New-York tribune., 1910-12-18
MUSICAL COMMENT
A Note on the American Opera
Mr.. Friedheim's RecitaI-NeW
SinqerS in "Tannhaeuser."

between the opera company and the public
Is to remain undisturbed. The size and
character Of the audience brought lesson
as to the wisdom OF Withholding the opera
from the regular subscribers which will
no doubt be understood by the administra-
ton of the Metropolitan. The attitude
OF the public to the opera also car
ried a lesson into which 1t Is unneces-
sary to 20 again after the discussion OF
a week ago. Stress on the creation OK
the opera and its production in New York
having been laid heavily on its American
character. there does not seem to be much
need to discuss its other elements. which
remain more or less unessential even when
they have beauties which attract the pass
ing fancy. There was much preliminary
gossip touching the wisdom Of placing the
principal characters in the hands OF peo-
Pile who. It was thought, were physically
and temperamentally incapable OF realizing
such American types as Mr.. Belasco pre-
sented in his melodrama OF which the
opera Is 50 singular perversion; but the
results have justified composer, manager
and conductor in their creation Ihey
knew, what the gossips could not know
that despite it's environment and subject.
the opera would be italian and that italian
opera singers Of q high order would be re-
quired to do Justice TO It's score. La Fan
ciulla" Is italian, not in the old sense, nor
even in the sense which Signor Puccini tried
to create by the works which preceded La
Fanciulla" or by his printed words since,
in which he contended that tho emotionai
centre of gravity should lie in melody;
it is italian or Puccinian in the mixed style
In which the orchestra seeks 70 sustain the
inc In
made TO give atmosphere and mood to the
dramatic action. Some might call this Ger
man. Puccini's quasi-dramatic defamation
taxes the voices and skill Of his singers Sc
vereIy. and 1t Is fortunate that ne has such
excellent exponents as Signor Caruso, Sig
nor Amato and Mile. Destinn. 1t VIII oe
an unfortunate day for the opera when
singers of less skill attempt the princlpal
parts: for appearance and action will help
them but little The music is and must re-
main Italian In the Puccini sense; and 1t Is
the music which has made La Fanciuila
del West" out Of The Girl OF the Golden
West"
Mr. Arthur F'rIedhein's friends have
plainly kept him in pleasant remembrance
during the years which have passed since
he lived among them in New York A small
host of them (tfae room could not have con-
tanned a larger number by the time the
recital came to an end) greeted him at Men
delssohn Hall yesterday afternoon when ne
played a. familiar set of pianoforte compost
tions bv Liszt and Chopin. including the
sonata In B minor by the former composer.
Mr.. Frfedheirn's reading of this work was
long ago accented as authoritative, and II
will probably long remain so from an INTEL
Iectual point of view AS for his interpre-
tation of dozen of Chopin's ''preludes.
there ought to be no heartaches among the
admirers of composer and performer, OF
Yesterdays readings raised questions Tor
them TO discuss 1t is an insignificant per-
formance that does not stimulate contro-
versy Of some sort Mr.. F'riedhein has come
hack to US considerably older In years. and
with his old vehenence of expression some
what modified; but he still adheres to his
old notions that virile utterance of tht
musical thought Is still paramount to mere
tonal euphony, even when he is playing
the music of the two pianoforte composers
who kept the instrument more perslstently
in mind than did any of the creative artists
beside whom they are permitted TO stand
in the historical gallery. Mr.. Friedhelm
friends not only turned out In large num-
bers-they also rewarded him with gen.
erous applause.
There was an incident at the Metropoli-
tan Opera House yesterday which might
he described as more or less characteristic
of subscription affairs, and as seldom or
never occurring on those special ocaslons
which started out with a suggestion OF fre-
ouency, but had a sudden end. except as far
as the singing sensation Is concerned.
..Tannhauser'' was the opera. with MI
Slezak announced as the ttular nero
Nine. Morena as Elizabeth, Mr.. Sooner as
Walther and Nine. Fremstad as Venus.
The audience which gathered to hear
Wagner's opera was met in the lobby by an
announcement that Nine. Freulstad was IN
DISPOSED, and that in consequence Nine.
Mariska Aldrich would undertake the role
Of Venus. Inquiry developed the fact that
Nine Aldrich had received her call late on
Friday night and had secured midnight
pianoforte rehearsal OF part that IS most
trying, musically as we'll as dramatically.
and that her willingness to venture upon
such a dangerous experiment had saved the
administration from changing the opera to
''Lohengrin.'' Under the circumstances
there could be no other feeling than that
of gratitude toward Nine. Aldrich. who is
one of those gifted women who are
held In their own country by sentimental
considerations while foreign opera houses
yawn and yearn for them and offer then,
the experience which they need In order
TO develop their capabilities as dramatic
artists. 1t was a most trying ordeal, and
she passed through II well In all the par
ticulars from which good things were to
have been expected of her-viz-, appear
ance, voice and song. She did not act the
part we'll, because the capacity to act does
not always come by instinct. and she has
had but little opportunity to develop her
self in this particular-mueh less than her
companion (also rev in his parD MIR.
witherspoon-who was also very salts
factory In the role OF the Landgrave from
a musical point OF view When better
and healthier basis than now exists OBJ
tains in our opera there will be less risk
and a higher general merit in our operatic
than can be claimed for them
now. n. E. H.