New-York tribune., 1912-01-17
.FERRAR| OPERA TRIUMPH
"The Jewels of the Madonna
Wins Favor in Chicago.
A TONE PICTURE OF NAPLES
Critics Call Wolf -Ferrari's Work
"The Significant Opera of
the Decade.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune. J

Chicago. Jan. 16.-The first performance
in America Of olf-Ferraris opera THE
Jewels OF the Madonna" took place to-
night I'm the Auditorium before one of the
seasons most brilliant audiences. En-
tirely apart from the worldwide interest
that attaches to the first American produc-
ton OF the work of European composer
of note, the event achieved that artistic
Importance that belongs TO the worthy
presentation OF masterpiece. The triumph
that resulted for the composer, who was
present: the conductor, the director and
the principals need not be discounted in this
instance because Of the hysterical excite
ment which obtains on such occasions, but
may stand as the verdict of the public.
THE Jewels Of the Madonna" is the Sig
nifcant opera Of the decade, In the opinion
Of Chicago critics. II merits THIS dlsunc-
ton by reason OF the beauty and dramatic
truth OF the music, the vivid realism OF
the action and the pathos or It's culminat-
ing tragedy The beauty OF the music Is
the pure beauty of melody. Wolt-Ferrarl
has restored to the art that simplicity aho
directness OF utterance whereby the lyric
phrase becomes the all-sufficlent SYMBOL
That psychological miracle that enables a
uelodv 10 define a temperament, mood
or dramatic situation is wrought many
times in this wonderful score.
Reflects NeapoIitau Life.
like Louise" this opera is tone picture
% a citv The passions. the brutalities, the
lives. the faiths and the superstitions OF the
neonIe ~ Naples are set forth by a master
The folksong. that only perfect reflex OF
IL II
wealth of melodlc material that reflects the
witchery OF southern skies, the warm'h VI
the southern sun and the soft glory of ar
Italian night It reflects also the coarse
ness the brutality, the thoughtless anu
Ibanal Joys OF a pleasure-loving people
The folksong being a spontaneous express
sion OF national character, II follows since
Il IS native Italian melody that Is oelne
treated. that II is closely akin TO modern
dramatic music Hence IL lends itself u
the elaboration of modern orchestral anc
harmonic technique and fits perfectly with
the wealth OF highly original and beautifu
.thematic material which the composer has
lcreated.
This original material is frequently clas'
sic in its simplicity. II Is as truly music
as any that Mozart, Beethoven or Nerd
has written. in that its emotional symbol
ism IS an integral part OF the melody, ar
intrinsic value, and, therefore, Is neither
augmented nor diminished by the elaborate
development 10 which It Is subjected Ye
this development shows the master, for 4
laccomplishes perfect adjustment betweeT
the progress OF the action, it's tonal re
nexes and those scholarly consideration
that accommodate musical freedom to th'
limitations OF that logical sequence OF repe
titlons and contrasts called musical form.
FIexiblity and Realism.
In its purely musical aspect this oper;
approximates the law OF symmetry as real
ICED in the symphony more closely thar
p any work since the later music dramas o
Richard Wagner. II it's spirit IS less lott.
than that which Wagner drew from IN
= COMPOSITIONS OF Liszt its advantages in tn
! direction OF fexibllity and realism are vast
With battling ease Il moves from the ex
2 quiyite simplicity OF the intermezzo tina
urefaces the second act to the enormou
complications OF the dramatic situations
Its greatly expanded orchestral resource
p are handled with consummate ease; tn
% urthest reaches OF harmonic contrast ar
EDlnneu WIFI Ntl ldlllAe dAA AAtN WV
schemes Of the modern tonal palette ar
exhausted. from the delicate "blue-green
analogies II Debussy 10 the fiorid opulenc
OF strauss Yet the Elories OF the pur
melody remain ever fresh and unobscured
The composers instinct has not been a
fault. for he does not permit the dar!nl
realism OF the first act TO sustain It's nois!
exuberance too long He havors 1t Will
more than a dash Of humOr. as when IN
orchestra scornfully protests In mino
the unutterable banalties which the stag
band brazenly and unconcernedly affirm
I'm T. fat major. or when the unfortunat'
town crier is roughly handled By the croWd
The same mastery sense Of contrast Il
sustained throughout the sensuous glamour
, or the second act The wistful beauty o
, twilight CLEANS softly in the melodies O'
, the prefacing interme2Zo The languid VII
f,.Iness OF the "Canatella" air foreshadoW'
the struggle between the serene and pro
tectIng love OF Gennaro and the la"leS'
rassion OF Maliela. Even the eSseh'la
r ccmmonness Of Rafaeles waltznke sereh
ado os certain full blooded cOarsenes'
end yulgarity amply Justified as denh'
,,or ~ character, Is go cleverly handle'
, that II becomes an effective Toll lot 'h'
,,eIodic heights TO which the composer
r,ses IN the climaXes OF the strange ah'
terrible love scene.
Tho third act begins with a stormy re
sumption OF the folk music. The diihcuitle
- ,bo enormous choral and orchestral en-
.or,h,a are rather more impressive thai
goars commensurate with the muslca
,.ortb NJ the material upon which It's ei
go ara expended. But there result TIVE
oxanIes Of the dance that are notable Th'
erst ~ these, an Apache dance Is
,ya,rd and sinister bit OF realism. The sec
ord q real Neapolitan tarantella, is some
u,hat disappointing In that 1t Is merely
.aIis,tc with the tremendous musica
machine at his command and his seem
lingly inexhaustible control OF It's possloih
ties one regrets that the composer uid no
gee AZ 10 idealize the FORM ana one recai''
,So r,asterpiece OF Llszt which adorns the
literature of the piano.
The elimination OF the opera comes swift
~ and as swiftly is It consummated, WITH
the listeners carried through the gamu'
of all the narrowing emotions. Calm and
transfgured resolved to pay the penalty
NJ his sin with the supreme sacrfhce' the
pitIful figure OF Gennaro stands alone be-
fore the shrine OF the Virgin whose altar
he has despoied to pay the price OF pas
sion. To her he lifts his voice in prayer
For her he guides the knife with certain
hand and as his life ebbs out strives vainlS
"a nile the scattered flowers upon her altar
NEXT WEEK AT METROPOLITAN
Mrs. Homer and Maurice Renaud Will