New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-28
VERNACULAR OPERA
Mr.. Reginald De k0yen Has Opinions
on the Subject.

on the subject.
Reginald De koyen, whose opera
"The Canterbury Pilgrims" is to be
produced next season at the Metropoli-
tan Opera House. is naturally interest
ed in the subject of opera in English
but. unlike some of the super-enthusi-
asts in that cause, he does not believe
that the Metropolitan Opera House
should be the home Of opera in Eng
lish translations. Mr. De Koven, like
Mr.. Gatti-Casazza, firmly believes that
the Metropolitan Opera House is
unique in being able, through its COM
pany, to give operas in the language in
which they were written and that when
IL is possible TO give operas in TINS
way it should By all means be done.
On the other hand he equally firmly
believes that every American city
should have an opera house where
operas should be given in English.
"The Metropolitan Opera House. with
that Of Coyent Garden in London, holds
a peculiar place in the operate world
said Mr.. De Koyen recently. Through
It's huge companv OF artists OF all ma
tionalities it is enabled TO give most Of
its performances in the orinigal Ian
guage. realize that this Is the most
perfect, the most luxurious, method OF
producing opera, and ! should be the
last person DESTROYS OF seeing the
Metropolitan Opera Company change
its policy. | know, and the world
knows, that at the Metropolitan are
given the worlds finest productions.
But. except in the case Of the Metro
politan, this policy is less successful
The audiences az the Metropolitan are
cosmopolitan; most Of the subscribers
know several languages, and they
would resent the intrusion Of transls-
tions; but among the great mass Of
the people this Is true.
IN Europe the operagoers demand
their operas to be given in the yernacu-
lar. and the great mass Of the Ameri-
can public. knowing no language but
English. naturally wishes 70 under
stand. Likewise. what is in progress
Yet even here there is fallacy very
generally current. Mr. Gatt-Cssazza
said 20 me only the other day: The
American public seems % think that
il must understand every word that is
sung if the opera is sung in English.
+ On the other hand, an Italian audience
considers itself lucky II 10 catches 90
per cent Of the words Now, this -
a Just criticism. II is impossible for any
singer 10 make himself or herself per-
fectly understood. but If an audience
gets half what is sung 10 will get the
story and the emotion. We must not
ask in America for things which would
be impossible even In Europe.
"The charge that English as a Lam
guage is unsingable is ridiculous. |
myself believe that next TO Italian u
Is the best language for song. Two
things. however, are necessary singers
trained for clear diction and librettists
who know how to write singable Eng
lsh. As 20 the former. the case Of
BOnci comes Immediately 20 my mind.
Several years ago I asked him 70 sing
some English songs at concert IN
Carnegie Hail lie replied that he
knew no English. urged him, none
the less. 20 try, and he agreed Whist
was the result? Al that concert bonci'
man who knew no English, sang so
that nearly every word was understood
while American singers mumbled and
iumbled words most appallingly. IL
WAS simply the case OF a singer trained
In Italian diction being able TO sing
equally clearly in another language.
"Then the librettist must know ms
business. English is an exceedingly
rich language, and from 't he must
, choose words having minimum Of
consonants. Some l,brettos. perhaps
beautiful az literary efforts, have failed
, simply because their authors knew
nothing o. the requirements for song
, I think this will be found not 20 be
, the case IN the lbretto Mr.. MecAsye
has written for The Canterbury Phi
rrims'"