New-York tribune., 1918-10-13
Futile Attempt to Compromise
Between German Regime
and Desire for
Italian Opera


Humboldt. the Schlegels, Theodor-
Korner, Lutzow, and Carl Maria Won
Weber. When the last three appear,
in the company of their patriotic
brethren, there is a spontaneous out
burst of the chorus into the stirring
song, "Lutzow's wilde Jagd," which
the vertable Korner wrote and the
veritable Won Weber composed, and
v hich was a sort of German "Marseil-
laise" during the last year of Bona
parties European domination.
1t was an ingenious impulse which
prompted the introduction of these
clements, but in introducing them the
librettist and composer played havoc
with the verities of history The
period covered by the drama is from
the capture of Palm to the battle of
Leipsic-1s06 to October, 1918. At
that time, though the melody of the
love song, $50 viel Stern" was known,
it had not been printed to the words
which are used in translated form in
the libretto, but was sung to words
which would have served the libret-
tist better had he known them, for
they began: go, du Deutschland, ich
mUss marschiren." There is no error
in the use Of the old student song,
"Gaudeamus igitur" (Which, by the
way, N. P. Willis is credited with hav-
irg introduced in America), but there
is dreadful anachronism in every
thing in the opera appertaining to
K0rner, Weber and their song, "Lut-
zow's wilde Jagd." The scene in
wEich it is sung is supposed to play
In 1908: the song was written by Kor-
ner on April "a, 1918, and composed
Ey Weber in the summer of 1914
"Voices blend in snatches of Weber's
Wilde Jagd,' already popular" says
the librettist in one of the CLOSES
which serve as stage directions. Popu-
lar eight years before its creation!
If it was intended that this should be
accepted as a poetic license the libret-
tist should have omitted his note. But
this is only one of many blunders in
excuse of which it may be said that
though they may cause a smile they
90 not affect the effectiveness of the
opera.
Politics Used Ingeniously
are beautiful. It's political element is
ingeniously used to emphasize the
pathos Of the love story. A soldier stu
dent returns from his country's service
been accomplished by one of his
friends. He does not learn the fact un-
til after he has made the woman his
wife. Scarcely have the marriage vows
been exchanged when the friend who
was thought to have been killed in bat
tie staggers into the home Of the we'd
ded pair. The woman had promised to
hold her peace because she wanted no
murder. The seducer cannot face the
ordeal with which he has been con-
fronted. In spite of his friends pro
test, he insists on going on his way.
The husband accompanies him in the
capacity of guide The wife, no longer
able to control her emotions, writes
darkness and storm. Her husband
learns the truth from the innocent
prattle of child. He seeks him, of
whom he is now deadly enemy, at a
meeting of the patriots in Kongsberg,
denounces him, insults him, and COM
pcs the man, who is overwhelmed with
contrition, to accept his challenge to a
battle of swords; but even as the
blades arc crossed there appears Queen
Louise with her child, and asks that
the blades be used in the service of
Germany. The husband forgets his pri-
vate wrong and the two meet death on
the battlefield of Leipsic, where the
wife finds her husband dying and her
seducer dead
The story is we'll handled by the
lbrettst, though much that is incon-
sequcntial has been put into the book
and its commentary, the stage direc-
tions. 1t has been treated with skill
which frequently rises to admirable
heights by the composer. Signor Fran
chetti's style is empirical. He oscillates
from Wagner 10 his modern colleagues,
makes attempts at being German in
style, but falls back upon the early
Verdi when he becomes most fluent.
He uses Webers thrilling song with
fine skill. The delineation Of battle in
the symphonic interlude and the way
in which the mood of the final scene
the epiloguc-is preserved are bo.h
mastery.
When "Germania," in which an ltal-
ian sought to glorify the patriotism Of
Germany, was produced in New York,
profound peace prevailed throughout
Christendom, except in the chronically
disturbed Central American republics.
If Mars had been wading through blood
in Europe, as he is while write these
words, and America had been at peace
with the warning peoples, what riot
and revcl of patriotic demonstration
might we not have seen with the Ger
mans driving Bonaparte out of their
country on the stage of the Metropoli-
tan Opera House, the Carlists and
Spanish republicans trouncing each
other on the stage of the Manhattan,