New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-27
Man in the Boy

In the music OF the boy Mozart there
are many phrases suggestive OF the
man, while the immaturity OF the SUB
ject found a ready response In the
sonl OF the child. Humor the score
possesses. and melodic freshness, and
plastic flowing beauty, the scene Of the
incarnation being especially delightful.
The English adaptation by A. Mattulatn
was graceful. and kept much OF the
spirit Of the original.
The performance was admirable. DIT.
Reiss. as the Bastien, gave one OF MS
unidue pOrtrayals Of youthful SIM
plicity, q French counterpart 20 his
David. His diction was wonderfully
clear. virtue shared in by both ms
companions. Mr.. Bispham was Colas,
the old shepherd, who, by pretending 20
be a magician, brings together the
lovers. His impersonatlOn was excel
lent. extravagant without becoming
preposterous. Miss Mabel Garrison,
while by no means equalling her later
performance in "The Impresario," sang
the music sweetly and acted with pc
coming simplicity.
But the real joy of the afternoon was
"The Impresario." This one-act COM
edv opera was adapted by Henry Ed
ward Krehbiel from the libretto made
in 1F45 by Louis Schneider. Only four
of the numbers were written By Mozart
for the work itself. 10 being originally
play with incidental music; the remain
ing numbers we're introduced from
other Of Mozarts compositions.
Mr.. Krehbiers Llbretto
Mr.. Krehbiel, while following
Schneider as 20 the main outlines or
the story, has written an origlnas
libretto. which proved unusually witty
and finely fitted for the theatre. The
audience was kept throughout IN a run
ming stream of laughter, and the sallle5
OF the dialogue made one wish that
our so-called libretdsts could have
been there 20 see and hear how a light
opera book can be made both humorous
and intelligent.
The story tells how Emanuel
Schiksneder. director OF the Frelnaus
Theatre and Mozart's librettist, IS
hoodwinked into engaging Demoiselle
Jhlch as member or ms
company. Demoiselle Uhlich IS be-
loved BY the directors nephew, but
the director refuses 20 have niece IN
his company. So Demoiselle Chlch
pretends 70 be an Italian singer named
Cavaliere. and is engaged in delight
ful scene % comedy with Nine.
Hofer. the directors D-lmG donna
1.ss0lxtn. In this scene the two sing
ers 20 through a contest IN song and
in jealousy in a manner "a funny as
IL is subtle. Mozart himself perme-
ates the action more through MS
buoyancy OF spirit than b. any abso-
lutte effect he has upon the plot.
The music shows Mozart AZ MS best
and maturest. l. is instinct with
melody, FUN and gay philosophy. In
II runs the wine and light and love
OF old Vienna. Its clarity Of utter
ance, its aristocratic elegance, It's
grace Of line, its play Of color are
Mozart and only Mozart And when
Schikaneder says 20 Mozart. You are
a poet. but YOU have no humor," the
audience shouted With delight at Mo
zart's answer, running throughout his
score.
Cast Worthy of Music.
Mr.. Reiss made OF Mozart vita.
outstanding figure, debonnaire, Agnt-
hearted. the master Of sane and al
most Latin philosophy. Mr.. bispnam
was delight as the practical-minded
Schikaneder, who knew that what the
public wants is tunes and intended
10 give them to 10.
Perhaps the finest piece Of acting
however, was done By Miss Garrison IN
her scene Of prima DOGMA Jealousy with
her rival. It was acting OF rare suDtle-
". incisiye and humorous, without the
slightest trace Of exaggeration, sucn
acting as is rarely seen upon the Amer
lean stage In addition, she sang her
difficult music exceedingly well and IN
clear. sweet tones. The Metropolitan
Opera Company ought 90 give such tai
ent as Miss Garrison's a greater oppor-
tunity than il has done in the past.
Miss Lucy Gates was a most at
tractive Demoiselle Uhlich, and sne
sang most Of her music very prettily.
with admirable legato and sense OF
phrase. Mr. Sam Frankie led the or
chestra in both works with fine taste
and sympathy.