The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-09
THE new OPERAS OF EUROPE
"PAOLO AND FRANCESCA" FINDS
FAVOR AT LA SCALA.

Lconcavaiio's "MaJa" Not to BE Ready
Until Autumn-Baron Franchetu's
Turkish subJect-Ftftieth Anniver-
sary Of 'FDinorah"-A Faust" Story.
Mancinelli's "Paolo and Francesca
has just been given at La Scala, but with
out great approval. 1t was not well
sung. which helped to prevent an enthusi.
sstio reception for the work. which will
be withdrawn from the repertoire. Spon-
tini's La vestale' has been the most
suooessful production OF the winter at
the principalIt italian opera house. Strauss's
Electra" was sung before q large audi
enoe, which is believed to have been
enthusiastic merely out Of politeness Tor
the composer. who was present and has
a large following In Italy. One Of the
peculiarities Of Straussiana was the
recent appearance at the San Carlo at
Lisbon OF Elena Bianchini Cappella as
Satome. This Italian dramatic soprano.
who came to this country with Pietro
Mascagni, weighs 200 pounds, but is said
to have danced to the waving OF the seven
wells with alluring virtuosity.
Ruggiero Leoncavallo has been Ill TOT
q long time, and his opera "Maja' VIII
not be ready for production unhl next
autumn, and it will be a year later be-
fore he is ready for the world to hear his
.socialistio opera 4The Red Shirt" baron
Franchetti Is at work on an opera TO De
called .hsaciibou.e." Il Is Turkish. 10
Irish, in subject, and in order to satu-
rate himself with the spirit Of his theme
tho wealthy amateur has built a villa IN
the Turkish style in Tuscany and smokes
a nargileh while at work. 'Hellera, by
Montemezzi, recently sung at Turn;
virginia given at Moderna, and pei
leas and Melisande' at Rome have ailed
to please the Italian public. The opera OF
Debussy met with such a complete FAIL
ure that no second performance was at-
tempted. Giannini Russ, who was for
two seasons at the Manhattan. was the
prima donna in la Gioconda' and other
dramatic operas at the Costanzi season
which proved to be far from brilliant.
Carlo Cordara has just made a second mus
ical version OF Goldoni's "La Locandiera. '
which Is one Of the most popular roles OF
Eleanora Duse. The first version made
little impression. There seems little pros
poet that the second will enjoy anything
like the popularity OF the comedy:
The Italian opera houses are not alone
in being under the control OF the TWO
rival music publishing houses. In the
provincial cities OF France the same con-
ditions exist. In order to obtain the
rights to the tried and popular works 1t Is
necessary for the lyric theatres to accept
the novelties, which are rarely worth the
time devoted TO them. yet IL Is cheaper
to give these new works b a to pay
the high royalties for the operas that
attract the public. An example OF the
system as it is practised on the principal
provincial opera houses may be taken
from Lyons. There n music publishing
firm allowed the im~presarlos TO give
and aWerther," the two operas
OF Massenet that are sure TO succeed IN
France. on condition that -Ariane' also be
sung, while another publisher recently
allowed the theatre to Use "Mireille' and
sFaust- on condition that a new work
called La Glaneuse' be presented. Four
drain, composer OF this new opera. made
his first appearance at the Opera Comique
ip 1907 as the composer Of la Legende du
Point d'Argentan,' in which he showed
himself a devoted disciple OF M~assenet,
which ia about all that his subsequent
works has revealed. Laparra's AHaban-
era. = 10 be sun at the Metropolitan Opera
House next winter made 30 little .ap-
peal to German taste hat 1t was Kissed on
the stage in Berlin, yet 1t has just met
with great success at III Theatre de la
Monnaie in Brussels. Another OF the
novelties to be given here mex winter.
Dukas's -Ariane ct Barbe-Blen.. was sue
cessful there. and Tiuels operate version
of his oratorio of st. Katherine made
the third Of a fortunate triangle.
Paris has Just been celebrating the
6ftieth anniversary of the first perfor-
nance Of Meyerbeer's -Dinorah,' which
was sung for the first time at the opera
Comioue. Meyerbeer was at work on
'L'Africaine" in Berlin when Barber and
Carrie sent him the libretto OF The Gold
Seeker which fascinated him so much
that he abandoned work on EAfricaine'
TO write the opera which he decided to
call sDinorah" instead Of giving it the
title the librettists had first suggested.
Practically nothing but the famous
shadow dance beloved Of the coloratura
soprano and sung by Regina Plnkert SO
survives outside Of France, whore the
work, under the name lie Pardon de
Poermel,' holds a place in the repertoire
Of the Opera Comique. Napoleon Ill. at
tended the first performance at the Opera
and Queen Victoria was at tive
first London production OF the work in
It was not heard In Berlin until
1881 and in the eleven years that followed
enjoyed only fifteen representations.
Just why MephistOpheles should come
into the church in the third act OF Faust
for the purpose Of going through. a duet
with Marguerite has often puzzled the
Of fact persons who do not make
for all the p~eculiarities OF
opera. 1t now seems that there are ex-
grounds for criticism OF this scene,
as Gounod never lean that the devil
should appear there, but the soul Of
Valentine, brother Of Marguerite. There
many changes in tho opera, how
ever. before 1t reached the stage In it,
present form, and one OF these wa the
result Of the protest Of Balanque, the first
basso TO sing Mephistopheles, that he had
something be- written for him and as
was no time for any such delay
the composer gave to him the scene In
the church originally written for Mar
querite's barytone relative.
Maroella Sembrich ended her engage
ment In st. Petersburg last Sunday night
with the same programme that closed
her New York opera career There
were scenes from LA Traviata.' Don
Pasouale' and IL Barbiere di Seviglia.'
and the same presentations OF scenes
Of enthusiasm Witnessed here. Nine.
tation Of Felix Weingartner to appear
the Imperial Opera House In Vienna.
as she was under contract to sing in
Rusaia. She will appear in opera