New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-01

passions Of the play is made b. the use
of fragments Of melody which in the
vocal score mark climaxes in the dia-
logue. The first high point in the
prelude is reached in the strain to
which Santuzza begs for the love Of
Turiddu, even after she has discloved
20 him her knowledge of his nfdelity;
the second IS the broad melody in
which she pleads with him 20 return
70 her arms. Between these exposi-
tons falls the Sicliano, which inter
rupts the instrumental food just as
Lola's careless song, the StornellO, in
terrupts the passionate rush of San
tuzza's protestations, prayers and lam
entations in the scene between her and
her faithless lover. These sharp con-
trasts. heightened by the device 81
surprise, form one of the marked char
aeteristics Of Mascagnrs score and one
of the most effective. We meet il also
in the instrumentation-the harp ac-
compartment to the serenade, the
pauses which give piquancy to Lola's
ditty, the unison violins, harp arpeg-
gios and sustained organ chords Of the
intermezzo.
When the curtain rises Il discloses
the open square Of Sicilian village,
aanked By a church and the inn Of
Lucia, Turiddu's mother. II is Easter
morning and villagers and peasants are
gathering for the Paschal mass.
Church bells ring and the orchestra
breaks into the eager melody which a
little later we hear combined with the
voices which are hymning the pleasant
sights and sounds OF nature. A charm
ing conception is the regular beat and
fux and refux Of the women's voices
as they sing
eli aranci olezzano SUI verdi margini.
Cantan le allodoe ira j mirti in for"
l"Sweet is the air with the blossoms
Of oranges. Sing now the larks from
the myrtle in flow - W Mays
translation in the Ditson edition. De
lightful and refreshing is the busting
strain Of the men. The singers depart
with soft ordinations Of rapture
called out by the contemplation Of
nature and thoughts of the Virgin
Mother and Child in their hearts.
Cones Santuzza, sore distressed, TO
Mamma Lucia, to inquire as to the
whereabouts Of her son Turiddu. Lucia
thinks him at Francofonte; but San
tuzza knows that he spent the night
in the village. In pity for the maiden's
distress, Lucia asks her TO enter her
home, but Santuzza may nOt-she is
excommunicate. Alto enters with
boisterous iollity, singing Of his jovial
carcfree life as a teamster and his
love Of home and a faithful wife. II is
paltry measure, endurabie only for
ITS Offering of contrast, and we viii
not tarry with it, though the villagers
echo 10 merrily. Alto. too, has seen
Turiddu, and Lucia is about 70 express
her surprise when Santuzza checks her
The hour Of devotion is come. and the
choir in the church intones the Re
gina crli," while the people without
fall on their knees and sing the Res
direction Hymn. After the first out
burst, 20 which the organ appends a
brief postlude, Santuzza leads IN the
canticle. 'Innegiamo il Sigror non
norte," the instrumental BASES supply
a foundation Of Bachian granite. the
chorus within the church interpolates
shouts Of "A,leluia,' and the song
swells until the gates Of sound fly wide
open and We forget the theatre in a
fervor Of religious devotion. Only the
critic in his study ought here to think
Of the parallel scene which Leonca-
vallo sought to create in his opera.
Thus far the little dramatic matter
that has been introduced is wholly
expository; yet We are already near the