New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-11
Music
Moliere S "Medecin Malgre
Lui" Done Into Music and
Performed at the Lyceum
BY II. +. KREHBIEL

The singing comedians whom Albert
Reiss and David Bispham have banded
together in a praiseworthy effort to
restore high class comic opera IN the
vernacular to the American stage pro-
duced Gounod's ale Medecin malgre
lui" at the Lyceum Theatre last night.
It's English title, The Mock Doctor"
dates back TO 1882, when Henry Field
ing made the first translation OF
Molere's comedy for London. That
translation has venerable record in
New York, having been played here at
the theatre in Nassau Street (Which
was the first home of English opera in
this city, as long ago as April 30, l15l'
only nineteen years after the first pro-
duction in London. There was music
in Felding's "Mock Doctor" then, but
it was Of the kind with which the
theatregoers Of 100 years ago were
much more familiar than are the
theatregoers of to-day. Seven songs
we're introduced in il, and four OF them
we're sung to tunes which musical
antiauaries might recover without DIM
Guilty if they felt so disposed. They
were Betsy Bell" Winchester We'd
ding" Thomas. | Cannot" and We've
Cheated the Parson."
No doubt the taste of the patrons OF
the old Nassau Street Theatre found
them quite as pat TO the purpose as
that of last nights audience found the
music of Gounod. In both cases the
impression made was that of music IN
troduced somewhat arbitrarily into
Molere's rollcking satire, not 20
hcighten its dramatic effect. but 70 ado
an element pleasing even if wholly for
eign to the nature Of the play.
"The Mock Doctor" is more COMEDY
with music than an opera IN the gen
erallv accepted sense. Much of TINS
music. the major part Of 1t, indeed, Is
delightful in melody. harmony, rhythm
and orchestration. and spontaneous de-
spite it's many evidences Of erudite
ingenuity We cannot speak as mucn N
praise Of the first act as OF the TWO
which follow il.
The number which received the mos'
applause last night was drinking song
those melodic fibre seemed 70 us
tawdry. though the attention was fas,
ciuated by the delicious contrapuntai
prattle of the instruments OF the pane,
For the weakness of the act, compared
with the second and third, the blame
seems TO rest upon the original com
edy. which is followed quite closely IN
the operatic version. though there i
naturally a large curtailment OF the
dialogue. Neither the conversation OF
Geronte's serving which Is essen
tial 10 the exposition of the comedy
nor the cudgellngs of his WIFE oJ
Sganarelle and of Sgararelle By th'
serving-men, is the best OF matter lol
music, though Gounod did much 1oi
them. The sentimental episodes IN the
second act, which introduce Leandel
and enable him to sing ballads to his
mistress, the scene IN which the WOOD
chopDer, who has been c.uobed INTO
4 physician in spite OF himself, diagnoses
the case of Lucinda, and the scene III
which he prcscribes Whit from al
odorifefous cheese for a crowd OF mer
Who are halt, deaf, blind and what not
arc much more to the purpose OF the
COMPOSER; and Gounod has made mos
admirable use Of them. There is no Ell
fort TO obtain archaic color, suggestive
of the period of the comedy; nor doe:
the music, as g. whole, indicate tha'
Counod was gifted with a sense of HUI
NOR comparable with that OF omen
bach. though his sense is more renned
| Neither is there even in Lenders love
! songs a breath OF that ecstatic sentl'
/ ment which seems almost lneiiable "a
the devoted lover Of Faust" and no
meo ct Juliette"; but the best numbers