New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

7" and ''Ariane ct Barbe- Bleue."
vice of the composer, who had come
to America to direct the production;
Mr.. Belasco had taken upon himself
the task of training a company of
foreigners who knew as little about
the forty-niners as they did about the
antediluvians' how to look and act like
the Argonauts of California and their
parasites; Signor Toscanin threw
himself devotedly into the interpre-
tation of the music, and all that could
possibly be done to make the affair
brilliant and momentous one in ope-
ratio history was done. 1t was mo-
| mentous, but not in the sense ex-
pected by Signor Gatt. The time was
Saturday night, but instead of the
popular prices which ordinarily pre-
week, the prices were double There
was fine attendance, but not an
extraordinary one. The performance
was fine also, such an one as there is
no risk in saying the opera would
not have received at any other opera
house in the world, for nowhere else
would the factors essential to presen-
tation of the Enthusiastically Ameri-
: can play have been brought together
The play was familiar to the public,
and Mr.. Belasco's association with ST.
{ gnor Puccini in the most popular Of
! the latters operas whetted the natural
curiosity in a work which was not only
national in plot, but was also to have
its first representation in an American
theatre. The excellent merits Of the
performance had recognition, and be-
tween the curtains the singers, the
composer, Mr.. Belasco and Signor Tos-
canini were repeatedly called out and
vigorously applauded. After the opera
there was a reception for Signor Puc-
cini. at which there was much mutual
NoiS AotuidIloH oNei all aculcVeNcnL
which it was assumed was great
thing for American art.
An Artistic Failure
While | am writing this down, how
ever, | am also recording an artistic
failure. The best evidence of this fail
ure was IN the opera itself, though the
n a q MT -,,-1o
the fact until three years later, when,
without there having been any dimnu-
tlon of the favor in which the COM
poser's other operas were held and Sig
nor Caruso, Nine. Destinn and other
popular members of the company We're
still in the service, Signor Gatti
dropped "La Fanciulla del West" from
the active list of operas. Meanwhile
operas In which only lesser lights
shone became the permanent admira-
tions of the public. This was in way
rebuke to the artistic policy Of the
administration. A rebuke to its busi-
ness policy followed hard on the heels
OF Its first performance. Signor Gatti
announced another representation for
the following Saturday evening, also at
advanced prices of admission. He
could not fill the house q second time.
whereupon the opera took its place in
the regular subscription repertory and
there remained until the end of the
season 1924, after which it was
heard no more. For the next novelty
which was Humperdinck's "Konigs-
klnder"-also an opera which New
York was to see and hear before the
rest of the world and to which the COM
poser's presence was to give eclat-
there had been less tumult Of prepara-
ton, less changing of the cymbals of
reclame, but different public, and the
opera was placed in the subscription
list at normal prices at the outset.
Nevertheless it had eleven perform
ances in its first season to nine of ola
Fanciulla," and before it fell out of
the list in 1913-'14, had thirty az
against twenty-five OF its more favored
Italian rival.
AS result Of the success of "Ma-
DANA Butterfly" Mr.. Puccini arranged
to have Mr.. Belasco send him eyerv
play which he might produce which he
thought adaptable to operatic use. and
IN pursuance of this when he wrote
The Girl of the Golden West" he sent
1t to the composer in Italy. The play,
which has its scenes in and near a
mining camp in California, tells the
story of the reclamation of an outlaw
by barmaid who loyes him. There
are scenes of drinking, dancing and
gambling. the climax of which is
reached when rassally sheriff of the