New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-07
BOSTON OPERA
SCORES SUCCESS
Andrea Chenier" Gives
Lexington Theatre Audi
enCe Pleasure
BY II. T.. kREHBIEL

National Opera company opened sea-
son Of one week with a performance
Of Giordano's andrea Chenier."
What was practically the same or
ganization occupied the Manhattan
Opera House year ago, and good
deal Of the atmosphere Of the extreme
West Side adventure was present at the
beginning Of the extreme East Side ad-
venture, in the house, the audience and
the performance. All these factors
savored Of an attempt to come as near
as possible to what is acknowledgedly
grand opera in upper Broadway.
In some respects the effort was &C
companied by most admirable results.
The big theatre is anything but aristo-
cratic architecturally, but its acoustic
qualities are better than those of the
Manhattan and Metropolitan houses,
and a finished performance Of lyric
drama in it would De almost revela-
ton TO the lovers OF operatice music.
Work Practically Unknown
Mr.. Rabinof presented what was
practically an unknown work, and "
least three of his singers-Mme. W.
lani, Mr.. Zenatello and Mr.. Baklanoff-
did their work so we'll that they needed
TO fear no comparison from the point
Of view in which the opera presented
them with anything that we are likely
10 have offered 10 US by the Metropol'.
tan organization. There was some eX-
cellent singing by the chorus, too, and
the orchestra, under Mr. MOranzoni, re-
quired no excuses, though there were
moments when We might have wishel
that the conductor and his instrument
talists had not suggested the device, OF
which We heard first in the accounts OF
the dreadful battles now waging in
Europe, of curtain of fire between the
forces on the stage and the peacefu.
listeners.
The ambition to be strenuous. first
of all, to make all split" filled most
of the performers except Mr. Baklanof,
whose fine artistic instincts never
failed him and whose singing was there
fore the highest artistic achievement
Of the evening. Had Nine. VILLAIN and
Mr. Zenatello practised the same ar
tistic restraint their singing would
have had a more compelling power over
the iudicious element among their lis
teners. But the superb metal of the
tenor's voice and his prodgal eXpendi-
ture Of II stirred up wild enthusi-
asm with which. under the circum-
stances. il was hard TO quarrel.
In a way the revival of Andrea
Chenier" seemed to have bit of time
Illness in it. The popular heart is quick
20 respond to patriotic sentiment at
this critical juncture in the history OF
civilization. The most eloquent illus
tration of that fact was the outburst
Of applause-not boisterous, but sin
cere-which followed the episode In
the third act, when the blind woman
offered her boy as sacrifice TO her
country. Noisier demonstrations greet
ed the patriotic speeches OF the revolu-
tionary poet who is the hero of the
opera. though the veritable Chenler
was not the author of the chant du
Depart." as a recorder of last Sundays
musical occurrences was mlsled by
Nine. Yvette Guilbert into saying. That
pstriotic canticle was written by the
revolutionary's brother, Marie Joseph
Chenier.
However, this is no place for histori-
cal inquiries beyond those referring TO
the opera. and these are disposed OF by
the record that Giordano's Andrea Che
nier" was first performed here at the
Academy Of Music on November IL,
1896, and revived, out of compliment TO
the wife Of Cleofonti Campanini, who
is the sister Of Tetrazzini for one per-
formance at the Manhattan Opera
House on March 27, 1908.
Opera Story All Fiction
The story Of the opera is all fiction.
AS a matter of fact, Chenier was thrown
into prison on the accusation OF hav,
ing sheltered a political criminal and
was euilotined along with twenty
three others on IA charge OF having con
spired against the government while IN
prison. If Signor lllica, the author OF
the libretto, is to be believed 1--WE
haven't time to look into that natter
a number of French authors were be.
fore him in looking upon the story OF
the poet as furnishing forth good OPP
cratic material, though they did not
put their belief into practice.
The verities Of history were not per
mitted TO hamper lllica in the construe-
ton of the book which Glordano set 70
die for political reasons, though they
Gro alleged as n pretext. but because
he has crossed the love path OIL
leader Of the revolution.sts, who. wneh
the play begins. is a footman In the
house of the high-born lady whom the
poet loves and who loves him. Re
pulsed by the lady and wounded IN an
encounter with Chenier. the iow-borh
and base-minded leader takes his re-
venge by comprising the death OF the
poet. C...o.u
that is what the high-bo lady Isl
secures admission TO the prison and,
taking the place of one OF the women
who had been condemned to death,
mounts TO the platform of the gulllo-
tine with her lover, shouting tln ltal-
;.n1 "Viva la morte!" Melodramatic,
even dime-novel material truly, but
GOOD for operate music!
First Work His Masterpiece
Since we first heard andrea
Cbenier" We have heard the same com
noeer's "Siberia.' Fedora" and
MADAME Sans-Gene." and we are in
clined to think that the first work IS
his masterpiece. Like the last, II
builds somewhat on revolutionary airs
ola Carmagnole," ga ira and La
Marseillaise"). though not so largely;
and il is not at all improbable that had
II appeared before the public had been
accustomed 10 things "hot l. tn mouth" .
by Puccini it would have established
itself as favorite. Now, IT is to be
feared. it is too late. though ITS po-
litical spice ought to be grateful to me
ropular palate just now, and probably
would be if the public were IN the
habit of going TO the opera for any
other purpose than sensuous diversion