The sun., 1910-02-09
IAN OPERA BY AN AMERICAN
LIE GRAND HOWLANDS "SAR-
ROMA, HEARD HERE.
Italian In style ami Lacking Anything TO
Make IL Dlstinctively American
Adequately un9-Hamniersteln and
Andreas Dipple I'm tine Audience.


Make It DlstInctively American
Adequately Sun9-Hamnierstein and
ADdreas Dipple In the Audience.
lie Grand Rowland composer OF the
opera "Sarrona." which was sung yester-
day afternoon for the first time in this
country. appeared before the curtain
of the New Amsterdam Theatre and told
the applauding audience that he had been
waiting for ten years to get a chance TO
bring his work to hearing before his own
people. He said he felt certain that n
demand for operas by American COM
posers would result in an adequate supply.
Some Of his countlymen in the audience
who felt thGt what he said was true ex-
pressed the opinion that there would not
be great difficulty in supplying much Of the
same sort OF music that "Sarrona" con-
tuins The opera. which Is in one act,
is said to have been sung frequently in
Italy. Whatever success it may enjoy
would come most easily in that land. since
there Is an Italian character to the music
II 1t may be said to possess any distinctive
quality OF any kind.
Mr.. Howland's efforts to get hearing
in his own country have gone on aggres-
sively for some time, and ii must have been
o satisfaction to him as we'll as his friends
that "Sarrona" was 10 well presented
under conditions which could only have
been very difficult for all concerned.
II is not easy to arrange u single perfor-
nance OF any operate work in u theatre
devoted to other uses and to say that the
opera Jared in all probability so far as
its interpreters were concerned quite
as well as il did in the various Italian
opera houses in which it has been sung
is assurance of great industry and en-
thusiasm on the part OF all concerned.
There were some we'll known singers in
the cast, however, well known, be it said,
to those that follow operatic affairs.
Agide Jacchia. who was first conductor
OF the Italian season at the Academy OF
Music last fall; Luisa VILLAIN. who sang
with the same troupe and he's been en-
ga ged by M. Gatti-Casazza Eor the Metro
politan Opera House next year, and Ester
Ferrabini, who was also a participant in
the autumnal opera in Fourteenth street.
were in the company, and there was a
large orchestra. Then the scenery and
costumes were new and seemed apprO-
pirate. So Mn Rowland was fortunate
as to the manner OF -Sarrona 9" introduce
tion to his own people.
The hbretto deals with what w. 8.
Gilbert would have described as AN
interesting Eastern potentate.' who is
more devoted TO his Greek dancer and his
own pleasures than he Is to his wife o
the good OF his subjects. IL must be said
that the text lacks very clear theatFic
outline. Its author was not divulged.
1t is plain only that the neglected queen
OF this dissipated monarch 10 loved by a
slave. who when the psychological mo-
nrf fnr rsNVr
responsibility for the shedding OF blood
ON himself and removes the king by means
of q dagger. Even with his sovereign
out OF the way there remains no earthly
make IL impossible for queen 70 marry
slave. So he adds himself TO the number
OF the eliminated in the presence OF the
queen who had just by the grace of his
strong right arm become widow. Tho
opera requires about an hour for its per-
public square adjoining the kisS'e palace.
IN the theatF4c emphasie 60 This story
is lacking. IL cannot be said that the score
imparts to its expression any strong char
acter. Mr.. Hcwland shows his devotion
to Italian models at every point in the
Developments OF his music, and OF indi-
viduaity there Ia scarcely q trace from
the beginning OF the work 70 the end. The
impartiality with which the composer has
kept the ideals OF Italy In mind is exhibited
queen. who has scarcely delivered herself
Of phrases that come frankly from the
genius OF Puccini before she has fallen
back TO the Verdi that 10 found In the
music OF -Ernani."
There IN often in the concerted music
the voice Of the older Verdi who sang IN
Aida and chronological interest seizes
| the hearer who recognizes the idiom II
not the speech OF Ponchieih In the strong
reminders of la Gioconds' that appear
In the ksleidoscopic score. 1t might
| perhaps be expected that IN work which
breathed so little original spirit there
could be no genuine dramatic moment.
Such careful devotion to other models
as Mr.. Rowland shows in SSarrona" is
not productive OF a very deep note Of
feeling. IL is a pleasure to say that much
| OF his score has a suave II monotonous
charm and that he writes in q way to
show the voices Of his interpreters advan-
tageously There was little fault to be
| found with the performances under the
| conditions it was given and il both Andreas
| Dippel and Oscar Hammerstein. who
were present yesterday afternoon, strug-
| gle to acquire the rights TO the new opera
there will be encouragement for the
| American composers who are fighting to
fnd place IN the operatio field.
Enriquita Crichton, o dramatic soprano,
asked Supreme Court Justice Platzek yes
terday morning for an Injunction re-
straining any one else from singing the
leading soprano role in "Sarrona." Justice
Platzek said that the papers did not set
forth a sufficient cause OF action to war
rant the Injunction.