New-York tribune., 1909-09-14
THE DRAMA
BERNARD SHAW SET TO MUSIC.
.The Chocolate Soldier. ;,

] .aLing text into English For this new dressing
= shaw comes from Germany. The Shavian ma
,y It's said. besought 10 set himself in lyrics
"a to permit Oscar Strauss. OF Vienna TO compose
,rzes around him; but he declined and not with
!, wisdom, for the Shavian philosophy does not
,,s ITSELF verse and merry dances. whatever may
said Of the stories which c. b. 5. is wont to send
40 the world In play writing form-of a kind
nus il befel that Arms and the Man was trans
.,ed into German, orchestrated by a Viennese
srz king and that the German is now Englished
i - AEnericanized by Mr.. Stanislaus STANCE. How
eh OF is left after all this translation and
,rsnsliteration is not easily seen. but of all
ssse International amitles has emerged az the
,rric Theatre a melOdious and sprghtly comic
,gsra.
1 An introduction to the collected plays OF Shaw,
ne pleasant and Unpleasant ones, informs an
ssr world that in Arms and the Man the sub
t which occupies the dramatist's attention is that
arrival of barbarity-militarism-w raises its
horrid head from time to time 10 cast doubt on
hs reality OF civilization" This may have been
NJ shaws subject but it has hitherto escaped the
central observation. and il has euded the attention
of the skilfuf gentlemen VINO have made comic
trers out of Arms and the Man" No 'horrid head
a any appears in The Chocolate Soldier and
ne militia ristsson last nights stage shocked no
orss Perhaps that because IN u did not ''act
rsiIonally" and startle our 'conventionalized
r..ses"-the IniroducJionist again. But they were
,oniic opera soldiers very handsome very tuneful
St slvnitza. And 50 il a shavisn purpose was 10
sn the world with adherence and contempt for
var his German friends and Mr. STANCE and the
y.fforulers last evening got far away from that
isign as possible ana hlled New York with liking
hr hight opera
Thene still is we are Informed. a Shayian cult.
Aad some worshippers before the shrine appear TO
gssnt the change from the martial title of the
sfTnsl play 10 the sweet u1orsel which is prefxed
his musical affair. But they forget the Master!
sE--
rzt? And with affection; little touches of endear-
nsnt Let them read again, There are gaunt
,5uls that grasped the fact that chocolate Is
one Of the most sustaining and compact foods a
campaisner can carry. either outside or in. Shaw
hss il chocolate creams: but that is Lon
ssnsse and proves how conventional the uneonven-
,cnal c. B s. be when he is not on the watch.
In q comic opera, Of course even chocolates must
h supposed 20 possess some comic attribute Some
ming must he comic but rarely is anything comic
n eofnio orera Even those nave references 10
sugarian civilization. washing the hands every
cher day and neutrality-suspicious. a week. are
mani fer laughter in Shav-set-ro-rnusc. although
hey had another purpose in the original play. As
IN the only library in Bulearia"-that would not
a for a conic opera Up TO date II is not much
II a library Shaw says in his stage directions
.is literary equipment consisting OF = single fixed
,hslf stocked with old paper covered novels. broken
sseked coree stained, and thunabed. and
r,u,,. az lttle hanging shelves with a few books
ne world-that IS in the comic opera Vorld-tor
IL hs &c; of glittering. tinkling costly musical
rsy And 50 instead Of Major Petkoffs sorsggy
Ftrsry the only library in Bulgaria" We must
,sforoe have his gardens ss setting for the
rrforms the CAV costumes. the songs and dances
q he finale Thus the Shawesque vanishes. even
asurh shred OF the story remains.
pr who cares for the story ~ comic opera
7 e but the peg which 70 hang favor and pretti-
-ss So II is with the musical version OF Arms
rswH
1s viii have their Introduction 10 O. B. s. through
his medium. and viii think they know Shaw and |
Epssk the Shavisn language. They vii come 10 |
u harm Nor vii Shaw. Only il may well be |
plutsd out that this piece is not Shaw Perhaps
vas not intended 10 be. Shaw may forgive /
Te say that the versions or .Othello" and |
romeo and Juliet" which presented IN grand /
sls.z are rot Shakespeare II is hard TO compare
I'm with author. We thus descend 10 /
n2ke the meaning clearer And so II Shaw be not |
hEs ether things are present Some may like shaw
utier with chorus than without one There Is a |
gain Ana the marvel Of Il IL that Arms and the
Nan" was not sooner set TO song and dance.
The heircss In ner chamber at dead Of night; /
ne noise = approaching troops; The discharge Of
Ffes in tie street below officer OF the enemy.
scapag from his pursuers. climbs into the room, |
concealed by the alarmed lady and fed choco-
Hies Enter Bulgarian soidery In the usual way, |
tAaOVer!lg nothing. Enter the sdy's mother Dis
0Eegy. of course. Thus the original. Now this /
zh be done in blank verse, rhyme or prose, with |
E without music. Mr. ShaWs vision never
Eent far as that Of his inprovers. II re- /
CURED German and Austrian imagination TO per- |
are the opportunity. and the Teutons did very !
ttl oy the chance. What opportunity for the /
l'ade Of troors End the Eanlbols OF picturesque
/ ppasti0n. il il seized and made tie most % /
4 npugh the three acts. To he G. r. s. pro- i
/ la ready 20 hand all the elements Of comic |
va save tie music and the verses. Neither text /
4 = plot needed change. But they have been might /
changed. Did the solemn Shavians think Of this /
/ @oe? Shan Candida" be set forth in ballet 1
-l'onime and You Never Can Tel in musical /
1 H1ance"e
The authors Of The Chocolate Soldier" read 1
ans and the Man" only for the purpose of get 1
n . as Tar away they could from the original. |
i "a lact viii not disconcert the patrons OF comic
4 sNs- What does il matter that most things are (
Il -t,ee1- even 20 thcir names? The PetkOns be- 1
n N Fopohs, Catherine becomes Aureiia, Sergus /
.'ne Alexis and a major. and falls in love not /
~ lady's maid but with a cousin unknown
1a"i iSouks ganisiIes, excepting for her name
i ne ne programme. and Captain Bluntschh becomes !
\ -ethant BumeTll. who has not one woman in
hsn -'D' 'u' 'h'e' a. = 'ii'e SA1'eS 0'
~ The result VIII oslgr the comic operates
4 - ne less. This musical piece IS attractive
-. lHsculous as II may seem. il is well sung.
i f~.s@g sung No other light opera la New
4 - 'o-osy is 80 well sung this. none is better
u - What Is coming over the purHeyors Of mu-
J. pieces that they should get together. as In
II -. -ega company Of singing artists who can
n -, - me production Of The Chocolate Soldier
,Hy maintains the best traditions OF comic
Il - - Aesdames Ida Brooks Hunt, Flavia Arcaro
NaIth Bradford. with Messrs. George TaIlnan.
a ,a- gardner and William Pruette. were COM
d - % repeat again and again their several
IN ~, d1ets, quarfets and 50 following; and there
II y. s'nething Ike real enthusiasm when the Cur
- On the second act cable message from
Il n-@@ was read from the Stage. u was under
~ 70 say that IL a New York audience could
4 -ais this comic opera II. the audience. de-