The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18
AMERICAN TO STAR
IN NEW COMIC OPERA.
Berlin 10 Hear Miss Painter in
First Performance Of
"Mandragola."
MAY BIZ PRODUCED HERE
Book Dates From sixteenth
Century and l. Of Boo
caccian Type.
sD.cio, 'abN Despatch 10 Tnr Sch.

s1.c,o, ,abN B,soatch 10 Tnt sen
BERLIN, Jan. i;.--"Ma ndra COLA" new
comic opera, me chief motif OF which Is
ridicule Of marriages between "December'
and MAY" with n piousnt satire that is
highly erotic. will be produced for the
Afet time a, tho big Deuteche Oper here
On January oS.
The new opera. which the composer
Aopss 10 ser produced on broadway this
season, n ny Herr Irnatz waghaiter. a
Wei known conductor, who aside from his
@ueical compositions has mad" q repu-
tation for himself by his ability in d.
6psr.
Eleanor Painter. who three years ago
was leading soprano In nr patkhursts
church In New York and H. now American
prima donna ~ the Deutschc Opsr, was
selected by the composer 20 sing the lead
ing role.
The new opera Ia of the erotic Boo
caccian type. H. plo: ~ q fer more
''piQuant" than "RosenkaNa,ie- The
music Is beautiful in parts and Herr Wag
halter unsteady has decidedly made the
best use Of lhretto ths- may prove
even q little strong for the Germans, who
ASe not NJ all inclined to he prudish.
The pilot revoives around .hr folly
81 old men marrying young women. The
eook dates from the sixteenth century
The scene is laid In Florence
Beatrice. n beautifui. innocent. Young
Girl, IL forced by her merccuarv mother
Into marrying pandolfo. a wealthy bu.
aged sutton. Pandolfo's greatest wish
10 the birth Of an heir. He walls bitterly
over his disappointment until al his
friends know about II.
Florio. a young Italian. has seen Bea-
trice and has fallen in love with her with
true Italian fervency. Florio's friend
conspires 70 fool Pandolfo. They tell
him OF wonderful plant called Man
dragola." which has the virtue OF bring
5nR happiness to the homes of the child
less. He wants IL and Is willing to give
half his fortune for II.
Florio. disguised as an old man. Is
introduced in Fandolfos home as the
physician who can administer the treat
ment. Pandolfo IL told he must leave the
physician alone with the young WIFE and
that he must not even listen at the key
hole of the door" When the aged hus-
band leaves the room Florio tears on his
gray beard and his wig drops on his
knees and tells the amazed young wife
that he loves her.
In the last act a full Italian moon Is
seen through the window. Florio. once
more in disguise, has finally come to
pandolfo's big palace 70 administer the
'Mandragola cure" The curtain drops
- the great doctor" Florio leads
Beatrice away. while Pandolfo is in
eSsens! oN'r tnc nHppiness mat Is about
To come to him.
The book. strongly suggestive H. parts,
AFFORDS much opportunity for satire upon
marriage. Eleanor Painter sings the role
OF Beatrice. for which She Is peculiarly
adapted by her pleasing personality and
the rare quality OF her voice. Herr
Kirchner, tenor. sings Florio and Julius
Liaban Pandolfo. There are a number
of smaller roles,
II admit" said Herr Waghalter to THE
Sun correspondent, that the opera Is
somewhat erotic IN It's plot. but / believe
thar the music and Eleanor Painters
beautiful singing ana clever and delicate
acting Will redeem the parts that might be
questioned. And the opera Is not without
good moral"
The lioretto OF the new opera was writ
nen as musical comedy several years
ago and produced "a number of times In
Berlin. but prohibited In Dresden by the
censor. Herr Washalter has mad the
original tex revised and set to new
music