Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-24

Yesterday was particularly rich In mu-
steal goods for this city. In the afternoon
an audience which over1owed to the plat
form heard Fritz Kreisler for the last
time this year. In the evening the Met
ropolitan was filled with those who came
to hear the latest operatic novelty, I'm
berto Giordano's Madame sans-Gene."
The Opera
The difference between gentleman and
irolessor Higgins In Shaw's "Pygmalion"
Is that the former treats flower girl
as If she were a duchess and the latter
treats duchess as II she were a flower
girl. Substitute "washerwoman" for
flower girl" and you have the essence
of Nine. Sans-Gene" as IL was when
sardou wrote II for Reiane, as It became
IN The Duchess of Dantzig," musical
comedy OF some seasons ago. and az It
was revitalized last night by Geraldine
tarfar Pasquale Amato and Arturo Tos-
canihi For these artists, and not Gior-
ddno, mako the opera what IL is The
part OF Giordano is simply to provide
talents.
1t is disappointing score throughout
considering what might have been done,
out IL Is good light opera score none
the less. If Maestro Giordano Intended
grand opera he needed to have given
character to his music, to have seen
same language as his tailors. his laun-
dresses as his duchesses or musical
characterization there Is not a whit. Nor
rs there the beautiful lyric outburst the
sweet and swelling line of passionate
exclamation, the swiftly moving drama
in-muslc which can create an epoch and
lmmortallze the greatest drama of mod
ern ern history which Is the French Revo-
luton. Maugre the "Ca ira" the Gear
maBnole' and the "Marseillaise" the COM
poser mas not caught the spirit of his
thne. Cry Les aristocrats la lanternev'
ahd II the music does no more than echo
the songs OF the past the guillotine will
De empty of heads.
But II one takes the score as IL should
be considered, that of a light opera
Whlch strayed by force of circumstance
INTO the grander atmosphere of the Met
ropohtan, 1t is a cheerful, bright Joy
Gus work, admirably suited to It's text
tull OF charming bits, infused with an
ease of feeling and of utterance which
are really notable, There is the music
of the trio of old servants in the second
act, the sarcastic. subdued hum of the
orchestra in the same act when the
great ladies are preparing to snub the
duchess and the swapping, fiery out
bursts OF the Duchess when she tnrows
the past into the faces of the snobs of
the new regime. The lyric passages are
also In this vein. particularly "Questa
tua bocoa profumata e pura." where so
much could be done by a master and
where so much was actually done by a
journeyman. 1t Is the sentimental song
of the second act of any comic opera.
In the end II was Sardon who triumphed
thanks especially to Miss Farrar. The
part is by far the most obvious thing she
has done; It is precisely right for the
music and the drama she was In.
Her wit and her grace, her shy re-
serve and lmpetuous love and, above all.
her triumphant vulgar JOY in everything
this wide world affords were delightful to
see, She remembered, what some of he:
critics have forgotten. that when Nine.
Sans-Gene became a duchess she re-
mained a woman, albeit not a washer
woman. Mr.. Amato's Napoleon. n fretful,
jealous, pompous and somewhat corpu-
lent person. with short, nervous legs, was
an amusing characterization. Mr.. Martl-
nelll was the good Lefebvre, and. al
though he was inclined to shout. he was
pleasing enough The rest of the COM
pany was satisfactory. The settings were
in tho Metropolitan's own perfection Of
mediocrty. The opera was well received
To some of those who come to talk
through the opera, It must have been
surprise to find something they really en-
ioyed.
Mr.. Kreisler's Recital
Little can be added to the words which
have already appeared in these columns
concerning Mr.. Kreisler. Yesterday he
played for the last time this season. It
means then that for perhaps six months
lesser artists than he will strive to do
what he has done, and will recall only his
memory to us. With each hearing Mr.
Kretsler seems to push farther and far
ther back the curtain behind which the
secret of music is hidden. And It is be-
cause the secret ALWAYS remains that his