The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-06
AM OPERA AMSCHAIKOVSKY
-PIOt DAHE" ~ THE NITRO
POLITAA.
me Flrst Performances - the Work IN
the nlsed statrs-A New ROLE Ter
Ice slezak-The Mnnie h Beth
Nelosile ana Dramatic IN ExpEeusaoa.


Metropolitan Opera HOUSE yesterday
afternoon for the frat time in this country
None Of the famous Russians lyric dramas
had hitherto found their way to the
American stage One. Eugene OnoRin,
had been given in concert form by Walter
pamrosch. In Russia TachAikoWskys
"peras. especially the two above named.
ENJOY q great popularity. Whether the
work brought forward yesterday after
noon will suit the taste of this public
remains to he seen. That it 10 creation
ct -ingularly insinuAtinG musical power
vas sufficiently demonstrated.
he opera was written in lsDo on q
rbretto by the composers brother Modesto.
and this hbrettO was founded ON a story
uy Pushkin. IL IL q strange story. CON-
,oundsd OF those elements OF tragedy
,IperstitiOn and the supernatural which
nave always made an irresistible appeal
ro the Russian imagination. II IL in
Just this combination of elements that
he story may break down in the presence
~ an American audience. though Tschni-
kuEsSy's music makes them intensely
realistic.
The Queen OF Spades ,-Piaue Dame-D
j. an elderly Countess Who has had q
nchly hlled past. She 10 supposed to
ro~eess the secret Of three winning cards
With Which she carved a glittering path
through the gambling world. HsrmoaR.
Young officer. 10 in love with her grand
child Lisa. who IL betrothed 20 a Prince.
H,rs,SRs 10 poor and needs money TO
carry on L,sa. SO wheE he hears about
The three cards he resolves to make the
'oU. isss tell him what they are.
He goes To her room at night. but IN
stead Of getting her secret he frightsns
her 60 death. The grAndchild enters aud
'-alievink that Hermann has slain the
, oURtsss sends him away. Later she
softsns and asks for a meeting and an
explanation. Meanwhile the ghost of the
COuRiess appears TO Hermann az the bar
racks and tells him the names Of the cards
"sTmaRH has already become almost
insane on the subject and now he really
goes mad. When he meets Leo he acts
irrationAlly and leaves her alone in despair
by the river. into which she throws her
self
The last scene shows us Hermann IN a
gambling house testing the virtues of the
three cards lie wins all the Prince faces
him. and then in sudden remorse he
siahs himself. Tenor aud soprano nov
heiBG dad. the opera has To end.
The reorganization % the principal els-
nents ~ the story makes them appear
much less dramatic than they really are.
for when once the mind of Hermann be-
CONES thoroughly ohsesssd with the three
ard idea there 10 q decided thrill in the
play and the episodes OI the death Of the
Countess and the appearance Of her ghost
are impressive In their solsmnity.
TschAikowsky himself was pleased
With the death % the CoWRtess and was
Affected by reading the finished score Il
his last act. He felt that he had thoroughly
identified himself with the inner life Of
Hermann and that he had successfully
crested . musical embodiment OG &C.
Il seems that in the original opera there
was some question about the declama-
ton. hut of course this cannot be con-
sldersd IN the German translation heard
Yesterday. The important point il that the
work gives us a now lyric score flied VITA
interesting music married to dramatic
action The first scene contains the only
attempt az ensemble writing for the solo
voices. and this cannot he regarded As
one 81 the composers hAppiest essays
She u more at home in the treatment
Of broad hlssnt dramatic ariOso. Of which
the greater part Of the opera consists
There are no set airs except when songs
enter into the scene a. they would Il IL
we're a play. a. for Instance TOmskD's
narrative Of the three cards and the duet
81 Lisa and PasIlas in the second scene.
When Tschaikowsky INTRODUCES such
numbers a. these he writes in purely
lyric and melodious style, just a. he
does in his songs. But the warp and
woOf of his score ID made OF sterner stuff.
Written twenty years ago. the music
belongs to the present
While the melOdio idiom 10 Of course
very different from PucCini's. the method
Of setting the text n not 10 disSimilar
There are some poignant dramatic eli
MAKES. a. for example the finish Of tho
nrst duet bstween Hermann and Lisa.
rI- end Of the scene IN the COUEtess's
t-airoom and the conclusion OF the scene
~ the barracks
The third scene in perhaps the one
which will please the eyes and ears OG
t4- thoughtless more. than any other.
l.p' the reflective mind will surely qtss-
ton IL suitability. IL - charming IA :
'-.lf TOR the spectacle OF the old French
..storal ballet with its music a Ia Haydn /.
- CAPTIVATING. and Il makes something
- the effect which the intsrlude must
ave made IN the medieval lyric play.
But w. of to-day are not so fond % having /
oar tragedies interrupted by extraneous
matter and this scene refuses 70 knit F.
ll-.If INTO the action or the music.
10" lvric treatment OF rhs be~ichambeT B
> rra - rich IN resource and in atmOs- /
l"r. Indeed IL should IN. said that the I
MR." score clothes the play IN an stnos- !
here ~ portent and intensity better felt /
~ described That the composer util- I
- me dark coIors oS his -Pathstiqus
vnuH ony. and in che place even q phrase /
~ melody. does not account for the po- B
I'Dtial accomplishment Of his PURPOSE.
The real secret must ~, sough' ia The .
= r'I-fi" adsDtaf on Of means 10 end and ia I
30. 'sreiu. Ineasur srneni Of the value 10 .
q. HesITll color an well a. Of ocai style
7's music - written With profound SIN
I'Utv from LeRinDin2 To end. Their -
20 'Iden"- Of search after the EASY thee