New-York tribune., 1918-11-03

Who appeared in "Konigskinde
for ten years before being engaged by
Mr.. Grau. He died of an abscess Of
the brain.
A Novelty Opens the Season
: The season was opened with a nov
elty-an extraordinary proceeding
which was made more extraordinary by
! the fact that the novelty was an opera
of which the music was 1873 years old
and the book ninety years older. The
opera was Gluck's "Armide," which was
composed in 1777, but whose book was
written by Quinault for Lully in 1886.
! The revival of interest in "Orfeo" by
the performances Of the preceding sea-
/; son. coupled with the choice Of car
mide" as the first opera Of the present,
invited to curious speculation. Until
"Orfeo" was resurrected the oldest
| opera in the local list had been Mo-
zarts "Nozze di Figaro" which had
reached the ripe age of 125 years.
"Orfeo' was nearly quarter of CEN
tury DID, Why had Signor Gatti's
choice fallen on "Armide"? Was it in
obedience to longing which the works
Of modern composers had left unsatis-
fed? We're inherited tastes of which
VIC had long been unconscious and
which were still underlined making
themselves felt in obedience to law
of progress which We had never
troubled ourselves to understand? Or
chestral composers were storming the
citadel Of heaven with serried ranks of
pipers and blowers and drummers,
making pompous proclamation of small
thoughts, yet archaic instruments we're
coming to the fore and archaic COM
posers coming again into their rights
AHectation was everywhere visible in
musical culture, vet we were turning
more and more to simplicity and find
ing it satisfying and lovable. There
was something gratifying in the con-
temptation of these facts, but we're they
also an aifectation? We're we again play
ing at shepherds and shepherdesses :?
An answer was not at hand. SO far as
the phenomenon which we were observ-
ing was concerned 1t was easier to con-
| ceive it the outcome of a number
: and variety of motives and purposes.
SO far as it was the hope of Great
ing an interest in the old opera by its
dancing diversion which led to the
tardy performance Of "Armide," it is
TO be feared that Mr. Gatt was dis
appointed. Such amless caperings as
were INDUCED in by the ballet contin-
: gent could harm no cultured person,
and before we can have a classic bal
let OF the kind which in Gluck's ,lav
had so much potency that the will Of
Vestris was paramount to that of
. Gluck we must have ballet masters
:, educated in the classic traditions and
a corps of dancers trained in graceful.
and significant pantomime. A larger
justification for the opera was found
in its opportunities for scenic attire,
and here the introduction of elements
which had become familiar through
. more modern works helped in the
!: establishment of a sympathetic atti-
. tude between the old opera and the
modern spectators. "Armide" is a ro-
mantle opera. Chivalry and super
| naturalism play large part in it, and
: it was no doubt agreeable to find how
, devices in modern stage mechanism
could be employed to make it delect-
" able to modern taste.
: If "Armide" was incorporated in the
local list to widen the opportunities
Of Signoy Caruso, the purpose was ac-
complished to the extent of half.
!. Its music proved to be a splendid We
!, hicle for the singers matchless voice
and he paid it honor due by singing
it in noble and dignified manner, to
the complete forgetting of the exag-
gerated pathos which he had so long
affected in the operas which had
brought him his greatest popularity
and worked the greatest harm to his
voice. But the hero of Tasso's "Geru.
salemme liberia" is a sorry figure as
Signor Caruso embodied him to the
, eye.
On December 10, 1910. there was a
J. first performance on any stage of a
- new Italian opera by Puccini. This wa G
: LA Fanciulla del West" the lbretto
of which had been fabricated by G.
zangarini and c. Cevinni out of Mr..
:. David Belasco's melodrama "The Girl
n. OF the Golden West" The management
= had put its finest talent at the ser