New-York tribune., 1912-03-06
AN|J,S|C'
W0LF-FERRARPS NEW OPERA
An Interesting Novelty at the
Metropolitan Opera House.

and compel even the cynic OF the drama
TO break out into an enthusiastic exclama-
ton: "Oh. beautiful Venice!" The world has
heard more of the natural beauties Of Sa-
pies than OF the artificial ones OF Venice,
but when Naples is made the scene Of
drama OF any kind it seems that its at
fractions for llbrettist and composer lie in
the vulgarity and vice, libertinism and lust
the wickedness and wantonness Of por-
tion of its people rather than in the love-
illness OF character which such a place
might or ought to inspire.
Last night at the Metropolitan Opera
House the New York public heard for the
first time IL Giojell della Madonna" the
latest opera by WOlf-Ferrari. Berlin made
its acquaintance IN December last, Chicago
some weeks later. and Philadelphia had two
hearings before New York was vouchsa fed
one. All these representations had q large
significance, because through them Mr..
Dippel broke down the barriers which had
kept the works OF one of the foremost COM
pOsers Of the day not only out OF Great
Britain. France and the United States. but
even out Of his native Italy, The entering
wedge was the charming trihe. III Segreto
d SUSANNA; the effect Will be large in
more respects than one
Yet after III segreto" and lie Dome"
was 1t not more than a little surprising
that so soon as the composer turned 10
Naples as a theatre for his drama he
should not only change the style Of his
| music, but also revert TO the kind of ,lle
which his predecessors I'm the field seem to
have thought appropriate 10 the place
which we have been told all of us should
!
its beauty? Why are only the slums CT
Naples deemed appropriate for dramatic
| treatment?
How many stories Of Neapolitan life have
/ been told in operas since Auter wrote his
La Muette di Portici" we do not know;
doubtless many whose existence ended with
: the stagione for which they were COM
! posed. But it is a singular fact bearing on
/ the present discussion that when the young
'veritists" of Italy broke loose after the
/ success of MasCagni's "Cavalleria rusu-
cana" there came almost a universal desire
/ to rush to the Neapotan shambes for
/ subjects. New York has been spared all Of
these operas except the deectable "A basso
| porto" which Mr.. Savages company gave
to us in English twelve years ago; but
I there can be no harm In rehearsing the
stories Of some OF the products OF "veris-
mo" to which this reviewer made reference
a decade ago. simply because OF their re-
lationship to the new opera produced here
last night.
In Cilea's "Tilda" a street singer seeks to
avengc her wrongs upon a faithless lover.
She bribes a jailer To connive at the escape
OF a robber as he is being led 10 punishment
Him she elects TO be the instrument Of her
vengeance Right merrly she lives with
him and his companions In the greenwood
until the band captures the renegade lover
on his wedding journey. Tilda rushes upon
the bride with drawn dagger. but mets
when she sees her victim in the attitude OF
prayer and sinks on her knees beside her
only to receive the dcath-bow from her
seducer A picture OF piquant contrasts.
and there are ave Marias" and tarantellas
in the music. So there are in the new music
heard last night. or take the story or
Giordanos "Mala Vita" Here the hero is
a young dyer whose dissolute habits have
brought on consumption. The principal OBJ
Ject Of his amours is the wife Of friend.
violent hemorrhage warns him OF ap-
preaching death. and stricken with cow
ardy fear he rushes TO the nearest statue
Of the Madonna and registers a vow: he
will marry a wanton. redeem her and save
his own life He pledges himself TO the
heroine who meets the requirements and she
feels momentariy blest. But the married
siren. the Lola In the case. winds her tolls
about him again and gloats over the un-
fortunate one. who sinks lifeess at her door.
Piquancy again. achieved now without even
that poor neutrality-suspicious. OF the
evlldoer. The list might easily be extended.
Tasca's "A Santa Lucia" has an appetlzing
story OF an oysterman's son who deserts
woman by whom he has child in order
TO marry one to whom he had previously
been afilanced. The women meet I'm n dainty
Drawl and the hancee strikes her rival 8
child 10 the ground The mother tries 10
stab her rival with the ever-ready dagger.
which act stirs up the embcrs OF the heros
love He takes her back to his arms and to
his fathers house The child must be some
four years old by this time, but the oyster
man knows nothing about the relations ex-
istlng between his housekeeper and his son.
and dreams a dream OF marriage with Ins
common-law daughter-in-aw Enters the
discarded fancee with tale for ClccilIo
ears of his mistress's infidelity 1T Is not
trtIe!" shrleks the poor woman; but the
wretch's ears are deaf 10 her protestations
and she hurls herself into the sea. Ciccillo
rushes after and bears her TO the shore,
where she dies in his arms. gasping In
articuIo mortis, "It is not true =
Whether or not Wolf Ferrari got the sub |
iect of "I Giojelli della Madonna" from the |
sources drawn on by his predecessors we
do not know. We believe that like Leon
cavallo he says that the story OF his opera |
has a basis Of fact LeOncavalo having as
serted over and over again that a case Of
murder like that portrayed IN "Pagliaccf |
had come before his father. who was
judicial officer. BE this as IT may, it is
certain that Wolf-Ferrari called on two
yersifers to help him out in making the
hook of the opera and that the story in its
essence is not far removed from that OF the
French opera "Aphrodite," produced rev
wears ago by Baron Erlanger. In that
opera there is a rape OF the adornments Oh
q statue OF Venus in the new work OF the
Jewels enrchng an efigy OF the virgin
Mary The story IL not as filthy as the
other plots we have rehearsed. but In IL
there is the same striving after sharp
C"piquant," some will say contrasts the
blending of things sacred and profane, the
mixture OF ecclesiastical music and dances'
and-what is most signihcant-the seher-
GUS use OF the style OF melody which came
I'm with Ponchielli and his pupils In
Giojelli della Madonna" young woman
discords the love Of an honest-hearted man
TO throw herself out OF sheer wantonness
into the arms of a blackguard dandy. TO
win her heart through her love Of personal
adornment the man Of faithful mind tthe
suggestion having come from his riVa)
does the desperate deed Of stealing for her
-. ta.,ois Of he Madonna II Is to be as