The evening world., 1912-01-29
WOE-Ferrari
His
"TAe NeW Life''
Cantata, Set
to Dante's Text of His
Love for Beatrice,
Cicen a Fine Presenta.
fation In Italian at the
metropolitan Opera
House.
BY RAWLING.

cantata La Vita Nuova' ("The
New Life"). get to portions Of
Dants's text, was presented at the
Metropolitan Opera House last night
under the direction Of the composer,
With Alma Glrck and PasQuale Amato
y h solo voices. Richard Hageman at
the plano. Hans G. M~orsensteln at the
osgan. the full chorus Of the opera
house. assisted by a boy choir. under
ne guidance % Giuiio setti. and. OF
course. the orchestra. The work was
composed in 1901. performed frs. in
Munich in tho spring Of 1908. and sung
fur this first time In New York on Dec.
4, 1901. by the Oratorio Society under
the direction OF DR.. Frank Damrosch.
md repeated In tho following season.
lowed closely the score.
Both previous performances here were
tn English; last nights performance was
In italian. There was no book Of the
words on sale last night and the pro-
grAmne text OF the opening words Of
he paragraphs was in English. a con-
fusing thing to most OF the audience.
e needed the beautiful Dance OF An
gsis" by the orchestra, and the return
az II. and the explosive chorus "Ah!" to
let man, people know how far the pro-
gsamme had proceeded. Surely. IL We
may not Be permitted 20 hear our WI
tongue upon the stage. the indiccs to the
tsxt should DO In tho language used by
the singers. But la Vita NuovA." like
tie opera la Dome Cur.ose" by the
-ssme composer. and Leo Blech's Yer
siegeit.'' both new here this season. Is
IN object lesson TO music lovers of the
advantages to be gained by hearing
singing In the %vernacular.
pente's l~ove-paest0n FOR Beatrice
when ne was nine and she was eight,
which he immortalised in prose ana
verse when he was grown up. II the
subject Of Mr.. wolf-Ferrarfs cantata-
It Is divided into q prologue and two
parts. The prologue 10 a glorihcation
Of love. In It the soprano voice. typi-
flying Beatrice. sings:
And who, beholding me. knows naught
OF Loves strange yearning.
Then hove to him shall ever be hidden
treasure.
In the irst part the ~baritone-in the
character OF the poet hImself-slngs 4
sonnet. beginning:
within my lady's eyes love sits en-
throned.
Thus she ennobles all on which she
gazeth.
The first part includes an intermexzo
an orchestral interlude and . chorus,
'Lo. Now an Angel Calleth." In the
second part the baritone has " fine
solos. 80 pure and fair" and Weary,
so weary OF Infinite signing" The or.
chestra' depicts the death Of Beatrice
and the chorus sings that stirring
"Ah." The music throughout. both for
voices and orchestra. 10 beautiful. never
failing TO convey spiritual upnft with
the prevailing passion.
Alma Gluck mi exQuie'tely her part
which ends with the prologue. save fol-
her four words Just before the end. 81
dwell in peace" which she dld not slM
last night. Amato. who carried the
burden Of the solo work, never has suns
bstter or 20 convincingly. His rich
voice reflected every sentiment OF the
text and was full OF tenderness. The
chorus was adm!ra bio, and MT. Setti. who
had trained Il, well deserved the cur
tain call that Mr.. Wolf Ferrari forced
him to take. The orchestra played de-
lightfuily and the composer himself
proved q really excellent conductor. Ill
wAs warmly greeted upon his entrances
to the orchestra pit and recalled MAN,
times at the end by . very ia.ss audi
ence.
Before the cantata there was a miscel'
lsneous concert conducted by JOSEF
P~asternack. In which Florence Wick
ham and Carl Burrian were the soloists