New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-18
Opera
Daughter of the Regiment
Revived, With a Com
petent Cast

"The Daughter OF the Regiment
ia File du Regiment. Opera In
three acts. lIn Italian) BODY by Bay
ard and Saiut-Goorges. The Italian
translation by Bassi. Music by Gaetauo
Douizett.
Mars. me psugatc' of the Regiment. l'.icis Hemg.
To Nar,l.onrss ................ Marie Naufo't
Sergeant SuIt4io. Antonio Scot"
Tonic ............... ....... Fernando Carft
Ortcsu Observation-Disclosures. Niuce1y0 Rockingham
NorrcraI. .. ......... Louis bAugto
A Pea AMI. pie.rn AIlisO
\ No,sry. ....... ......... Edward Alexander
Conductor Genuaro Pap
lt is fourteen years since "The
Daughter of the Regiment was last
given at the Metropolitan Opera House.
In those days Narcelia Scmbrich was
Maria, and Charles Gilbert Sergeant
Sulpicc. Afterward Oscar Hammer
stein introduced II into the Manhat-
tan's rcpcrtory to display the voice OF
LuiS8 Tetr9zzIni, Mr. Gilbert again
singing Sulrice. Nine. Tetrazzini's ca
thodral tones are remember, but better
yet is remembered her figure as she
tripped upon the stage, coQuettiSh
female Falstaf. Never will that mo-
mcnt be forgotten. never deserves IT 10
be forgotten. Not only was she the
daughter Of the regiment, she was the
mother Of the army. Such things az
rive but oncce i'm lifetime.
The revival last night 81 the Metro
nolitan produced no such Goddess OF
Maturnity. for Nine. FrIeda Hempel IS
sufficiently syelt and sufficiently come
IN 10 pass muster as a first class VI
vandiere-at least in q Teutonlc army.
We had thought, too. that Gilbert 5
impersQnation Of the bluff, kindly sol
der would never be efaced. To be fair
10 the dead French barytone, 10 was
not, though beside it Antonio Scotti
has placed a figure equally effective.
though differing somewhat in detail
In short, the revival is worthy one,
and an enjoyable. The wine OF DOM
2ctti still warns the heart and lllu-
inmates the spirit-if It be served in
crystal gobletS and not in beer mugs.
Let US laugh at the old tunes if we
will, let US smoker at the sentiment, let
us assert the superiority of the reals
tic. the victory Of the polyphonic. We
have the right 10. We are children OF
our epoch, and to the past We couldn't
return even If we wished TO. Yet, de-
spite us all and our enlightenment and
our capitalization, DoniZotu VIII re-
main, and probably will be sung when
OF "Pelleas" and of "Elektra.' For
DoniZetti was simple and he was SIN
cere. lie sang in his own thoughtless,
foolish way because he had TO sing. lie
sang Of gayety, of sadness, even of de-
spair, and he touched the heart OF has
generation. He treated his orchestra
cavalierly, and for this our modern
musicians cannot forgive him. Yet m
the seNtet of Lucia he proved that
he knew what orchestral drama was.
He Was an aristocrat, an amateur. an
iGler beside the springs OF beauty. J e.,
he was all this-and he was a genius.
"The Daughter of the Regiment is
not. perhaps, one OF DOnizetti's master
works. but its sparkling comedy IS de-
lightful. Miss Hempels sprightllness
was. IL is true, little heavy, and she
was not in her best voice, but for
Signor Scotti's masterful characterize
ton anything can be forgiven. Slgnor
Scott has done nothing finer than his
Sergeant Sulpice. 1t was in comedy q
worthy counted piece TO his tragic
Scarpia--a figure compounded OF bon
homie. tenderness and rough loyalty.
In Sienor Scotti's Sulpice we can salute
the last Of the Napoleonic grenadiers.
Sicnor Carpi Tonic according TO his
lights Signor Papi is always al his
hest in the music Of the mid-century
Italians. and brought out the sparkle OF
the score with admirable effect.
The curtain OF the second act
brought forth a storm Of applause, IS
Miss Hempol knelt before the French
flag and pressed it to her lips. Miss
Hempel had already cast off the Kaiser
and all his worke, but Berlin scarcely
expected so utter defeat Well may
the Kaiser now sue for peace!