New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-26
PavIowa in a Revival of
Auber's ia Muette"
at Manhattan.
RENEWED INTEREST
IN AN OLD WORK
A Political Opera and Its Sem
satlonal History of Seven
teenth Century.
By II. f. kREHBlEL.


housebill Of the Manhattan Opera
house last night. was last seen and heard
in New York. When it was revived at
the Metropolitan Opera House in De-
cember, 1884, it was little else than
faded memory, belonging to the van
ished glorles Of the old Academy OF
Music. In its earlier days the French
opera was sung in Italian. as il was
last night. " hen las; New York heard it
IL was sung u German. The reason for
the revival Of the opera then was obvious.
80 - the reason OF the present revival;
but the twO were vastly different. Dr.
Damrosch's scheme, when he took the
metropolitan Opera House out of the
weary hands OF Henry T.. Abbey, con-
tempiated the production Of the
masterpieces Of opera in the French
and Italian types, as well as the Ger
man, and La Muette dc PortIci" was
stlIl living thing, as 10 deserved 20
be. Il is not only Aubers greatest
work in the serious genre, it is also
the pioneer in the school Of French
historical opera. Rossini's "Gu!llaume
nOts" were It's fruits. Il still looms
large in the history Of the lyric
drama. Wagner in his Partisan days,
broke lance for IL as against the
popular liking for the music of Bellini
and Donizetti. and got snubbed By the
editor Of a French musical journal.
who was an officer Of the French gov
eminent, for his pains. Weber, VINO
was Wagner's model and idol, con-
demned It's orchestration. which Wag-
ner praised, for its fire and dramatic
truthiulncss. Facts like these suihced
to account for the revival of thirty
years ago. Something less serious and
profound, we fancy, was at the bottom
OF the present revival. Nine Paw
Iowa Is an essential element in the
new Boston organization. and LA
Muette" is an opera in which the prima
donna expresses her emotions in mute
partomime instead of song.
There are other things of more seri-
Gus import which make the present re-
vival both opposite and welcome. |;
has significance in connection with the
present tendency 20 give new value ID
the dance; 1t is also Of contemporane-
Gus human interest because of its his.
torical associations. II Pavlowa's pres
ence suggested its revival, il was Tor
the sake Of another daughter of Terpsi-
chore that the opera was written.
When Auber and Scribe wished 10 try
their hands in work for the Grand
Opera in Paris they 'ound themselves
confronted by a dilemma. There was
no dramatic singer at the Grand who
could hold a candle 70 the reigning ia
vorite at the institution devoted TO the
in nh ah Al,
MS best. But there was n capital pan.
feminist at the head of the ballet, and
the men hit upon the idea of a voice
less heroine, who should tell mo
story Of her wrongs and passions in
dumb show to melodramatic mu.
sic OF the kind already employe
in measure by Cherubini and Beet.
hoven. And so came ia Muette,' and
with It a new phase Of art and success.
Hand on the heels OF the triumph OF
the new phase in art came a phase in
political history TO lift the opera TO a
still higher pinnacle, and it is this
phase which lends IL special Interest
now. The story Of the opera deals
with The revolt Of the Neapolitan pro
letariat against Spanish rule in the
middle Of the seventeenth century So
scenes two and half generations ago
when Europe was seethinS with repub-
licanism that 1t played a picturesque
part in the revolution which gave Bel
GUM the freedom which is now again
in jeopardy. II was after the third
act at a performance in Brussels in
August, 1880, that the audience rushed
out of the theatre, sacked the Offices OF
n sns
the city's gunsnops, took arms, tore
down the flag Of the House Of Orange,
hoisted the banner Of ancient Bra
bant, barrcaded the streets and begar
the struggle which gave Belgium her
freedom. Only distantly were the
wrongs Of the Neapolitan fshermer
and those OF the Belgians related. but
the principle Of political Independent
was the inspiration OF both revolts and
Auber's old opera, though II may not
reflect the artistic tastes of to-day, has
yet timeliness which deserves this
mention.
IL was tax on fruit which caused
the revolt Of fishermen and cOster-
mongers which Masanielo headed IN
the middle of the seventeenth century.
Such motive could scarcely serve a
dramatist like Scribe, and so we have
in the opera an outrage perpetrated on
the person Of the arch reyOlutionlsts
sster-which IS better dramatic matter.
And for a reason already given we
have dumb prima donna. thanks 20
the conceit, We have the best dramatic
music in the score. and TO that music
and PavloWa we owe most Of the en-
joyable features of last nights per-
torrance. Unu! Signor Zenatello and
Mr. Chalmers appeared In the second
act there was net much in the lyric
representation to suggest high class
professional opera On the wings OF
the old times which recalled Maple
sonian days there came also mem
cries OF old Naplesonan cos
tunes, groupings and action. The
songs Of other days, Masaniellos
barcarolle, the prayer and the music
Of the dances, were heard again with
delight; but 20 much else that greeted
the ear silence would have been prefer
able. And not all the scenes were
charming Mr.. Zenatello's voice and
manner Of song came into the opera
like an invigorating breeze, so enjoy
able IN contrast with the voice and
manner Of most Of his companions that
his lack of heroic stature and pose
wrought little disappointment. And
what he wanted in those respects was
compensated for in great degree by
his excellent companion, Mr.. Chalmers.
Miss Lyme sang well, even brilliantly,
but not winningly. Against complete
success were want OF sympathetic
quality Of voice and the emotional
emptiness OF the character Of Elvira
and its musical integument The sing
ing of the chorus was especially com
l..
dramatic factor in the opera-one OF
real nofenrv "A precursor in fact OF