New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-17

TO the editor of lie Figaro" Befor
this was done. however. Signor Cavall
wrote a letter 20 his publisher, whicI
not only established that the .nciden
in question was ba,-l upon fact bu
directed attention 70 q dramatic use o
the motif 10 a Spanish play writer
thirty-fve years before the occurrence
which was iu the mind of Leoncavallo
The letter was as follows:
Lugano, Sept. g, 1894.
Dear S.gnor Sonzogno.
have read Catulle Mendes's two
letters. ". Nerdes goes pretty FAR
ir declaring ~ DriOri that
"Pagl ACE" is an imitation OF MS
Femme De Tabarin.' had not
known this book. and only know 70
now through the accounts gwen 10
the daily papers. You viii remem-
Der that al the time OF the first
performance of "Pagiacci' az
Milan in ls92 several critics &C
cused ne Of having taken the sub
iect Of my opera from the Drama
Nuevo" OF the well known Spanish
writer. Estebanez What would VI.
Mendcs say If he were accused Of
having taken The plot Of La
Femme de Tabarin' from the
Drama Nuevo' which dates back
20 1880 or ls402 As a fact. a nus
band. a comedian, kills ln the last
scene the lover of his wife before
her eyes while he only appears 70
play his part in the piece.
il Is absolutely true that ] knew
a. that time no more Of the Drama
Nuevo" than / know now Of La
Femme de .Tabar.n.' ! saw the frst
mentioned work ia Rome repre-
scented by Noyell SIX months AFTER
"Pagliacci's' first production 10
Milan. In my childhood, while my
father was Judge az Montalto, IN
Calsb~la lthe scene OF the opera
plot. jealous player Ei.led ms
wife after the performance. This
event made a deep and lasting I'M
preston OH ms childish mind, the
more since uy father was the
iud-c az the criminals trial, and
later. when took Up dramatic
wor.. used this episode for a
drama ! left the frame OF the
n
now ~ the Festival Of Madonna
della Sierra. at Montalto. The
clowns arrive q week or ten days
before the festival. which takes
place on August IS, 20 put up their
tents and booths .n the open space
which reaches from the church
toward the fields ! have not even
invented the coming Of the peas
ants from Sarto BenedettO,
reightoriag village, during the
ClCrale.
Wha- write now have men
toned 200 often IN Germany and
other parts that seve-al opera
houses. NOTABLY tina. o. Berlin, had
Dr.ntel on their bills Scene OF the
true event. After all this. VI.
Nerdes insisted on his claim. which
means that he does not believe my
words. Had I used ". Mendess
ideas / would not have hesltated
20 open c0rresp Ondence with him
before the first repres entatlon, as
! have done now with q well known
writer who has subject that i
wish - use for future WORK.
"Pagllacci' is my own. entirely my
own. u % this opera a scene re-
minds one Of VI. Mendes book, u
only proves that we both had The
same idea which Es-ebanez had be-
fore u.s.. On my honor and con-
science assure you that ! have
read bu. ,wo Of II. Merdes's books
in my life 80 Hur' and La
Premiere MaItresse.' When ] read
al Narienbad a little while ago
The newspaper notices on the pro-
ductioa Of ola Femme de Tabarin'
even write 20 YOU, dear Signor
Soazogro. thinking this was an i'm
itatoa Of "Pagiiacci' This asser-
zion viii suffice. coming from an
honorable man. 10 prove my 10y
ats. II not, then ! VIII place my
undoubted rights under the protec-
ton of the law. and furnish neon
testab'e proof Of what have stated
here.
L....l .l. honor orc a+c