New-York tribune., 1918-01-13
Opera
Geraldine Farrar Heard in
New Opera, 'Lodolctta, p"
by Pietro Mascagni
"Lodolctta," opera in three acts: book
by Forzano; music by Pietro MascaRni.
By Crenvillc Vernon

Letter sa,ricr. cr........,...........s .sane Msndsnl
An Old Nioiisi Observation-Disclosures. Rutsh Stuicr
Conductor Roberto soran1o.i
By Crenvillc Vernon
For twentyscvcn years the believers
in Pictro Mascagni have lived in the
hope that the hot genius Of the crea-
tor of "Cavallcria Rusticana" would
some day rcawakcn. They have listened
TO many works from his brain.
"L'Amico Fritz" "Rantzau," "Gugiic!
mo Eatciff.' "silvano," "zanctto."
"1ris,' 'Lc Mnschcre,' "Vistiia,'
"Amica' have duly seen the light,
though not all of them in America,
and, with the exception Of "Iris." duly
been forgotten. Recently we have had
"lsabcau,' with which the Chicago
Company is to open its New York
season, and last night his latest work,
"Lodoictta,' was performed for the
first time in America, at the Metro
nolitan Opera House.
We bad been told that since "lris'
no work Of Mascagni had been so
, tavora5'y received as this littlc opera
based upon Ouida's story. Of Two Lit
tie Wooden Shoes" and it was there
fore not to be wondered at that Mr..
Gatti-Casazza seized tho opportunity
! Of presenting it, especially rs Enrico
! Caruso had already sung it all over
South America.
And SO. once again, those who have
waited all the twenty-seven years
plucked up heart and hied themselves
to the Metropolitan. They knew from
the title that their idol was no longer
the leader Of the veritists, that what
they were to receive would be cast in
very different mold from the realistic
little masterpiece OF 1890.
Ouidas story can be told in a few
lines. A French poet meets in Holland
a little girl who falls innocently in
love with him. Her guardian is killed.
and, as the poet stops to paint his pict-
ure, evil tongues slander the unfortu-
nate girl. The poet leaves for Paris,
where, in the midst of gaiety, he is un-
able to forget his model. She follows
him and dies upon his doorstep.
Now this, of course, isn't realism; it
is cNtravagant romanticism, or stuff
and nonsense, or anything else you
please. Yet, properly treated. it would
60 very we'll into that world which.
despite the theories Of Richard Wagner,
is and always has been world of con-
vention. There is poet and dairy
maid. pure love triurphing over pas
sion; the darymaid's final death in q
snowstorm a far cry, indeed, from the
pretty story Just crying out to be fitted
to pretty tunes.
In tho first act the librettist has
given the composer a chance to tornlus
late his idyl, and this chance he has
seized. The music here is always
graceful and in the serenadc Of the chill
dren filled with fresh charm. 1t is
ct, rl-
and that the music of '1ris" is much
in evidence, yet at the curtain there
was a general feeling Of approval. The
pretty story had been treated prettlly
1t wasn't the Mascagni of Sicily, who
striking with the hammer OF youth
upon the anvil Of passion, had forged
work rough in outline but vital with
truth. After all. this was zoo much to
ask. Yet, as operas so, it was charm
inc bit of romantic toying. The lobbies
) murmured "a succcss.' Another But
tcrf1y'!"
The second act opened we'll with a
song by Lodoletts and throughout the
scene there was much pretty music
which might have attained real char
acter had the composer forcgone M:
searching after effect by modulation:
and abrupt changes of tonality. ms
straight simplicity Of uttsrancc whici
: made "Cavalleria' y mastcr work is
J apparently no longer possible to Mas
cugni He has read much in the mod
orns," and thinks he must, too. be ONT
of them Here as in most o. his othel
operas. he has sacrificed truth to an at
tempt at technical virtuosity, and th'
result is what it always is-emptlnes:
OF expression. In this act, too. he lla'
, There was too much repetition Of th'
, first scene, and the story failed to gc
forward. Lodoletta's scene with thu
children was charming: the opera wa
always charming when the children en-
tered; but the love scene lacked drama
; The second act was distinctly less CT
foctive than the first.
> In the last act MascaGni tries wha
;, Charpenter accomplished so supremel!
.. in "Louise' and in the last act O
!, "Julian," to evolve the spirit of th'
= Paris crowds in carnival time, and t
f throw upon that background the strug
,. giles Of his protagonists. But Mas
+, cagni is no Charpenticr. The sophi st
v Gated vugarity of the bculevards II
. which the French composer is steepe'
is foreign to the Italian His is ;
!. simpler. healthier spirit, and when il
> his "Cavallcria" he wrote from hi
{ heart it was this spirit which satu
3 rated the music. In Lodoletta he i
- successful III tuc NISt s!Nb UCNoVeS :.
! aim is simple; in the last act he fail
8 because he must be complex. The airs
too, of both the tenor and the so
rrano, do not make for any cmotiona
climax. and the spectacle Of Flammen
IN full evening dress and without
, hat. singing on his doorstep in
- snowstorn, would tickle the funnybon
a of any but an operate audience
s Opera, however, usually demands tina
), we check our common sense at tn
c door, and so most Of us will accep
G the pneumonia hungry poet as quit
f in the De Musset tradition-and, afte
e ALL perhaps be is!
e Mr.. Caruso has in Flammen par
5. which allows him to sing as the god
r. meant he should. and he makes tn
most of the opportunity. 1t was Carus
G at his best, his golden tone. his feel
n ing, his fcxiblity Of utterance unitln
y under the control Of a just tast'
s Moreover MIR. Caruso wore bear(
: and a beard ever becomes him. Th
public will love him in the part. His
ironically Miss Farrar was at her bes
, and sincerest. though vocaliy she
- not vet herself. Her Lodoletta is
( creation not unworthy of being place
beside her Goose Girl.
n Mr. Didur, Mr.. Segurola and NJ
= Ar,a+o have none Of them impOrtan