New-York tribune., 1909-03-11
MUSIC
Il Ne1c Opera at the Manhattan.
"PRINCEssE D'AUBERGE. 3"

Opera House last night will be the last novelty to
be offered the public this season The companies
% both opera houses are SO fully occupied in meet
ing their engagements here, in Philadelphia, Brook
l., and elsewhere that there is no time for the
rrenaration Of new works, and the season will
rrobably end with more promises unfulfIled than
has been the case for long time In this there is
,nIv one evidence OF many of the decentralization
which has been wrought by unwise rivalry
based upon an abnormal condition of the public
mind and a reckless determination to pursue a
hubble no matter whittier II IS driven by what
forces An explosion is inevitable, and when 1t
lberates the malO6orous and mephitic gases with
which the bubble is filed there will be scene of
ees7lation unpleasant 10 more senses than
There is reason TO be grateful for the respite from
the nlournful contemplation provided by
orera OF an unconventional type. Let the most be
made Of il that car be.
The opera. which was sung in French. bears the
title -Princesse d'Auberge" in that language II
vas originally written in Flemish, and its authors.
Nestor de Tiere and Jan BoCkx, enthusiastic
Flamands. VINO are striving. The former as drama
t.st the latter composer, TO keep alive native
expression in art among their countrymen in the
Netherlands They have found it easy to do
So for, besides Flemish, the inhabitants Of what
once Flanders speak French. Waloon and
Dutch. French art has long pervaded the cult
ure Of the country; but the Teutonsm of the Fla
nands is strong and continues TO he in rebellion,
though peacefully. with Southern ideals-peacefuly.
but vet puissanty enough preserve many original
fdioms well customs and manners The Flem-
tsh movement in literature is much older than in
music When Dr. Burney visited the Austrian
Netherlands in liz to gather material for his his
tory Of music he heard Flemish musical plays in
Brussels. but the music that Of French COM
rosers- It is possible for q student OF folk music
who is keen the scent for popular idioms TO find
Flemish traces in this opera, though il is necessary
10 have his curiosity irrated and his perceptions
sharpened in advance by the discovery that the
music does not French.
Under the circumstances this is a considerable
tribute 10 NJ. Blockx's score, though it may not
Justify him and his colleagues in the claim that
they have established Flemish School Of compo-
stion. 'Princesse & dAuberge' 90 continue 10 speak
Of II by its French title is the product Of move
nent which is scarcely fifty years old Its founder
Pierre Benoft has been dead only eight years He
began his agitation when director of the Conserva-
tory Antwerp in the middle COS, and there and
then Jan BlockX, now his successor and disciple,
was Of his pupils. Another, a few years later,
was an American lad. whose father, a Texas cot
ton merchant, returned 10 his native Belgium be
cause of the Civil War in the land OF his adoption
The lad was Frank van der StUCken, 10 whom
Americans owe nearly all they know about
the music of Benoit and his followers National
tdions are more easily and Convincingly displayed
in opera than in any other musical form, Tor Cd
vios reasons There is suggestive help in the sub
ject TIE scenes, the use Of esoteric instruments
with their resultant characteristics Of tone color OF
native scales rhythms and songs For an uneX-
rIained reason BenOft, though gifted with a me
sense for dramatic expression, we know from
his incidental music TO tragedy, Charlotte Cor
day" made no attempt in the line OF opera after
t7To youthful efforts.
OF his followers only Josef Mertens and Jan
Elockx have enjoyed q measure Of success on the
lyric stage Of his coUntrymen, older and younger
than he, Geyaert. Tinel, Waelput, De Mol ana
Euberti and those who are more thah
mere names outside Of Belgium are so because OF
their achievements IN other fields Of composition
Fragments of Mr.. Van der Stuckens 'Nlasda
have been heard in New York and elsewhere but
the opera is stin unpublished and has never been
performed
il was doubtless in a search for French operas
Euitable for production at his theatre that Mt.
FIarmerstein hit upon VI. -Blockx's opera 1t was
performed some ten years ago at the fIeIish
Theatre in Antwerp. in q few cities IN HoIIahd
and afterward Gn French) in Brussels. but It's
success was local and greater than that
achieved by scores Of contemporary operas, French
German and Italian, which shone respondent for
z short time in the light Of the stage lamps but
elirnrner no more But in the search for at
tributes which give promise Of success. works
which contain strong national traits now, con-
sciouslv or unconsciously on the part Of managers
receiving unusual attention. Pcturesqueness OF
scene and attractiveness Of musical color frequently
atone for lack Of depth OF musical thought or
rnelodic invention. We have had japanese music
and pictures in Iris" and "Madama Butterfly"
Russian in Siberia" bohemian in The Bartered
Bride" mixed Polish and gypsy in Mr. Paderew-
rki's "Manru," Spanish IN La Navarraise" and
n
and "A basso Porto" and we have enjoyed them
all There is much to give enjoyment Of the
same order also IN the field Of observation
opened last night-more in the work itself than
IN some features of the performance
The opera. following the lines marked out by
the modern italian school Ghe ''veritists." So
called, deals with story Of Belgian low life. Its
plot has been outlined IN this journal Briefly, it
tells Of the moral and physical ruin wrought in
man Of fine intellectual fibre by association with
nd lgar
oebasing appetites. RetribUtion comes through
crime instigated by Jealous passion. The cause Of
the moral devastation and the physical suffering
which overWhelm the sweet and innocent with
the base and guilty Is a wanton who traflcs with
her charms 10 promote the business OF a dissolute
innkeeper. Incidental the exposition OF the story
there IS OpClent procession OF scenes. from the
life q city for its registering gayety when
ever occasion invites its popUace into its beauti-
ful public places and streets The city is Brussels
the time the middle Of the eighteenth century.
This tragic hero Of the vulgar tragedy is Merlyn,
poet and musician The woman who wrecks his
soul and body Rita, whose beauty and popularity
among the students and gay Toysterers Of the city
have given her the name by which the opera is
designated. The fateful agent of the hero's de-
st-Uction IS Rabo, a blacksmith who had
enjoyed the embraces Of Rita but had been
cast of iu favor Of the artist. The inno-
cent sufferers Katelyne. the mother OF
Aerlyn, and Reinilde, pure maiden, who
loves him and seeks in vain win him
from his dissolute companonship, that he
may be true in service 10 his art Secondary to
Rabo as a vehicle Of fate IS Marcus. also a musi-
clan and friend Of Merlyn. who is enamoured Of
Reinlde and who win her for himself contrives
10 throw his friend the tolls OF the wanton.
There other characters in the play who
purposes not essential 10 the story but externally
useIul-the dissOlute father Of the siren, who pro
Fides the delectabe comedy which is found In the
antics Of drunkard and his three other daugA-