New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-28

operas should be lyric dramas: that Is,
that their texts should appeal to the in
teligence as their music does 10 the SEN
ses. Commonplace accept a poetic dress
in Italian and also measurably in French
which makes them negligible II not toll
cradle Against many of them the Anglo
Saxon mind cannot hut rebel. II trans
lstions are endured in foreign countries.
il is only because as rule the masses do
not care whit about the words which
the singers utters. 1t is first the singer.
then the tune and only after that the
text which makes appeal TO the crowd.
PoIyelot Opera.
From an artistic point OF view, that
which considers the play as well as the
music the policy which has prevailed at
the Metropolitan Opera House for twenty
wears of performing operas in the lam
guage employed by libret'ist and COM
poser is incOntestable. II is only thus
that their integrity can be preserved
and up TO now. at any rate II Is only
thus that good performances could be
II may prevail so that ii may be applied
In that happy day when there shalI De
more than one English opera introduced
in the repertory each season. For such
contamination the outlook is not al all
gloomy. Mr. Gatu has not been at all
DISCOURAGED by his past experiences ana
has already accepted an opera composed
by Victor Herbert for performance next
wear. Recalling the doleful experiences
made with "Natoma." ii seems possible
that the directors zeal or complaisance
may here have outstripped his discretion
II is no longer necessary Of never was
necessary for that matter) TO institute
competition for an opera Tor the Met
ronolitan. There are enough able coHh-
nosers in America eager to write an opera
IN insure at least an interesting expert
ment every year so long as Mr.. Oatu Is
Wiling IN make il. Several men OF more
than national reputation, living In Bos-
ton. alone are known TO be AT WORK upon
lyric dramas. among them Mr.. converse,
who composed THE Pipe OF Desire ahS
MIR Loeffler from whom something rare
and original is TO he expected IL
Parker is employing his time during
cohhatical release from labor al \ ale
I-ni,,.rsi,v in composing work OF mag
nitude I'm the restful enVirons OF Mu-
MICH II is at least possible tnh' t"aI
work is another opera. II would ne
-reat pitv If Mr.. Gatti should prove 70
have been precipitant IN accepting
,york from the composer OF "Natoms'
rostiuo Ieute is wise proverh when such
of
baete more speed might have been mace
toward the ultimate goal Oh H"s''S"
opera.
Enolish Words and Music.
I, &c not enough that the book OF an
r,.i,sb opera be written in English IL
Let also be composed in English. Inc
nvhlic's experience with Mr.. Damrosch
onera did not change IN the couiso
tho five representations which '5i""o
received in the season when receHlS
came TO an end. In the review at'er inc
erst performance which appeared III i"0
Trihune the writer did not attempt u
o,nortion the blame for the fact that no
- ~ the text was ineligible TO inc
a,,aiance than would have been the case
- onv one of the three foreign IAN
,uages employed at the Meropo"'a"
oners House been used. Instead ne co"-
tented himself with directing atteht'oh
,,,,,h considerable particularly 10 the ere
.,s unon which intelligibility depends
cu,,soouent hearings and closer study Oh
.ho vocal score supplied large pody VI
evidence showing that the style IN "h''"
the music was written was Al ieas. 40
much responsible for the unintelieipii'S
90 tho performance as the faui'y oiclioh
=, tho singers. The lbretto was III no
ntsa IN blame: Mr.. Henderson lines were
yearly all admirably adapted 10 eApres-
s,ye song whether the style CHOSEN U!
ou,noser was the frankly lyrical ana
,oa,o mr. that which substitutes exalted
soo,a,ra tion for old-fashioned song Many
- tho lines. however. were crusheo ny
~, orcbestration, and some were set IN
rocal a manner that the ciearest
o,o,ion and pronunciation conceiVaoie
,,a nov. left them obscure. This is
49, -, ,ault in works Of the modern
,yne which rest heavily on the o'c"es'ra
clement and In which the composers so,"e
.,r,.s extract the tones with which 'ney
ea,.or, the words from the ihstru'heh'".
fabric instead OF making the Instruments.
art an accompaniment TO the meiooy
generated by the poetry
Thu Need Of English Training
After all this. however, there remained
-. TACT that the singers were also at
fault a fact which was emphasized oy
tho circumstance that the foreigners IN
IN. cast. especially Mr. Reiss. were more
snoc.ssf,,I than the singers to whom the
,,nouaee Of the book was native. TINS
~. into court the need Of special train