New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-09
GOOSE GIRL OPERA
AND MISS FARRAR
A Glance at the Stable Ele-
ments in the Operatic
RepertOry.

Intervals a. desire to make q retaliation
of the works in the current repertory for
the purpose OF determining their effect
uron popular taste and tho probability of
their endurance after time puts an end to
the reign OF the singers whose popularity.
rather than the operas themselves. now
fixes the character OF the list. So FAR as
Wacner's operas are concerned apecula-
ton long ago came TO an cnd. They viii
endure as long as there Is "A German con-
tingent in the Metropolitan organization
10 perform them They have become The
strong prom of the institution outside of
that phase Of rs activities which rests
chiefly upon fad and fashion
There have been few more Italian
novelties within the last decade than Ger
mcn. hut the rcrntagc OF failures IN Inc
two lists has been about the same In
the FIVE years OF Mr Conricd s. admins
tration there were but two permanent az
ditions to the German rcpertOry Parsi-
fall" an "Hanscl md Grctel'-the latter
new only To Tho theatre and I'm It's employ
mont OF the language iu which II was
written Goldnarks "konigin Won Saoa'
which mad filed an interesting chapter IN
the early history Of the theatre. could
not maintain itself. "Salome' fell under
the ban OF the owners of the ouidlns'
and the two opo.ettas. "Flodermaus ana
INSTRUMENTATION" though they reflected
Mr. Conried's ideals had no place M an
esta blshment conducted or the lines OF
the Metropolitan opera. Mr.. Gattis efforts
I'm behalf OF the German list have been
both wiser and more generous that Mr..
Conried's were. OF new works By German
COMPOSERS he has brought forward O Al
bert's "Tefand' Humperdinck's 'ko-
nigskinder,' Thuille's "Looetanz'
Blech's "Ncrsiegelt" and Richard
Strauss "Rosenkavalicr." He gave pro-
duction to the Bohemian opera The Bar
tered Bride" and the Russian "Pique
Dame" in German. Smetanas opera may
be said still to possess the germs of life,
though circumstances make IL seem NOR
ibund. 'Tiehand" and "Lobetanz' never
secured firri footing. As a more than
dignifed offset TO Conried's dailiance
with operetta Mr.. Gatu. under the
guidance OF Mr Dippel made
attempts TO revive Flotow's "Stradella
and IOrtzng's Gear ind Zimmermann'
for the experiment at opera comlque in
The New Theatre They were unsuccess-
ful, but their failure brought 10 humilia-
ton 10 performers or management They
were found TO be t-moded-cOuld not be
made to III into the present day. Der
Rosenkavalier" is on trial this season,
and there is no present need to speculate
about It's future.
Real vitality. though not so much as is
possessed by its companion. "Hansel una
Gretel." has been shown by "konisskin-
der" which had its first representation
this season al the Metropolitan last night
1t may be that the burden Of keeping II
alive rests largely on the fair shoulders
of Miss Farrar but the fact remains that
il has had sixteen subscription perform
ances lone more than the normal QUOTA
within the three seasons OF its HE and
seven representations in the extra hst.
Its record i'm this respect is as good, we
fancy, as any opera in the regular hst
That il does not possess the charm OF
"HAnsel und Gretel' is due TO number
of causes There is some smell of mid
night oil in the music, and more than a
few evidences Of inspiration waiting on
reflection This is not TO be won
dered at, for the operate score is
revision and augmentation or melo-
dramatic score made when it was thought
by the lbrettist and composer that the
time had come for another attempt at A
revival Of the ancient Greek style OF ORA
matte defamation. which lowered be-
tween speech and sorg. Then, for those
who understand. there is much turgidity
of speech and much unnecessary symbol
ism in the text. and for everybody too
much Of everything in every act. The un-
cons cionable protraction of the last scene
has never failed 10 mar the enjoyment
which the work always brings 20 the Sc
rious lovers Of the beautiful in scenery
action. song. and their orchestral accom-
panment and complement. But the charm
of beautiful melody, OF Miss FarraT
beautiful acting and eloquent singing. the
fine characterization of the poetic figure
Of der Fiedelmann. prosaically denomi-
mated the Fiddler" but signifying much
more in German romance, by Mr.. Goritz'
the graphic delineation of other types OF
Teutonic story by Mr.. Reiss and Miss
Mattfeld the touching pathos OF the pres
Client children-a true poetic touch-the
beautiful orchestral music and the lovely
stage pictures-there is no need 10 par
tcularize further-all give warrant OF con-
tinued existence To "Konigskinder' and
awaken the hope that with operas like
Boris Godounow' and - Amore del Tre
Re" il may prove a permanent enricn-
ment 10 the Metropolitan repertory and
stand the establishment i'm good stead
when the inevitable crisis reaches il IN
which the popular idols shall he no more.
The only members new TO the cast last
night were the Wcodcutter of Basil Rugs
daal and the innkeeper of Robert Leon
bardt Mr.. Ruysdael proved himself a
worthy successor 20 Mr. Didur. giving 10
tho character tang Of true originality
tyne quite In the German low comedy
tradition. In addition his diction was
unusually clear. Mr.. Leonhardt was
amusing IN his small part.
The audience was fine one and showed
o. keen interest i'm all that was proceed
| 10. a fact which becomes more and more
evident As the years pass. TO the gratih-
cs,,on of those who have always believed
in the vitality Of Engelbert Humper-
dinck's latest work.