New-York tribune., 1909-11-18
MUSIC
MASsENET'S "SAPHo."
A New Opera at the Manhattan.


Mr. Hammerstein seems determined 20
bring out his novelties ss rsrsaly, as pos
sible. No doubt the plan appears and is
admirable from his point Of view. but
there Is danger than IL will work injury 10
some or the operas which he has IN his
list lie has displayed determination
10 lean mainly on the French composers.
hut French music depends for it's effec-
tveness on refinement in presentation
above ali else Strength. rather than
sensuous beauty. truth before convention,
are reu;onic principles in art. not GalIc.
~ might therefore have been better for
Massenets "Sapho." which had its first
American production last night at the
Manhattan Opera House. II more time had
been given 10 its preparation. Not that
any less violence would have been done
10 II oy the performer for whose sake IL
= sste 10 imagine the opera was put into
MT hammerstein's list. had weeks in
stead or days been devoted to its prepars-
uon Miss Garden never was is not now
anu PLAINLY never will be an exponent Of
lhe principles for which NJ Msssenst
stands. despite the fact that he has given
musical investiture to several char
acters which she feels called upon TO
impersonate. Her appeals are rudeIy
NhlgaTiy physical. whereas his are grace
fui- subtle and psychological The best
Illustration Of the divergence between
the methods or the creator and the inter
prefer was made last night in the second
act OF the opera. courtesan wishes TO
stir up tender and amiable emotions in the
heart Of young law student who has seen
the whirl Of Partisan gay life. bat has not
yet been engulfed i'm IL. He is native Of
Provence and she sings TO him some or the
song Of the "Magali-s melody which Mis-
tral immortalized in his poem, which Gou-.
nod introduced into his opera on the sub
Ject and which in some unexplained way
got into the truly great dramatic ballet
of Beriioz's Les Troyons en- Carthage"
The dramatic motive is ingenious. and
Massenets use Of II 10 color the amiahIe
moments Of his opera admirable and in
grstiatng An artist with the slightest
modicum Of understanding OF the situation
would have made the incident insinuating
ana alluring: Miss Garden sang the song
as n it were the veriest gutter ballad. and
ended IL with physical postures and wrig-
giles which destroyed all the illusions which
ought 70 have remained hers during the
rest % the drama. No dolt ever came
out Of Provence who could have been sur
prised by the disclosures concerning Fanny
lie Grsnds character which were made in
matically preposterous. and as Miss Gar
dens singing never could bear discussion
the chapter concerning her I'm last nights
performance would best be closed here and
at once
We have been invited 70 form a kind
and good opinion Of Massenets talent of
late years Without storming our senses
and imsginations. like the younger Ital-
ian composers. he has won his way to at
least a statistical representation alongside
Of Puccini, the most popular Of modern
composers He has written much. and we
have heard az least half Of his operas
"Herodiade," "Msnon." lie cid" "ThaIs"
"WertheT." lie Portrait de Manon.~ La
Nayarraise" and lie Jongleur de N6tre
Dame" talbeit sadly adulterated by the
Introduction Of female voice. others
have been. and still are. held in prospect
Plainly We ought to acquire a taste for
his music unless We are willing to confess
a Willingness TO be bored for the sake of
things for which he is not responsible
II ought not 10 be hard 20 acquire a
liking for "SaphO." Even those who
feel disposed 10 Be Woralists when they
sit IN the theatre. have accustomed them
selves TO hear Carmen" "Traviata." Ia
Boheme" and "Manou' without moral
Tetchings-poss hscause the works
have been presented in foreign tongue
Much merit in linguistic ignorance, Ira
Viata" was heard by thousands in London
when La Dame aux Cam6lias" was under
the taboo Of lie Lord Chamberlain.
~Sspho" is little else than a compaaes
OF scenes from the operas mentioned. II
lacked even the novelty Of the staircase
incident which got the play into court
and held out a promise Of large monetary
benent, until last night. Like all OF Mas
senets operas. IL has moments OF great
lyrical beauty and holds the interest Of
The knowing by its unfaiIing technical
deftness. There are moments of banaIitv
IN the score. but some Of them seen, Ia
he Intentional Nothing but realism would
M into some OF its scenes. and the CON
Fersation in the first act, which depicts 4
masquerade IN the studio Of a Paris
sculptor. would be operatically unnatural
II lt dld not hoat upon the tonal unduIa-
tions Of vulgar waltz And tbero is
genuine Wit. though of a low order in The
restaurant music made By a band consist
ing of 4 clarinet cornet and tuha-tle Ittl.
German band Of our backwards But tbera
Is also much flowing melody in the score
melody which most effectively affects emo
tions even II they are not inspired bv them
which IS not deep but Yet appealing and i'm
the play there are pictures fun Of move
ment and effective 10 the eye. No doubt
there are many opeTagoers N New York
Who viii be grateful To- the enterprise
which enabled them 10 hear novelty whicn
reflects so much Of The depiOrab BILE taste II
the present time and generation: and in the
fine audience which filled Mr. Hammer
STEMS house last night there can have been
few indeed who were not glad that such
fine artists a. NJ. Dalmores, Mile. DIAL
varez Nine. Walter-Nila and NJ. Dgfranne
we're on hand 10 sing the music.
The cast.
Fanny Le GFanu. Aitss wary t5afden
Jean 6;aussn .. .....-.- -....-..---. n Damores
Divoune. ..........-..-... Mile d'AIvareZ
Irene Nine. Waltz Villa
& aoudaI --..--.-.-..-..- n Ulifranne
t-r.sfrs Eauesin TTuberdsau