The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-12

~pera Given Ter the FIRST Time This
season aa tha Manhattan.

The first performance this Gsaacp o.
Feileas ~ MAlisAnde.' which took plGcs
last night az the Manhattan Opera House
bro,lght up again the question u this
p'iblic's attitude toward this remark
able musical drama. The thousands Of
spectators that saw and heard the Mae
eeriinck -Dcbussy work two years ago.
a. novelty. treated il for the most part
- an exception To all operatic rules.
an evanescent thing TO absorb u pos
sibls but in any event not an exercise
Of ordinary acting and singing.
| This being the nine days wonder Of
Mr.. Hammerseeins second season. IL had
vogue that probably masked tho real
feelings % many that sat through ID. 60
that the test % lie popular appeal could
MOI well be made Last year lie revival
created no great stir. and Mr.. Hammer
stein waited until last evening before
adding IL to his list for IS0e-IO There
was a large audience on hand for this
occasion. and one whose character test.
fed Ia the genuine desire OF a good many
persons to make or renew acquaintance
with the work.
While there were numerous late Corners
the brief intervals between the several
scenes in each act were marked by reason
able Quietness. and several attempts Al
applause at such points. were decisively
huahed. II was evident that the excep-
tiOnal nature OF the drama and the mIlsiC
was Apprehended and that for the present
At least New Works Operatic public IL
ready 10 accord 60 -PellSas ct Melisands-
q special place OF it, own in much the
way that 4 has gone about the task OF
keeping -ParsifAl- from the fate Of an
ordinary repertOry opera.
40 long as -Pell~as &c Melisande" IN
approached in this mood u In likely to
exercise a considerable power over many
OF those that hear II. The sweet monotony
OF Dehussy's music SoOthes the listener
and. makes the unrsahty Of the drama
seem like truth Of precious kind Iris
u undoubtedly the effect that the composer
intended. and the union 81 the text end
lie tonal embodiment becomes more
~ Ident by repetition.
The performance last evening vas in
moot respects excellent lts least Ad
mirAble feature was the playing Of the
orchestra, "a directed nv Mr.. de IN Fuente.
His pallid treatment did far Ices harm to
this score than TO that of -Elek ira, hut
even in this lanRllid and wistful Debussy
music there should he manifest more 81
energetic emotional pulaations than this
conductor read into the presentation
Miss Mary Garden acted MeiisdRde A.
before 1tth much skill NJ Imaginative
suggestion and great beauty ~ pose and
aspect Her scene IN the tower window
when her long hair was held by the ardent
Peiifes. was particularly effective. Again
there was room Ter regret AZ her lack Of
voice and her incorrect pronunciation ~
ordinary French words
charles Dalmor~s was PetlSds. and
romantic mo despite his physical robust
ness He sang with fervoT and acted
With The SIRE touch ~ Intelligent sympe
pathy Hector DufrRnnes Soid nj again
COMMA nded warm admiration. especially
for the besuty 81 his diCtlon and hie
resonsnt and i,ldicious singing Old
Mag AyksI wsa we'll unprecedented by Mr..
Huherdeau. while Mime. CierVille- RNaChe
was the grave GsHc ncrs and Miss Iren-
TIM the humorous LATHE pioid. made TO
spy through the tower window upon the
haplesr vie and brother ~ GOlnRd Mr.
CrRbbA. a. the Doctor completed the cast.
Under Jacques Coini's direction the
drPms Ns~ bee utifully staged and the
changes were quickly and effectively
made The performance ~ a credit ~
Mr. Hammerstetn = house