New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-29
ARUSSIAN OPERA OF
FORCE and BEAUTY
The Unique Triumph of
Boris GOdOunOW" and
Its NatiOnaliSm.

Boris Godounow." which had its first
performance at the Metropolitan Opera
House last night for this season. bids fair
to be more than a seven days wonder.
II was brought out for the first time last
March. and made a hit-at any rate, II
caused comment. much of which had I'M
der IL a substratum OF surprise. Ii also
drew large audiences and was much
applauded. which from conventional
point of view was surprising So again
last night. There is no tenor in the opera
dear to the souls OF the claque; no So
prano. nor even n barytone. There was
not even an aria, so to speak, In the
first act. and yet the applause was so
hearty and long continued when the cur
tain closed for the first time that II had
10 be opened again and again. and finally
two gentlemen in evening dress appeared
and bowed their ACCOMPLISHMENTS. At
first general feeling of mystihcation,
then a gradual dawning upon the public
mind that the stage manager, Jules
Speck and the chorus master. Giulia
Setti, had taken" a curtain sall. There
are many things which are difficult 10
find out about our opera, but nobody has
ever suspected that there was a stage
managers or chorus masters claque: so
the ordinary explanations OF a curtain
call failed dismally to account for the
phenomenon.
1t would be a pleasant thing to believe
that a Metropolitan opera audience has
so far forgotten old habits as 10 be in
10, 10
and yet last nights demonstration COM
bined with some of last seasons occur
rences tempted TO that belief. Perhaps II
might be easier to think so II there were
more operas like Boris Godounow," with
their elemental appeal which ignores all
the conventional notions OF the popular
plaything called opera. Art works which
are as strong as IL is require no explana-
ton. Even to those who go to hear and
see them with careless mind they carry
conviction. IL is dominated by one great
tragic Character-as Macbeth" and
Lear" are-but as whole II Is a chap
ter out Of the life Of a people, and the
composer by the grace OF genius has
found a musical voice for that people,
and spoken its accents so forcibly that
not understand. Perhaps IT is the honest
barbarlsm which is still in the hearts OF
the Russian people and pulsates In their
art which makes Boris and some other
OF their musical compositions so appeal
ing: II so. II would be an intellectual ana
moral refreshment II some other peoples
could return to some OF their natiVe
forcefulness and honesty OF expression.
Mr.. Didur was again the figure around
which the tragic picturesqueness OF the
opera centres, but there were many
people new TO the cast who might be
talked about II they were not all over
Swallowed by the great fact of the opera
Itself. For instance. there was a csarn-
ing and vOcaily eloquent and ear-hlIlnS
Theodore In the person OF Miss SOPHIE
Braslau, who was seen for the hrst Tune
on the Metropolltan's stage. and also
now representative whose art was as
mature az 1t was beautiful-Mme. Obef
Marina. To comment in detail, however
seems invld!ous In a case in which the
great and lasting pleasure came from
the performance as a whole. so let the
cast be appended: