Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-04
Lyrical Drama
based NODeI
Music Triumph
Romance of a Belgian Genius
inspires a Composition of
Exquisite Quality.

There has been presented this sea-
son in BRUSSELS lyrical drama which
has attracted much attention Its
success was immediate. 1t is based
ON the Male" of Camille Lemon
nicer. The master, now departed,
and with the majority, was most
skilfully aided by his collaoorateur,
NJ. Henri Cain, and the production Is,
in some sort, an answer to such a
question as that asked in a recent
article in Harper's Weekly Musical
Comedy. What is the matter With
it?"
M. Cain. as an experienced theatri-
cal enterpreneur and stage manager,
did the work on the libretto, know
ing. perfectly well what to preserve or
sacrifice of the original. Thus all
the dramatic power of the book, all
its lyrical quality and all its passion
ate realism have been retained, syn
thetised in scenes logically bound
together and in it's ensemble produce
ing a moving and ineffaceable inn
| preston.
Praise for the Libretto.
/ The libretto is extremely well-writ-
| ten and the language remains, as in
| the romance imaginative and noble,
at the same time picturesque and
| to use a much-abused and hateful
modern gripping"
The musical collaborateur,
F'renchman, NJ. Francis Casadesus,
| seized with the spirit of the work of
| Lemonnier, and greatly admiring the
author, has done his part as if pay
ing a tribute to the genius who Gre
ated the background for his music.
| Indeed, NJ Casadesus has so written
the score that it seems as if he were
engaged in a task imposed by
pious desire to acclaim the glories
of his master in a tonal hymn of tri-
umph.
As one studies this music one Is
at once struck by it's conscience, its
elan and what one is tempted to de-
scribe as its good faith. Above all, is
| it remarkable for its Wondrous SYM
pathy with what in the novel is ag
gressive force, primordial strength, I'M
restricted pantheism, communion with
nature in its widest freedom and the
| instincts of a humanity purely and
| beautifully savage.
No Striving for Originality.
| NJ. CasadeSuS wastes no time in q
vain search for Fictitious original
| ity. His style is steady, his thematic
invention is copious, of wondrous
| constance, of a breath warm and
seductive. His harmony, his orches-
tration, his accomplishments, his pre-
ludes and his symphonic intermedia-
ries transpose, as it were, into mu-
steal language, the ample descrip-
lions, the sylvan terrain and the rus.
tic tabeaux that constitute the prin-
cipal charm of the romance of Le-
monnier.
In fine. the composer has achieved
the extraordinary feat of transmit
ting into musical numbers the meas
ured and balanced prose of a great
master. And these musical equa-
sions are, not less than the original,
| glorious in rhythm, dazzling in color
and embroidered with a wealth OF
tonal nuances grateful to the ear and
to the sensibilities Of the musician.
The dawn of day in the forest nota-
bly, is represented in a musical par
aphrase, demanding unrestrained en-
thusiasm and praise, -
The third act of this lyrical drama
is undoubtedly the best, as is ad-
mitted. But the whole composition
is Solid intense beyond words. and
above all, impregnated with that fer
vor for art that is a fast-vanishing
! quality.