New-York tribune., 1912-02-21
MUSIC
a NOVELTY IN FRENCH OPERA
Massenet's "Cendrillon" at the
Metropolitan Opera House.

The operate organization whose artlsuc
course is directed by Andreas Dippel Cof
Protean fame) and Cleofonte Campanini,
but which poor, benghted New Workers. can-
not designate with surety. because they do
not know whether obcsance Is first to be
made to Chicago or 10 Philadelphia, pro-
duced an opera new 10 New York at the
Metropolitan Opera House last night. In
the last instance it does not matter whether
II was the Chicago Opera Company or the
philadelphia Chicago Opera Company when
did the gracious deed. In any event, II was
the old Manhattan Opera House Company,
revised and lmproved-not by the author
which performed the opera in pursuance OF
an old policy. The work was Massenet
"Cendrilon." To some it may have looked
like challenge 10 the Metropolitan man
agement, which. for good and sufficient bus'-
ness and artistic reasons, has shown an eX-
traordinary indifference to French opera
this season. But there are wheels within
wheels, and 1t does not require much logic
10 account for the paucity of trench opera
this year, or a very large prophetic sense 10
predict that il will return again next sea-
son to It's deserved position in the Metro
rolitan Opera House. II is not question
Of longitude but of business-with our grahu
opera companies working on the lines OF
trust against which IT would be unamiaDle
as well as unwise 10 raise a complaint AZ
present. since we owe It so much enjoyment
The story of "Cendrillon" is more or less
the story Of cinderella" and inasmuch
as Massenet produced his opera six years
after Humperdinck had set the whole
European stage afre nguratively speak
ingj with his operatic version of the nur-
serv tale "IIansel und Gretel." II is not
much 70 be wondered at that the writer OF
the hook. Henri Cain (whom We know as
the literary author of La Navarraise, = ana
M Massenet should have feared lest public
and critics should think that they had been
influenced in their choice of subject oy
the German authors Mr. Cain went so far
as 10 write a letter on the SUBJECT 10
Adolphe Julien, in which he said that ne
and NJ. Massenet had been dallying with
the story Of Cinderella, and had even
sketched their opera before Humperdinck
had launched his delightful opera But ne
needed not to have taken the trouble. In
the first place "Hansel und GreteI e1is'en
as a private play for the family OF the
sister Of the composer some time before II
became an opera In the next place
there had been operas based on
nurserv-and even on that OF Cinderella
tales long before Massenet and Henri Cam
dreamed Of the lyric drama. There was
French "Cendrllon' as early as l'59' stei-
belt q very considerable musical fellow
who carried everything before him until he
tried his mountebank tricks against Bee
thoven I'm Vienna, won a largo reputation
with an opera on the same subject which
he prodUccd in 81. Petersburg In 1909
Tsouard brought out Cinderella opera in
1910. and II Is possible still To hear occa-
sionalIv an aria from Rossinis "Ceneren-
tola." which had its first performance In
1917 and I'm which Alboni made "A triumph.
Had uptoward circumstances inteTvened We
should have heard "Ccndrillon" some years
ago from the New Orleans Opera Company,
whose most precious legacy 70 New York
WAS Nine. Brcssler-G -Gianolis Carmen. The
public may easily be forgiven for forget
ting such things. but II is less pardonable'
I'm historians to falsify the record by stat
ing. as the Fronchmen. Clement and La
rousse. and the German. Hugo Riemann. do
state, that Manoel Popolo Garcia. who in
troduced Italian opera in New York some
eIghty-seven years ago. also produced
Cinderella opera in his short New York
season. As a matter Of fact ho brought
forward two operas OF his own composition.
but the Cinderella opera which h. gave
was Rossinrs Thus carelessly s. history
made.
But, after all, 1t does not much matter
II "Cendrillon," which we heard last night.
had preceded "Hansol und Gretel" by half
q hundred years, az II was preceded by the
other French and Italian operas on the
same subject II would not be better IN
tho estimation Of contemporary criticism
than II Is. Somewhere in Romaine Rol-
lands interminabc Jean Chrstophe"
tbereNis an intimation that no matter what
French composers try to do and be there
is a little Massenct at the bottom Of their
hearts Pcrhaps-wC have no timc 10
analyze- ROLAND meant his remark TO be
a compliment 70 the most prolific and sue
cessfnl OF French operate composers. II he
had "Ccndrillon" and "Hansel und Gretel"
In his mind. however, the observation must
have been cruelty critical. There IS moth
iug which makes Humperdincks nursery
opera appealing, charming, compelling to
the intellect as well az the emotions which
Is 10 DC SET ny lIt fIIt lbI d HlDIltHl VI
the French setting Of the tale of Cinderella.
which is no more the property Of the
French people than OF any other. IIumper-
dinck did wonders by treating his fairy
tale in the same manner that Wagner
treated the ancient Teutonic myths, using
the same musical system with wonderful
skill hut taking his musical themes, as he
took his literary, out of the mouths of the
children who love the story, VI. Massenct
cid nothing Of the sort. lie took a familiar
nursery tale. and, regardless OF everybody
and everything mot only aided and abetted
but led on by his librettsD. made an opera
in his style out of it-with his delightful
mastery Of the technique of composition.
his complete understanding Of the value Of
contrasts, his grace and elegance OF melodic
and harmonic expression. But not once did
he introduce the atmosphere Of the old
nursery tale into it. lie and Henri Cain
made o conventional opera out of it, and
when Mr.. Dippel made us accept Mary
Garden as the representative Of Prince
Charming, he asked MS TO take leave not
only of our appreciation Of beauty I'm song
but also Of poetry and grace I'm dramatic
pose and action. All that he left us was ad-
miring appreciation of the conducting and
singing Of Miss, or Nine. Maggie Teyte
The talents of other artists like Dufranne
and Huberdeau were wasted. II. T.. X.