New-York tribune., 1909-09-12

the eighteenth century. But we need not inquire
too curtously into details like this when 1t comes
TO arbitrary art-form the opera Yet
Boito was his poet. master OF the situation so
far as all parts Of his work were concerned. and
might have consulted historical accuracy in de-
partment in which GIuck once found that he was
the slave Of his ballet master. Guck refused 10
introduce chaconne into "Iphigenie en- Aulide-"
"a chaconne?' cried the composer. When did
the Greeks ever dance a chaconne9'' Didn't
they" replied Vistrfs. Then so much the worse
for the Creeks A quarrel ensued. and Ciluck be-
coming incensed. withdrew his opera and would
have left Paris had Marie Antoinette come TO
the rescue. But Vestris got his chaconne. In all
likelihood Boito pun the obertass into 'efstofele
because he knew that musically and as 4 spectacle
the Polish dance would be particularly effective in
the joyous hurry burIy Of the scene. A secondary
meaning Of the Polish word is said 70 be "con-
he made his peasants sing with delightfully."- disor-
derly disorder.
i TutJi vanno ala rinfusa
or. as one English translation has It
All is going 70 dire confusion
With tbs music in cOllusion
Perhaps. toe. Boito had inherited love for the
vigorous dance from his Polish mother
Night falls and Faust is returned 70 his labora-
tory. The gray friar has followed him Qike
Goethes pocdlel and slips into an alcove unob-
served The philosopher turns 70 the Bible which
I
which is interrupted By 4 Shrek He turns and
sees the trar standing moronIess and vordIess
before him He contures the appariton with the
seal of solomon, and the friar, dohing covl and
gown. steps forward cavalier ian ttinerant
scholar in Goethe He introduces himself as a
part Of the power that. always thinking evil As
persstently accomplishes good-thes spirit OF mega
tion. The speech C'Son To Spirito che mega
semprer Is one OF the striking numbers Of Boito-s
scoTe, and the grim humor of its 'No!'' seems 10
have inspired the similar effect I'm Falstaff's dis
course honor in Verdi's opera. The pair quickly
come To an understanding ou the terms already
set forth
Act II carries Us first into the garden If T,ar7s
Martha where find Marguerite stroIIiua, arm I'm
with Faust and Martina with Mehstofele The
gossip is trying 10 seduce the devil an avowa al
Of love, Marguerite and Faust are discussing their
first meeting and the passion which they already
feel Tor each other Boito's Narguerita has more
of Goethe's Gretchen than Gounod's Marguerite
Like the former. she wonders what a cavalier can
find to admire in her simple self and protests i'm
embarrassment when Faust tor Enrico. as he calls
hmselD kisses her rough hand. Like Cioethe's
maiden. too, she Is concerned about the religious
beliefs of her lover, and BoitO's Faust answers
lie Goethe's Faust, that a sincere man dares pro
test neither belief unbelief in God. Nature
Love, Mystery, Life, God-au one. all to be ex-
perienced, not labelled with a name Then he turns
the talk herself her domestic surround
ings and presses the sleeping potion for her mother
upon her. The scene ends with the four scurryinc,
about in double chase among the flowers for
which Boito found exquisitely dainty music
There is IA change from the pretty garden OF the
first scene with its dyllic music, to the gathering
place of witches and Warlocks high up In the
Brocken. in the second. We witness the vile orgies
of the bestial into whose circles Faust is in
troduced. and see how Mehstofele is acclaimed
king and receives the homage. Here Boito bor-
rows a poetical conceit from Goethes scene in the
witches kitchen and makes a vehicle for a fur
ther exposition of the character and philosophy OF
the devil Mefstofee has seated himself upon a
rocky throne and been vested with the robe and
symbols of state by the witches Now they bring
to him crystal globe. which he takes and dis
courses upon the following effect (he translation
is Theodore T. Bsrkers);
Lo! here is the World,
\ bright sphere rising
Setting, whirlng. glancing.
Round the sun in circles dancing;
YiLIini YyiSLHpuns; fI;s' I2tIns'
Mant and plenty by turn entold III
rms world behold it!
3T,alistS 3n It's surfaGe ace by time ,a6raded.
Cunning. naughty.
carrying war and desOatiOn
From the top 10 the foundation
OF creation.
For them Satan has no being:
They scorn with laughter
And heavenly glory
AS idle story.
Powers eternaIl TIL join their ,s,,g, ,,,,-,
AHBhklnS o er their deeds diurnaI fla, Ia, ia
Behold the world i"' i'@'
tie dashes the globe to pieces ON the ground am,
thereby sets the witches to dancing To tbs ,tt.
OF the vile crew Faust gives no heed his 60 ar
hxed upon vision of Margherita. her fset 40
letters her body emaciated and a crir,s,r a.. -
t"crchhs her throat His love has come ,,r,,r
ele he"usians axel In the Ride to Hell. which
co'0'u'es heFhozs 'Damnaton de Faust IN. =,
'ern'd horsenen are greeted with shouts t = -,
snase which the mystical swedenbore saws is tha
speech OF the lower regions. Boito aIs, -. 80
internal vocabulary. His witches screech ..SahoS
SpectreS." S'' Les
From the bestiahty OF the Rrocks, 49,. ..
plunged az the beginning Of the third act into tbs
pathos or Margherita's death. The eniscda foI
oWs the lines laid down by Barber and CsrrS 4,
80 -, paiSphIaSe or Goethe. except that for tho
- $50 '~@&t4lut music Tor tIuat uhfc,