The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-21
BAMMERSTEIN OPERA COMIQUE
"HlNN THE FLITE PLAYER
Is PRODI CED.
A Poetic Story MIN Much sentiment and
charm Accompanied ~ Pretty Music
me Production Made In the lsual
( uammrrdein style 49, the story.


,,.--e4 This i good news Tor this town,
=, may break. Won NAV shatt"r the
~. II vow will. hut the head that docs
r,.,ne.s O., doing 1t sill Mighty men
drive uscar Hammer-tein ont of what
rrey are pleased to call grand opera
l..,ls IL still IN the ouerat ic field. Maybe
~ - NOT giving grand opera Mayt"
b. ..-,- NOT now invite his friends 10 hear
T,.-atg,ui trtl or to $500 Mary Gardens
Ia. hur he ~ Still sonnet hing ~ an nm
rrssa-tr NJ any rate that ~ The impres-
s.uu vhrch I~opIe gained when thew
a,.ariei me renpeninR 81 the Manhattan
u,.-a House last nigh,
In" mama ~ the creation with which
I.a... r.uu,nad j. Hans the fnte Player
some nus - responsible" for adding as
a...rruitv. classi ication the words comic
rus-t Doubt lass these words have
=, Oh. rect bearing on the letter of tn" bond
Nl,-tgars over in Broadway who are
,NcrIng what they call on their pro-
grawrnas comic opera would sit mp
and star. az this production They
wound probably murmur Ia one another.
say. Bull where does comic opera stop
ana grand opera Begin
some old fogias music critics perhaps.
would call this thing opera comique.
That gets pretty close 20 what this public
includes under the general title Of grand
oIera Some operas comIques were sung
last winter m tn. New Theater and IN the
Metropolitan Opera HOUSE. Some more
Nill ~ sung IN the latter place in the com
ing season. Perhaps the directors will
huv Hans the Flute Player from the
volatile oscar They might do worse
BIT on the other hand they may pity the
srrrows Of a poor old impressario and
allow HIM 70 dodder around the country
with this latest toy When he gets his
rev opera house on the Victoria Emhank-
man' he will not daily with the flute player
any more.
l have many other countries TO visit
ard other nations to- convert. ike your
solves to the love OF art and goodness,
And the merchant or the Ideal. once on
his way. must never tarrv'
These are the final words of H1rs in
the opera and one wonders whether they
were IN the original text hy Maurice
NAucaire and Georges Mitchell or were
thrown in with dark significance 10y that
arful creature AlRernon saint JohS
Rrenon. who made the English version.
The music 81 this opera il bv LOUIS Gam.
and the work was originally performed
at that cheerful home Of philosophy.
Monte Carlo.
Hans has \ mission. II u to g. Ia
place. where people are sunk ia cupiiity
and indifference To- beauty and awaken
them. He goes 20 NilkatZ and meets
Yoris. an artist. who - trying 10 revive
the golden era % a city once famous foT
i's dolls but now given over TO the grain
trade Ioris exhibits in square full
ere doll copy Of his beloved Lisbsih
The people are about 20 destroy ~ when
Haas plays on his flute This causes the
people To dance and To drown all their
cats. where'Ipon rats increa - swiftly and
eat all the grain.
F'sbS'A gets hpld % the flute ard Hrrs
- a~nt ~ ,aH Al sorts %: troubles follow
and az last they want - lrt Have OF.
but he will not O. uut pnlosS ~" tpvu
will take two weeks ~ and ho prra
more hs ancient d1.I far TIE r-r,n
doll turns out 70 ~. 80 70 and ~,
turns her ever - Ioris who has he.n
irving In settle drwn atd learn huy .. 10
a business msn. Thin HTI. .psS awav
mayhap TO huiid an Irera hu'ls.. IN anoths'
country.
The species - opera to which Hans
mo Flute Player belongs Is not very
'am,llsr to this paIt'lic That perhaps Is
al the more reason 10 rejoice that Mr.
Ham nsrstsin has made this produc; ION
Tho story ~ the work - exceedingly
ia MY and poetic and u has q n ,lnd"n able
charm Much 81 the original daIntin-ss
ha. Guuhtless escared IN the arrangement
t o. o. 0 ka l..
fl., was to 10 exTected Manager and
s'age ma ma gers are as n rule not ',u.'r-
trav are IN the grain trade But there -
.. - enough ~ the poetry left ~ & We
r'"rczt 20 the sentimental part Il the
.'nrv. and the spectacular features II
no opera are sufficiently a hunda0t and
h. liant TO delight every eye.
IT," music IL strangely uneven in merit.
{ there are numbers IN which the com
--"r has displayed talent ~ no mean order
"~'. numbers have not only deligbtful
T."..siy to commend them. hut also grace.
fancy and sometimes even originality
'.' -ruring ~ the music makes excellent
... { tho orchestra. while the voices are
IT, general treated with Judgment and
. 70 Inwiss ambition. II would b"
''--- 10 60 through the .cpre and
.. '. -rtt" the good and the inferior mum
..-- uTt certainly the verie~t tyro must
..'- .ptsi the difference between the
''.r "T"crrve finale 81 the first act and
g.. .rtrsmely commonplace conclusion
a '-. -sa,pnd
... 'tird act seemed 10 be on tho whole
o.. most satisfying Of the three. but the
= tho second. while falling quite
. r' 'n '1a level 81 common comic opera
..Hiv ~ b." one 81 the popular features
.' go Vurs The waltz movement heard
' '." fr-' a'' and utilized As a prelude
2. ''" -"""'t ought To become a rival 90
o." rGu'-..!- other operetta waltzes
anon '1." H'-'v invaded the town
%" "r"rN ''- n"en put On the sta z"
''h "" cb-'"r .." lavish generosity 81
.' Hammers" Tin" scenery Is brill
"n' N" "ostuu"- .f. i.pm.. the chorus
2" ana ctp1hi" and ~" orchestra
ruIgnly "ft'."r' Ifara - also a
Inch dDaa a I.r..., ..f.. a.,.. a..