The sun., 1916-12-23
Aida Mr. Martinell Paoo shown
reading the love Of Launceot and Guinevere.


----------------------------
tie scene. The mems chorus adds to the
turmoil OF trumpets---even ancient ones
on the staRe--trombones. tubas and
drums. which unite with flying arrows
and stones to make n medieval combat.
Archaic Instrsments Played.
Archaic instruments are summoned TO
intensity Illusion. An oboe, a lutte and a
viola pomposa play on the stage In the
frsi act and again In the third act.
They serve well their purposes and Zan-
donai has so cunningly planned his or
chcstral score that these venerable
voices triumph amid suppressed sonori-
ties.
When we come to examine this music
closely We md ourselves In the territory
opened to Italian composers by Verdi In
his ''Otello." II is the land OF lyric
drama from which the long accepted
forms OF opera, the stock phrases OF
recitative. the tremendously introduced
aria. the ensemble made for ensembles
sake all have given way To the ruent
conversational arioso which from time
to time assumes the definite publication
of passion in lyric accents truly me'odi-
ous. but unshackled by rhythmic con-
yentions or conventional reiterations.
Under all this flows the endless strca IN
Of orchestral comment or Illustration.
| sometimes thin and almost impercep-
tible again rushing onward In to"rentiai
fuiness and splendor.
or course there are some representa-
tive themes. The world Of opera muse
seems to have been doomed to item oy
Wagner. But fortunately they play
! a small part In Francesca da Rimini.'
l n
| which signifies Giordnni. will force tself
upon the casual hearer.
OprhestratiOu IL Fine.
The orchcstration OF the opera II un.
| usually fine. II Is always appropriate.
| arely obtVusive. rich In variety OF color
and replete with special Instrumental
| cr cts which are devised with skill and
| taste.
The voice parts are also written with
| a su,e hand. Indeed Zandonais tech
mic has undergone striking cevelop.
| nent since 'Conchita." The d,sjoin'ed
| uncertainty OF his former sty.e has
| vanished and in its stead we have the
Arm coherent writing OF a man who has
PASSED the stage OF apprentenceship and
! must be accounted a competent proies
| sjonal workman. II his inspi, alton were
| equal to his craft he would he heraiueo
as n now light In the Italian heavens
The best act of 'Francesca da Rimin''
AZ already noted. is the first From
tire moment the -four women appear OF
the balcony with their charming pratti'
and invite the wandering jorgleui ''
tell the story OF Tristan till the gahan
! Young p1OIo enters the gateway ant
.o.s the rose OF love proffered 10 him by
the hand OF Francesca tender am
| oristocratic beauty fills the theatre. Tn'
| writing for the four women. tO IN
! chorls and for Francesca Is all admir-
able The finale of the act Is opulen
in sensitive feeling and the curtain ran
unon a clear and touchingly draw
dramatic picture. II the three othe
act. eauali.d this the opera would b
certain OF long life
In the third act again there IL enecuV
romnosition In the duct for Poo'o am
rronccscd, but not for Il moment doe
the hearrr discover the sounding OF
inas,rr note.
Lacking In Significance.
For a few aee,ing moments in Fran
ors,a', measures beginning with "lao!t
daterni pace," the composer has az
preached the pathos OF the text. but h
soon returns to his fluent and illusor
phrases which have admirable musica
. sound but little OF searching signif
carce.
we hear the tuneful song OF skille
composer who knows the voice and tn
) theatre, but who is not driven I'm
. petuously out OF self-consciousnt ss int
the region Of true creation. The FIRST nc
is all beautiful within It's limits: IN
third is beautiful in certain moments
but disappointing ia the inadequaSy
lts emotional utterance.
!, For the rest We have much that
|, strenuous, as in the battle. and muc
that is tonal delineation of shes
brutality, as In the tragic scene b'
. tween the two brothers in the last ac
II - "A pity that much of the opera
made in manner which Will invi'
comparison with the masterpiece Z
:, Montemezzi. which also went forwar
into the interior OF the promised Ian
a entered by the aged Verdi. The con
: parison will not benefit Zandonai albe
his first act will assuredly stand 81
:, curely wrapped In its own idyll!c beaut
The opera has been put on the stal
a a; the Metropolitan with liberality. TT
scenery IL particularly fine in its MAJ
siyeness Of character and its represents
ton OF the luxury OF the despots, tt
costumes too are all good and swift
Il bring TO mind famous portraits In Il
I galleries of the Pitt and the Unzzl TT
@ pictorial attractions OF the opera hay
II the value OF freshness
4 Performance Good. Not Great.
;, As for the performance II In general
good, though by no means great Mn
=, Aida Is entrusted with the role of Fra
v cescd. IN which she wears Ave gorgeol
- costumes. Her impersonat!on Is an IA
~ venture into that larger dramatic fe
10 which We have all been warned 81
:. was advancing, There Is much TO n
!, :, mre and something 10 regret In h
p)rtraiture OF the matchless daughter
=, the Poientani The legend of Paolo Al
>, Francesca Is one of the worlds immo
~ tai tales OF grand passion. In
human probability the fun measure
"lovc Unsuitable" was never taken
70 music but once, and we cannot expect
second Tristan und Isolde" SO so,
u u Annunzi Francesca is the enshrn
)" object of that mystic medieval adorati
y which was always separated from flesh
sin by a thin veil of circumstance.