New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-23
A SECOND 'MANON' OPERA
Miss Farrar'S Beautiful Imper-
Sonation of MaSSenet'S Heroine.

Some very delightful impressions made
| I'm the last fortnight Of last season at the
Metropolitan opera House were revived
/ there lastnight. when Masscnets 'Manon
: was performed If audiences were always
/ fin. same and memories r~tentiN" IT "o"d
suf,ic. for to-day's record and review 10
! stat. that the singers were the same ~
/ las, season and that Signor ToscaninI
conducted 40 he did ten months ago
mt su,ii.nces ahahee and memories are
! fugitive. and 50 IL H. the duty OF ono VINO
tri.s TO inform the puhh, OF the progress
| ,r musical occurrences in IN" ihtuop'''
o., say something about tn" performance
~ IA, French opera. which is better suns
and acted pv Mr.. Gltti.s artists IMAM any
other work lu their French rrp'rt"rN.
| ,ornparison of Ma,seners opera WIN
Ip.t founded on The sam" story D! rue
,iui which preceded IL this season al U''
,,,r. bousr. rs an inviting theme. pit 80
,,',.,,td m. a study of all the musical YER
! con. which Abht Prtvosts romance has
r.c.,.od espe,lalIy that made Dy Auo"r.
! of which the only fragment when seems
10 have reached this side oil Tue N.'','''''
/ .. tine laughing song praised hF p''N'"s
and sung most iutecuouS.N' as S"i"' ~
Iu4, readers OF this revI'" may '''''''"
t..- hv carlotta PatU. AubeIS score
,nuld providc some curious study Io'
,r..,pt dav uatioualists 300 music. ''-
! ....,,... At IFS use OF what ID" composer De
Iucyed Co bc negro dances ana coz
songs Perhaps there ~as some am,
c,, orara' in the lattcr-day score "I u'e
! ,.,.,,,,,'s., of Fra Dlayo.O and Ia
Muctt, de- Porticl.
The question ought TO o" su'In''''' w.
| r,. <.tionaI society for the Performance
| of Grand Opera iu EnSlISn. "i"'" "'.
! ,d,.,rce the cause OF musical 'd"'au""
bv arranging production oI tnt ~.
! ,l,pr with Bristow's KIP "a" " Jim"
and one oil two other American "P'' A.
| Then too il might with great W'P',,'
| u,,bIisb a protest AGAINST the Shau''
! treatment which the region a"o"t W"
ORLEANS received AT tho hands "i i"y'' '"
,. ti, IhrettIst i'm their "Manon Les
! -, md commitment Mcssrs. MeIIii'''
cam aud Massonet for killing OF th'"
! -. b,for. she reached the American
! shore 49, ,to
I, is not only in this feature thar inc
Frcuch opcratic version of Provost SUI
! differs from the Italian. the Ial'''' I'M
! corit..s opera book omits the scene
! -, is moi only one OF the higher Hsh'7
! ,,,, wrench romance. Lut also marks
a.. cl,,,a. Of excellence In Massenet ;
score-thc scene In the seminary "
| su1uicc For this scene so 'sS'"''"'
! tor "a
- complcte exposition OF the 'hdI"''''
| Nt,ron as well as the 'heNa"''
! criouv Nassenet was willing To sdc' NV
| 49,. ;..,idort nj the cmbarkation AT haN'e
! -, y,bicb Puccini made 50 nu'h' anu ~
r,scanini. TO reach the climax qu''N'''
| .ruin,, ia sacrifice MasscnetS 'o"lS w
:, po,rc scene. which is partly gdi"
,,,, .le, partlv A loss. Tor it deprlves the
! -, ~ some of the daintiest or hIS
| oi,,b,ccutb century music-the Wluu't
| against which the 'heEaHer I"'"'' ''.'
Nanon hold converse. II IS IN NasS''e' =
usa NJ such devices i'm his dialogue ''"'
an. Of the chief charms OF MS up Z"
,.,.,siets. hut the conventional market
sc.ro with its huckstering chorus can
| easily be- spared. a.
! 1, ,co,ld he difficult 10 overpralse MISS
Esrrar's Impersonation of Menon' "hlch
IL equally potent in il appeal to the eye
rho ear. the Imagination and the emo
lions Very completely, Indeed does she
realize Alfred de Musscts apostrophe 70
the pretty sinner as the romanclng anne
/ created her;
Manon. sphinx ttonnant Nerltao.e SIREN
| o'mur trois fois fcminin. que Je | anne q
| L. hals,
so far as the librettist and composer nav
rormitted the creation 20 stand, Tor they
have purged her. rs well as her unhappy
lcyer Of some of the viciousness winch
prsvost thought essential for the purpose
NJ invoking sympathy for the pair. hut
that is an old procedure IN opera Inc
tears Of Verdi's Violetta, mingled VIII"
,bose who lear her Gran Do, WASH the
LADY Of the Camellias in innocency. Sls-
NOR caruso creates no illusion Tor the
owe. so far as his appearance goes on
the contrary. he is distinctly disturoihG'
But he sings Massenets sentimental music
| ovnuisiteIv I'm the first and second acts
and with Overwhelming intensity AFTER the
entrance Of the tragic element. ana the eye
&c prone TO grant him pardon. H. r.. N
!