New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-09-01
Local Bohemian Chorus Revolts Against Singing Austrian
National lynn in ''The Battered Bride" Consider
ingIt an Insult to Czechish Opera
CHAPTER "
MEMOIRS OF Il DECADE OF OPERA
Copyright. 1918, by II, E. Krehbicl.

,, but not at all for an opera. A drama
might, indeed, have been made out of
it by an ingenious infusion of con-
tributory incident, but this was neg
lected by Puccini's librettist. The les
end has place in European folklore.
betrothed and betrayed and died of a
broken heart sometimes meet their
recreant lovers at midnight and lure
the faithless ones into dance whicA
lasts until the deceiyers, unable to
stop, give up the ghost.
Concerning Musical
Taste in Italy
While there may not have been
enough intrinsic value in "Le Villi'
and LA Wally" to justify the attempt
to foist them upon the people of New
York, they were yet interesting in their
historical aspects. 1t was the mis-
fortune of "Le Will" to have been COM
posed at a moment when the musical
taste of Italy was in a ferment. The
so-called progressisti had cast off al
lcgiance to Verdi and were seeking to
enroll themselves under the banner Of
Wagner, without thinking that in prin-
ciple and method there was an insuper-
able barrier between their artistic nat
ures and that of the German master.
Nd
ever since "Lohengrin" had it's first
presentation in Bologna, in 1868, but
nothing came of it until Mascagni, piec
ing together shreds and patches on
which he had long been at work, car
ried off the Sonzogno prize with Cav
alleria Rusticana." This opera set a
fashion, and all who followed it found
encouragement with its publishers,
who at the theatrical exhibition in 1892
were able to enter no less than four
new composers with operas fashioned
in general way after Mascagni's
nerve-rasping little work. They we're
"Pagliacci," by Leoncavallo; al Biri-
chino" by Leopoldo Mugnone; "Tilda,"
by Cilea, and "Mala Vita" by Giordano.
AS it had been the misfortune of "Le
Will" to appear before the new spirit
had been awakened, it was the harsh
fate of Catalani to bring out his La
Wally" when critical Italy had Just
been carried off it's feet by the new
movement. Catalani belonged to the
Verdi faction, if there is any value in
the evidence offered by the music of
LA Wally." His previous efforts had
been made in the period which de-
scribed as follows in my "Chapters of
Opera" ten years ago:
"Italy had become sterile. Verdi
seemed to have ceased writing. There
were whisperings of an Iago' written
in collaboration with BoIto, but it was
awaiting ultimate criticism and final
polish, while the wonderful old master
was engaged in revamping some Of his
early works. BoIto was writing essays
and librettos for others, with the un-
finished 'Nerone' lying in his desk,
where it is still hidden. Ponchielli had
not succeeded in getting hearing for
anything since La Gioconda.' Expecta
lions had been raised touching an opera,
'Dejanice,' by Catalani, but cannot re-
call that it ever crossed the Italian bor-
der. The hot-blooded young veritists
who were soon to food Italy with their
creations had not yet been heard of"
Smetana's "Prodana Novesta" had its
first American performance in Germ u
as "Die Verkaufte Braut" on February
10, 1909. Gustav Mailer conducted.
The opera is one in which the spirl Z
of Bohemian peasant life finds as vital
r.
for the Gar" It's pictures and in
cidents are such as may be found in
any Bohemian village to-day, and while
the style of the music is direct off
shoot of the classic Italian opera buffa
and the ingratiating voice of Mozart
speaks in many of it's pages, it's most
pervasive idiom is come straight from
the tongues of the Czechish peasantry.
! SO great was the interest in the pro-