New-York tribune., 1918-11-03
An Un-American American Opera by Puc-
cin Given at the Metro
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politan

Farar, the most popular of the COM
pany's singers after Signor Caruso, was
lowered with an opera ("K0nigskin-
the most enthusiastic and faithful ele-
ment among the city's music lovers,
and what happened after February 6
may be set down as a sort Of educa-
tional campaign the effects Of which
were realized in later years, when it
was found that operas could succeed
without the great singers participa-
tion and fail in spite of his help in
their performance. The most striking
instance of the latter sort is connected
with the opera which Signor Gatti had
selected to be the elimination of the
seasons glory-Puccini's "Fanciulla
del West" about which more in due
time.
Opera in -Four Languages Promised
1t has been my custom in making a
retrospect of season to take a glance
at the promises held out in the pro-
spectus. This, Of course, is merely n
matter Of habit. Since opera became
the greatest of all social fads there
promises beyond the one that season
Of opera will be given. The subscrip-
tions for the new year begin to come
in before the end of the old. No ques-
tions are asked about the repertory,
few about the singers. The compare
son between promise and fulflment,
however, is interesting, and becomes
valuable when, as in the present in
stance. it discloses nicer balance
than it had been possible for re-
viewer to record for a long term of
years. When the public was invited
to subscribe for the season in the
summer, performances were promised
in French, German, Italian and Eng
lish. The splendid principle that all
works should be sung in the language
to which they were native was to be
upheld. There had been talk Of per-
formances in the vernacular of two
operas which seemed amenable to
translation: Goldmark's "Heimchen
am Heerd" (Which is German, and
pretty German, for "The Cricket on
the Hearth") and Humpcrdinck' g
"K5nigskinder"; but the director put
a quietus on it Immediately after his
return from Europe. The plan was
impracticable in the case of the latter
opera, because there would be no time
to prepare an English version before
! date which had to be considered in
order to enable him to insure the
privilege of a "world premiere" Never
theless he announced in midseason
an opera, Twilight" by Arthur Nevn,
American in subject, language and
authorship, but withdrew it about the
time when the public had been told to
expect it's performance. 1t was plain
to all close observers that Signor Gatti
had not been permitted to exercise the
! discretion which ought to have been
vested solely in him in announcing
that the new opera would be per
formed, and also that he felt no heart
burnings when he proclaimed later
that its manuscript material was of 3
kind that made the promised produc,
tion impossible
Meanwhile a singular combination oil
circumstances led to fulflment of the
prospectus in regard to vernaculal
performance. Mr.. Dippel, who had un
dertaken the management cl the Chicag,
Opera Company, the activities OF which
were given chiefly to French opera, hat
carried with him from New York desir,
20 give some representations in Eng
lish He was encouraged in this de
sire by Mr.. Clarence Mackay and Mr
Otto Kahn; but the Chicago season
was not long enough to enable hin
to bring it to fruition. AS Mr. Ham