying OF consumption was more
than the Venetian sense of humor could endure
with equanimity. The opera ended with shrieIxs OF
laughter instead OF the lachyrmal food which the
music and the dramatic situation called for This
spirit OF iFreEerence had been promoted, moreover
by the fact that the people OF the play wore con-
ventional modern clothes. The lure OF realism was
not strong in the lyric theatres half century ago.
when laces and frills, top boots and plumed hats
helped TO cOnfne the fancy 10 the realm of ideal
ism In which IL was believed opera ought to move
The first result OF the fascO a revision OF the
costumes and stage furniture. by which simple ex-
Dedient Mr.. Dgmas's Marguerite Gauthier was
changed from a cOurtesan OF the time OF Louis
Philippe TO one or the period OK Louis XIV II
an amusing illustration of how the whirligig
time brings its revenges that the spirit OF
Verisno. masquerading as a desire for his
tOrical accuracy. has restored the period of the
Dumas book-that is. restored IL In name, but not
in fact-with the result, in New York and Lon
don at least Of making the dress OF the opera
more absurd than ever. Violetta exercising the
right which was conquered by the prima donna
generations ago. appears always CARRIED In the very
latest style. whether she be wearing one OF her
two ball dresses her simple afternoon gown
For aught that know. the latest fad in woman's
dress may also be hidden in the dainty folds Of
the robe de chanlbre In which she dies. The elder
Germont has for two years appeared before the
New York public as well-to-do country gentle
man Of Provence might have appeared sixty years
ago. but his son has thrown all sartorial scruples
to the wind and wears the white walstcoast and
swallow tail Of to-day
The Venetians allowed e year to get over
the efforts Of the FIRST Representations Of La Ira
viata.' and then the opera vas brought forward
again with the new costumes. Now IL succeeded
ana set out upon the conquest of the world II
reached London on May p. ST. Petersburg on No
vember !, New York on December and Paris on
December 6-all in the same year 1856 The first
YiOletta in New York was Nine Anna La Grange
the first Alfredo Slgnor Brignon and the first Ger
mont pere Signor AmOdio. There had been a dis
tinctive competition between Max Maretzek's Ital-
ian company al the Academy Of Music and Ger
man company at Niblo's Garden. The regular Ital-
Ian season had come 10 end with a quarrel
between Maretzek and the directors OF the Acad-
envy. The troupe prepared TO embark for Havana
but before doing SO gave brief season under the
style Of the La Grange Opera Company. and
brought forward the opera On December 3
hear IT. The musical critic of The Tribune at the
TING was Mr.. w. II. Fry, who was not only writer
on political and musical subjects but a composer
who wrote an opera, "LeGnora," in which Nine
La Grange sang at the Academy about a year and
a half later. His review Of the first performance
OF La Trayiata,' which appeared in The Tribune
OF December D. 1856, Is worth reading for more rea-
sons than one:
The plot Of la Traviata" we have already e,iror
to our readers. 1t is simply Camille" The tirTt
IN IT'S place on which a CmuscaD diaogne taxes
place Inc waltz Is not specially good, nor is there
any mastery outwOrkng OF detail fair drink
ing sing Is afforded which pleased. but was not
ma siao- r pretty duet by Nine de la Grange
act; and the final air. by Madame de Ia Grange
aorid close which brought down tile house and tie
curtain had 70 be reraised to admit of a repetiton
brief air by Alfred tBrignOlD is followed bv an
ar by Germont (Amodio) and by duet. Violetta
lp and Is roasing. passionate music. Verdis mas
leclamationis here evident Some dramatic wor X
he orchestra leading, fOllows-bringing an air
"a travesty of waltz known as weber's T =
waltz (Which. however, Weber never wrote): and
Tamatic breadth or eoquence. good hit Is the
Ike EXT 81 Alired thereupon. not stopping
lext scene introduces US 20 a masquerade where
re chcrGse9 Of quasigypses matadors and plea
iors-sufcienty characteristics Fhe scene p oftar
ne card playing. which IS so fine in the nlav is
made Act " on this occasion Sic p b% S66GGHh
ng taf seconol reveals the sickrooTn Of travail
sweet air. minor and major by turns with some
lautbcy wai!ing paints the sufferers sorrows. a
iuet by the lovers. "Para, cara is esnecialfI.
original In It's peroraticn The closing Trio bss
ine eulninstion and anguish, though we would
lase sgeierrec a quiet ending 20 a hectic Shrek
NJ - : eonply loud force in the orchestra 'S@
SSsolsaslnlths rule In The Vicar" for criticistng
alhtlIg vas always TO say that '@the pcflsre prad
ave ave, oeen better Il the painter had taken more
=. ans III fernaps the same might be said about
ne public more Is another question. Some OF the /
fs certainly would bear substitution bV others ~
ne authors happier vein. The opera was We'll re- |
elNed. tnree times the singers called before
ne CURTAIN The piece well put a.
tafe Madame La Grange never looked so we'll \