The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-20
FRIENDLY TIES
STRENGTHENED
Proposed Visit of Poincare to
England Deepens Cordial
T Feelings.
CONFIDENCEIM CREAS ED
He Will Make Trip Without
Waiting for Call From
King George.

| Especial Cable to The Times-Dispatoh. ]
/ Paris April 19.-The projected jour
ney OF President Poincare to England
without waiting for King George to
! come to Paris has strengthened the
| already friendly ties Letweeu France
and England. Each day adds to the
| confidence and liking OF this nation
| for It's executive.
/ Unusual sympathy was shown to NJ
| Poincare this week, when he was
| called away to attend his mothers
funeral This family bereavement has,
| of course. compelled Madame Poincare
to defer entertaining ut the Elysee
But like her husband, she Is we'll
aware that thore Is nothing Paris
| loves less than dull regime, and at
the earliest moment possible she will
resume her social duties
| Tho chief musical event this week in
Paris has been tho production at Opera
Comique of two new works, each In ITS
way OF very genuine interest The
first, charming one-act lyric tale"
named There was Shepherdess" tells
with much charm in speech and tones
OF tho vain efforts OF a bea utiful
princess TO lure n shepherd from his
chosen village sweetheart. Tho Hbret-
TO, by Andre Rivoire Is deftly written
and the music, by young and gifted
no less by Its abundant melody than
by its modern harmony This dainty
work may be worth hearing by Oscar
Hammerstcin and the Aborns.
OF vastly moro Importance. though
less likely to delight Americans, was
three-act opera. entitled. The Old
Home" of Guy Ropartz, n composer
who. until now, has devoted his I'M
usual powers chiefly to symphonies
Ropartz is a'dieclple of tho late Cesar
Franck, who has spent half his life
in Nancy which ancient city he has
made a great music centre.
An Unusual Plot.
The scenes in this opera are laid In
Iceland. and tho unfolding of the plot
requires three singers. but neither
chorus nor ballet. Tho book by
Charles LeGoffio, deals with the trag-
edy of Tual. shipwrccked Breton,
who loves and marries n young Ice
land maid named Koethe. Homesick-
ness sets him yearning for his native
land. and on the arrival of Breton
fishing fleet, he leaves his wife, only
to be swallowed up in dread North
ern quicksand.
In his setting OF this stern and sim
pie tale. the composer has proved him
self n master. His music Is austere
and strangely eloquent; too strenuous,
perhaps, and lacking contrast. but
original. Among its most striking
Ieptsodes are an important prelude,
richly and boldly orchestrated; a
/ haunting Breton air and symphonic
passage lasting seven or eight min
| utcs, played in the last act while Tual
sits at night beside his wife dream
| ing of Brittany.
The approaching production OF
Gabriel Faure's much talked OF opera,
! Penelope" ut the Theatre des Champs
/ Elysces is eagerly awaited here
Pierre Lalo. an exacting critic. after
hearing this work at Monte Carlo said
in his usual fortnight way, that he
considered II not only beautiful, but
the most beautiful of all the operas
heard in our own day. Penelope"
may. therefore. prove godsend for
the new Paris Opera House, which, not
wthstandng the artistic interest of
its performances. has not yet drawn
so we'll was expected
Isador Duncan. who is now dancing
at the Chatelet, says she has not vet
ventured to begin building her dream
theatre in the Rue de Berri, owning TO
continual differences with the Paris
building commissioners. In June Miss
Duncan will sail for South America.
| Fresh from New York. Lima Cava-
lieri Is back once moro at her dainty
home in the Avenue de Messine She
speaks with sadness. but without the
| slightest bitterness. OF her recent ex-
| periences with Mr. Muratore, which
We're. financially, II seems, by no means
| comforting.