The evening world., 1911-04-05
First Production at Metropoli-
tan Opera House Gorgeous
in Stage Pictures.
MUSIC NOT STARTLING.
Generally Pleasing, but Not
Worth Place in Repertory
of Company.
BY RAWLIyG.

presented at the Metropolitan Opera
House las. night by Mr.. Dlppel's Pail
adelphia-Chlcago Opera Company. The
house was sold out. and. despite tho
weather. the standees were rows deep
behind the rail. There were many
curtain calls after each act FOR the
principal singers and for ~Campanini,
who conducted. but there vas no
marked enthusiasm ut any time.
TIE truth IL. "Quo vadis?' must sue
coed as a, spectacular presentation n n
,siall succeed at all. and n very gorgeous
spectacle It Is that Mr.. DIPPED presents.
The music ;s a negligible quantity. II
Is little better than commonplace. At
Drury Lana. or the Hippodrone. II
would pass without question. but Mt tho
Metropolitan Opera House there must
be maintained a higher standard OF
musical expression. or there is no such
thing as musical art There is advan-
tage for the non-mus!cal patrons or
opera IN NJ. Nougues's work. There are
no harassing modern cscophonles or dis
sonances 10 disturb the ear. Everything
IL smooth and nuent and. In q way.
nleas,ng, even 20 the blatant chords
usually associated with tho circus. To
ne fair TO NJ. Nougues. when the Chris
,ians come TO take active part In the
DEVELOPMENT OF the plot his music
takes on an ecclesiastical flavor that
has something In It of dignity and much
OF pathos.
Something Of the Story.
Quo vadis?" Ia composed to an ex-
.,lleut libretto In French by Henri
sain. taken from the famous novel by
the Polish writer. Henrik S!enkiewicz.
A most admirable translation Of the
lex, INTO English has been made by
Algernon 81. John Brenon that Is
scholarly, fluent and we'll worth read
Ing for its own sake. The OPEN Is In
ave acts, the fourth consisting OF two
scenes. The prelude. which takes place
in the court and gardens OF Fetronius.
the arbiter OF fashion, and IL beant-
fully set, serves to disclose the love or
Eunlee, one OF his slaves. for Petronius.
and OF Viniclus. his nephew, just re-
turned from victorious war. for Lygia,
daughter OF a king, who Is held By
Zero as a hostage and Is a Christian
who has repulsed him. Chic. a Greek
philosopher. for a rich reward prom
.sss TO End out all ABOUT her. while
petronius gets Nero to command Lygia
10 appear at the next days festival
The second act takes place on the ter
race OF Nero's palace. There is n wild
orgy interrupted by the burning of Rome
which Nero has i~nstigated and TO which
his caterers urge the Emperor to show
his skin as poet and singer. Nlnicius
gets Lygia alone and forces his kisses
upon her until her giant slave Ursus
throttles him and carries her away.
Persecution Of the Christians.
Chic, In the third act, on the banks
of the Tiber, by accident n out the
meaning of the sign OF the fish, that is
a Christian symbol. and the abode Of
Lygia among the Christians. There is Il
meeting Of them that Is cheersd by the
presence OF the Apostle Peter. chic
hires the gladiator Croton to abduci
Lygia, but Ursus o~verpowers him and
throws him into the river. Then chic
d%enounces the Christians as the burners
OF Rome and they are imprisoned.
In the nrst scene Of the fourth' ACT
the Christians are seen In tho darl
prison OF the Coliseum. They are to b,
given to wild beasts in the arena, vi
nlcius comes 20 save Lygia, but is to,
late, AS Petronius, who follows him
demonstrates. In tho second seen.
Lygia, bound to the back OF a bull. i
saved By Ursus. VINO breaks the bllv
neck, II Ninicius demands and Sc
cures from the reluctant Nero ner free
dom. When the Emperor would tur.
the beasts loose upoa the Christian
ch!lo, stricken VITA remogsc, GeUocnce
Nero as the !-ceuG!agy who pat Rom
20 the flames. and tic enraged popg!ac
oyercomes MS soldiers ana pu;s h!m .
G.sht.
rhe last at begins w,;h Petron d
reading a letter which no sends
Nero denoancing l.m for his to,l.es an
erueites. Nin.cius and Lygia, unite,
are fleeing % Sicily, and t..gy entire,
a.m TO Joln them. lie refuses. The
Gepsrt. lie tells Eunlae that he is lea
us all his possessions 20 her She q
cares her love for him and ner u
t,l,lou 10 de W.,a him. uud 5cfore (.
..uperor's order 10 KIN himself reach.
On, Petron.us and Ea0i.- have su
...ed d doctor % open ta.!r Ne as "a;
,.,y DE.
The Great Scene in the Arena.
The great scene Is that In the cp'
scum. There tc live spectators fac
Into The painted ones until the impre
SION l. produced Of a vast multitude
a great Enclosure. l.Nc-p' for the "a
taat ursus's fight with the bun tax.
place out Of sight. around % benz
Inc arena. ia IA most realistic. III