New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-02
new YEARS SEES
CONTRAST in OPERA
"Parsifal' Is Played at
Matinee. with SembaCh
in Title Role.
"MANON LESCAUT"
GIVEN AT NIGHT
CarusO, Who Sang Des GrieuX in
MaSSenet'S Work, Better in
Puccini's Version.

Between afternoon and evening the
metropolitan Opera House saw yester-
day strange shifting of atmosphere.
No New Years Day can 20 by nova
days without its "Parsifal," and yes
terday was no exception 10 the rule
The cast was the same as at the
Thanksgiving performance. with JO-
names Sembach in the title role. q
part which he plays with sympathy
and sings with refinement; Nine. Mar
garete Natzenauer as Kundry, Clarence
Nhitehill as Amfortas. Carl Braun as
Gurnemanz and Otto Goritz as King
sor with the indefatigable Alfred
Hertz presiding over the WORKS or
chestral destinies.
II was performance quite I'm the
metropolitan tradition, given and lis
tened to with reverence and with no
slips IN the stage transformation TO
alloy the pleasure Of the hearers.
The evening witnessed an entire
change of scene, mood and manner
when "Manon Lescaut.' not the Mas
scnet but the Puccini version Of Able
Prevosts great novel. was sung for the
hrst time this season. The Massenet
opera had been given only the week
before, Mr.. Gatti-Casazza thereby Civ
ing proof of his ability 20 ignore the
barriers Of race.
Caruso Again Des Grieux.
Mr.. Caruso sang Des Grieux in both
operas, and it will therefore be balm
to Gallo souls 20 know that the Mas
senet version drew considerably the
larger audience. Perhaps. too. there
were others than Gallo souls who we're
glad that this was the case.
As an evocation of the spirit of the
novel the Massenet opera is by far the
more successful. In the "Manon" of
the Opera Comique is imprisoned the
spirit of that heartless, exquisite age
when the courtesan stood little lower
than the king It is, both unsteady
and dramatically, work perfect OF
its kind, perfumed furbelowed, rouged
and powdered. If we love the time Of
Louis Quinze, we love "AIanon."
The Puccini opera is a work Of a
very different order. 1t lacks the hui
NOR Of the French, much of its grace;
it is neither perfumed nor aristo-
cratic. and because Of this there are
some who will prefer it to the Masse-
net creation.
Is Well of Melody.
1t IS not blooded emotional. sincere.
the breaking into flower Of d young
mans genius; and except in greater
polish and restraint, its composer has
never passed beyond IT, It's youthful
melody is a well from which many a
younger composer has since drunk. and
from which Puccini himself has quafted
many deep draught in "BOheme,' in
"Tosca" and in Butterfly" SO, if
Lescaut" is not French il is very good
modern Italian, and its chief protag
onist most charming inhabitant of
Florence.
Miss Lucrezia Bori was the Manon
last night, and sang in better voice
than at any time this season. Miss
Bori is always charming and always
sincere, but it is a pity that She does
not strive 20 round and soften her
staccato movements. A French cOurte-
san would take very good care not 20
move by angles. Yet to youth, and
charm, and skill in song we can forgive
Better in the Italian.
Mr.. CarLso is more at home as the
Italian Des GrieuX than as the French
one, even if last night he and his Wig
seemed TO have come together from
different corners of the earth. He
knows the style in which the music
should be sung and he sings it in that
style.
Pasquale Amato was the Lescaut, and
his glorious voice made Us forget the
blackguardism of the character. Nine.
Duchene failed to make anything Of
the charming Serenade. Mr.. Polacco
conducted with fine spirit and his or
chestra welcomed the new year joy
ously. The complete cast was as fol-
lows:
,lauou Observation-Disclosures. Lu.rezia Boi