New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-07
JULIEN AGAIN SUNG
AT METROPOLITAN
Big Audience at Second
Performance of French
Composers Work.

Gustaye Charpentier's Julien" which on
/ Thursday OF last week received its first
production on any stage outside of Paris
was repeated last night. and the Metro
politan Opera House held one OF the larg-
est audiences in its history The con
junction OF the name OF Enrico Caruso
with that OF work which. whatever
he its shortcomings, has by the very
nature OF its subject an appeal lacking
in the usual work Of the lyric stage Was
certain to prove potent during the pre-
mer performances To the service of
music Mr.. Charpentier has Joined that o.
symbolistic philosophy, and II such
marriage has proved q m6SdHidHco 1t has
none the less caused widespread public
interest Yet Mr. Charpentier had his an
thority. Wasners "Parsifal' was writ
ten in a symbolic vein and even Mozart's
Magic Flute has been asserted 20
possess mystic Masonic meanings. With
aid of supreme musical genius the diiii-
Guilty OF such subjects may be overcome.
but II Gustave Charpentier is a genius
he Is in julien" neither Wagner nor
a Mozart: and both his music and his
symbolism lack the austerity OF treat
ment which would mark the man upon
whose brow was the imprint Of the spr-
itual creator. II is in the last act. when
his music riots amid carnal rejoicinSs,
that the genius which shone forth In
Louise blazes out again.
Yet. especially IN the second act in the
scene I'm Slovonia, there is much beautiful
and Characteristic music; much music OF
is not original. lie has gone 10 the folk
songs OF Slavic lands, songs whose sad
ness has expressed With exquisite pathos
the weakness and doubt OF the people
from whose hearts they sprung. This
scene is Cenominated Doubt" All who
know and love the literature and nlusin
OF the Slav know what this word means
among these peasant peoples. France.
the land of enthusiasm, OF glory, has
never doubted long, and n was but na.-
ural that the composer should in this
scene have turned his thoughts eastward.
Here he did well, and the choruses ~
laborers and reapers have in them
poetry that the rest Of the opera lacks.
The choruses in the first act are difficult
and resounding. but the music, Ike tho
scene ITSELF seems too often hollow and
even cheap. a mere outburst of garish
color. The true Palace of Beauty is surely
not the dream of a Concy Island barker,
and yet in julien" this appears 10 be the
conception both Of the composer and the
scene painter The Breton scene IL In
formed with n deeper sincerity, yet from
dramatic viewpoint IL is probably the
weakest Of all. The last act, horrible and
pessimistic almost beyond belief, will yet
determine the popular success OF tho
opera. The audience leaves the theatre
with the macabre dance rhythms and the
street girls helllsh laughter as tho flnal
notes; and It leaves with an impression
that is ineffaceable.
Again was evident Mr. Gatti-Casazza'
sincere intention 20 make the most OF the
opera. The chorus sang with splendid
resonance Of tone and impeccable intona-
ton, Mr. Polacco led the orchestra with
superb spirit and the stage pictures were
admirably managed M Caruso was iu
better voice than at the first performance.
and showed signs of compromising the
h,comprehenshle hero. Miss Farrar was
not in as good voice. but her sweetness IN
the first three sencs and her terrible
realism in the last make her impersono-
tions things to be long remembered Mr..
Gilly was in his triple role the fine artist
that he ever il. Tie audience displayed
not little enthusiasm and called the
artists time and again before the curtain
after each act.