New-York tribune., 1909-12-10
MUSICAL COMMENT
Comic Opera and Dances at The New
Theatre.
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
In these days. pressed full and overflow
ing with music, comment upon the sig
rificant incidents is all that ought TO be
expected OF the professional observer OF the
ooings IN opera house and concert room.
The present madness viii bring its revenge.
and then. mayhap. il may be possible TO
give deliberate consideration 20 thing. OF
serious interest which nov are over
whelmed by the surge. There was an in
timation yesterday that ere long il may be
necessary not only 20 send out into the
highways and byvays 20 invite guests 70
enjoy the feast. but exc 20 send the
chalked line OF the Greeks through tie
streets and market places and enforce the
ancient penalties An entertainment, novel
and. Tor the greater part delightful, was
given AT The New Theatre. but the at
tendance was small. the atmosphere OF sp-
probation thin and chilling. There were
three divisions TO the entertainment: An
Italian opera bufIa, entitled III Maestro
di Capella"; series of characteristic, or
character, dance. by Rita Sacchetto, and
Mascagnfs ferocious lyric drama called
"Cavalleria Rusticana-" The last calls for
record merely: IL is always with US at the
opera houses in Broadway and s4th street.
AAAO hAHA FIOFcD 70 DC COn4-lAS6lOiA anu
translation, with no regard to dramatic
ircident Of a perfect little French master
piece composed for the Theatre Feydeau in
Paris by Ferdinando Pa9r some eishty-nine
years ago, entitled lie Maitre de Chapelle.'
Paer was an Italian. but his principal
work was done outside OF his native land
IN Vienna. where he brought forth his
Camilla" in which Rossini played
child's part when he was only seven years
cid; in Dresden. where he produced
'Leonora, ossia rAmore contugale," the
book OF which Beethoven a year later
turned into 'Ffdelio'-an opera which has
about II as slight an odor Of mortality, we
hope. as any lyric work which still holds
the stage; at Paris. where, as Napoleon's
chapel master. conductor OF the italian
Opera and Rossinis associate. he did moth
ing comparable with the sparkling opera
cOmique which in a transmogrihed form
the audience at The New Theatre was privi-
legged TO hear yesterday. A most puissanr
personality In his day. the present genera
ton would perhaps never have heard
Of him il Signor Pini-Corsi. the basso-bufIo
Of the Metropolitan Opera Company had
not revived an abbreviated Italian version
Of it in order 70 display his smiable musi-
cal buffooneries. For this he is entitled
TO the gratitude OF music lovers. The littlN
comedy (whst is left of it, is delicious; the
music sparkling as champagne. but with as
sound and sweet and wholesome q body as
the best vintage Of Johannisberg. II is all
about a music master who has written a
lyric piece on the story Of Antony and
Cleopatra" Chence a happy conceit at this
time and in this place., and teaches his
cook how 10 sing it, telling the audience
meanwhile OF the musical devices, vocal
and instrumental. which as has employed
in his score. Pini-Corsi was the composer.
Miss Gluck the cook, and IL was difficult
10 say which Of the two deserved more
admiration for yesterdays performance,
for while the buffo kept the sides OF all
who understood him relaxed by his song
and action. Miss Gluck delighted both
sight and hearing with her piquant play.
her lovely voice and her most admirable
singing. Sgnor Bada was also in the play
for short space, but only for the sake or
the ensemble
But II lie AIaitre de Chapelle" was 20
be presented in translation. why did we not
have it in English? What lesson for the
composers of operettas in the vernacular.
Rossini would have been proud OF lhs
music, which. no doubt, excited his envy.
Thoughts or what dancing in the ball
room as we'll as the theatre might De were
again invited as they have frequently been
OF late. by the choregraphic- exhibition or
Miss Sacchetto. Three times she was the
animated part Of a beautiful stage picture.
First as the counterfeit OF Gainsborough's
portrait OF the Duchess Of Devonshire. she
PLAYED psntomime 20 the music OF the Sara
band In Handers first opera, the melody OF
which afterward became the famous song.
''Lascia chic pianga and two dances by
Mozart: then she transformed herself into
a Magyar maiden, and in mimic harvest
field enacted a scene OF alternate lassituda
and life 70 tire music Of Liszts second
Hungarian rhapsody; finally she appeared
as a hgure evoked from a canvas by Nelas-
quez danced bewitchingly in the Spanish
manner. and ratified her castanets most
marvellously 10 music by Rubinstein and
MosZkowski. Every moment OF her enter
tainment was enrrancingly beautiful but
the English picture fell short of it's com
panions because IL failed 10 even hint at
the state and pageantry'' OF the dance
whose music accompanied her movements.
Why should not the movement which is
occupying 50 much attention al the present
time be utilized 20 revive an interest in the
social dance as it existed in England before
the time OF Charles I and in the court OF
the great Louis, who took his daily dancing
lesson from Beauchamps for twenty years
II tradition teaches Alright.