The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-16

HV0lt VIZ y
tain whether they were about to enter
the temple OF music or a large xcava
ton IN the street. These harassing
doubts AZ any rate served to add to the
dnt performance an elemen OF sporting
chance which Is customarily not a part
OF us delights.
Representative Assembly.
However when the audience had finally
assembled in the house, the experienced
Loker on in Vienna could zee that IL
wss a representative opera assembly,
Composed of ~personases in social life.
music lovers of the rank outside. stu
dents, professors, men and women about
town, wild eyed society reporters hunt
Ing down the names from the Social
Register. and. last but not least. the
6andiny army OF Italy. bearing aloft the
flaming sonfalon Of the perennial trium-
rhant Caruso. Theirs not to question
WY he was singing in a French opera.
Theirs but to make loud the thunders
Of applause with the clashing Of their
horny palms and victorious cries of
BIS Bis
So LEI the myriad details of the old
scry go untold. Refer to any story Of a
previous s~eason's opening. IL Is always
the same. But in the artistic aspects
Va t#t 80
Sa,nt-saens's Samson ct Dalila' had
not been heard In the Metropolitan
since MaIteili was a 1.-THE n black
eyed tenptress and Tamagno a clarion
voiced samson.
Tie work has often been presented In
orstorio form, and when the ballets are
removed that form is best suited to 1t.
There is a poverty of dramatic move
ment az. there Is "A plethora OF chorus.
The work Is interesting In spots. hut II
has some sporiiic pages. Indeed. no small
portion Of the music betrays want or
sympathy with the dramatic situation.
What is hest is familiar in the concert
.oom-Dal.ld's Mon cour s'ouvre a Ia
yo!x,' the spring song and the ballet
muse.
The Opening Defamation.
After these the operagoer may take
note " the opening defamation OF
samson, a splendid reproduction OF the
old grand style of French defamation
such as Menul gave us in his "En Vain.
Pharaoh This recitative IL followed by
an admirable chorus, "Lo. the Spirit OF
the Lord \ striking contrast Is made
by throwing against the thin music OF
the Hebrew men the seductive measures
Of the entrance Of Dada and her women
There is a good trio for Sdms0n, DdISId
ana the old Hebrew.
ln the second act there IL indeed Mt
,e besides Doliln's familiar solo and the
s"riny duet Tor her and samson. In u"
.Ast act we rest our :tentioil on the
pallet music and the chorus, Daso'
SLOWS his power" Naturally there -
Hdch ingenious n ins'ru
nentation. But the opera ma TO De
Arrszed IA. q unoI deal IN diStrAct the
nind through the eye lest the car grow
weary waiting for the few good things.
Two principal points of E>w are
found for such "A production. One party
Y ne u~pyragoing electorate votes for Or
against according az the chief singers
md corgen,,l and effective roles. The
,tler party demands that there shall be-
4. Ao,noe,neous Art work. This party Is
always I'm the minority. However, is
demands are never ignored by an i'm
pressro Who homes 70 leave some
fame leot,d him LAST nights produc
ton I'm ina 'n,inior NJ this minoritv marty
der.,nd.d ro,. e.. .,,cc.s. not only on Nj.
cam, Nat-anouor In, iust
Az gu, ~. cnrductor Mr. Po-
lanco :" naas,ar Ar se,ti
an ~ r"o.us 40 g.
ondar'y tho ballet n the scenic az
l. tho seven years OF Mr.. GATH
clsazza's management the organization
o. the 0ucra house has acquired a basis
Q: permanenoy. and things do not go
haphazard IN the various departments.
Tie production of Saint-Saens's opera
Was prepared evidently with a view to
making an artistic whole, and not merely
to provide a background for Nine. Mat
sensuer and MIR. Caruso. Admirable
results were secursd-as admirable as
he somewhat ant!quated character OF
Tie score would permit.