The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-27

Of this score ID due to It's lack Of spon-
taneity. The music loving public Ii en-
titled to know that most Of the music !,
not new. The facts In regard to II were
vel, brought out In q lecture on the opera
delivered by Kurt SCHNEIDER on Wedncs
day afternoon. since Mr.. SCHNEIDER hrst
publicly recounted these facts (already
known to some other students Of musIc)
he Is entitled to the credit.
Chatpentier composed In the course Of
his residence In Rome a work called LA
Vie du Poete." which 10 described a. a
symphony drama, or again as n concert
opera. 1t IL In four movements for solo
voices. chorus and orchestra, and the
words are Charpentier's own. This work.
produced at the Grand Opera In 1892.
Ii the basis Of julien" The vocal score
Of the opera heard last evening contains
nearly 500 pages. Of which considerably
more than one.half are taken bodily from
La Vie du Poete." Some ten or dosen
pages are from Louise" and some Others
are cut. The rest 10 new. and what Is
new Ia not important.
In La Vie du Poete" the hrst part
corresponded to the first act Of the opera
and like It was called "Enthusaasm
The second was Doubt and the third
impotence" The fourth part vas ths
Montmartre episode. and . French critic
wrote Of It that here the composer had
ts wild laughter. its grimaces. the crfei
Of It's abandoned women with spirit
and mastery surely musical This Same
commentator spoke fervently OF thu
splendor Of the choruses Of the first part
OF the great charm and poetic color OF th'
second and OF the grandeur and solidit,
OF the ensembles In the third part. HI
SAYS in conclusion that II Is worl
peculiarly personal. the creation OF al
artist Of race and temperament.
All OF this 10 interesting chiefly because
I proves that Charpentier was brough
TO the composition of this so-caliet
| sequel to Louise" not by the irresisuoi'
force of creative thoughts yelling VI
within him but by the desire to pro
stage spectacle. II Ii for this reason
above all others that the opera take
no commanding position. that II passes
before the mind as an interesting. am
bilious and imaginative effort. but al
effort and nothing more. A. bold con
Prominent Of the public BY the artist !
challenges a certain admiration. sinc'
the public. however. Is rather caiiou
creature, II may answer yet again will
the pregnant remark. 1T would nav
| s,gnified much more to confront me Will
a masterpiece"
Prediction Most Admirable.
The production will without doubt b
| long remembered a. one OF the most al
mirable Of Mr.. Gatti-C asaszas direction
Believing, as ne justihably did. that thu
opera ought to have a hearing. he slighte
| IL In no particular. The scenes are note
worthy ACHE vements OF the scene painter
art. The costuming. mechanical devices
groupings, lighting and action-ail
which call for the complete technical r.
sources of the modern stage-are ade
auate and most beautiful. The musica
| Interpretation. confided to the skill an
intelligence Of Maestro Giorgio Polacco
| liz ideal. Here indeed all Things ar
brought into harmony.
| without question Julien Is one or IN
| most difficult roles offered to a teno
| at any period OF opera MIR. Caruso de
serves hearty praise for what he has &C
complished wit II. The part Is out G
his territory. II is profoundly r.
Elective study. and 1t would be hard 10 mn
any singer who could quite meet It's de
mands. Ms. Caruso sings II with beau.
of tone and with sympathy. He acts
| with sincerity and with devotion. bu
| IL would be idle to say that he rea@;s
all its possibilities. To MI the role
tenor should be an actor Of great imasina
ton, Of extraordinary skill In the nuanc,
Of face. gesture and pose. OF Unborn undei
| standing Of the niceties OF French dict!ol
Miss Farrar succeeds better with Louis
and her consecutive reimbodiments. pei
haps because they require less subtlet!
She Is least convincing as = Eranunoths
and most no as the Grsefte. In tn
last guise she makes the wreck OF IL
ideal something really terrible. She hs
added to her gamut Of expression laus
which she might have learned some whei
In the regions OF Dantes Inferno Muc
praise has been awarded to Miss Farrar
acting when she was merely erratic. ]
this episode she Is an artist to her fngt
tips. II she had any great music to sin
something special might be said OF hi
vocal art. But her triumph In this opei
is in the scale she sweeps from the swe'
Louise and the gentle peasant to u
really grisly GrSsetfe.
These two carry the burden Of Il
opera on their shoulders. Mr.. Gilly WI
the High Priest In his several avatar
Mr.. Ananian and Mr.. Reiss were Il
scoifers In temple and street. But viii
the minor singers had to do was NJ
prominent The chorus had been we
drilled, and the small parts were we
done. The excellent orchestra OF II
,,.ra hnusa v,la yaa ahare ~ the VOf