New-York tribune., 1918-11-10

"Thais," Louise" "Pelleas ct Nell
sande," lies Contes dHofmann," "Car-
men, "Le Jongleur de Notre Dame"
and "Quo Vadis?" the last novelty in
New York. "Thais" and "Louise" re-
ceived two performances each. Cleo
fontc Campanin conducted all the rep
reservations. The reception given to
the company was little short of stu
pendous. The great audience room
was filled on the first night from floor
to ceiling, and the audience was as
brilliant in appearance as imagination
could point and as keenly alive to ar
tistic impressions as if it had been
starving for opera for years. 1t was a
splendid tribute to the singers, the
operas and (justice demands that it be
said) to Mr.. Hammerstein. The sing
ers and the operas were all fresh from
the Manhattan Opera House and the
impression was that of a Manhattan sea-
son somewhat delayed and interrupted
There We're few newcomers in the list
of singers. Edmond Warnery replaced
MN. Pericr and Dalmores as Pelleas
and Marguerite Sylvia Nine. Bressler-
Gianoli and others as Carmen.
"Natoma," "Grand Opera in Three
Acts" whose early history has been
told in these memoirs, had its first
performance on any stage in Phila-
delphia on February 25, 1911. I was
present at the performance, which was
obviously looked upon as momentous
event, upon which hung everlasting
things. Philadelphia had till then
been lukewarm toward the child whose
parentage it shared with Chicago, but
on this night it donned its gayest
garments, it crowded the vast theatre
(renamed the Metropolitan Opera
House, and at times during the per-
formance it fairly seethed with ex-
citement. 1t was plain enough to the
initiated that the climax of enthusi-
ssm was expected by those who had
prepared to acknowledge it to follow
the close of the curtain on the second
act, which marks the climax of the
play. The public's impatience how
ever, would not brook delay and the
audience burned it's powder after the
first curtain, thus necessitating the
employment Of considerable effort and
artifice to rekindle sufficient demon
stration to bring the authors, con-
ductor, manager, stage manager and
singers before the curtain according
to schedule. But it was done, and
Judging by the number of recalls the
success Of the opera was overwhelm-
ing. II there were any persons in the
house who were not in a transcen-
dental state of JOY it must have been |
those who are accustomed to "sit in
solemn silence" in the "dull, dark
dock" of judgment and who had not
been convinced that Messrs. Reddins
and Herbert had solved great prob
lem, or that a monumental work OF
art had been sent down the ways into
the ocean of lasting popularity.
| am, perhaps, attaching more i'm
portance to the production Of 'Na-
ton1a" than it deserves; but discus
sion Of it under the circumstances
forms proper part of picture of
the times. The composer had con-
fided to a reporter Of The Tribune
that the fate Of English opera for
years to come was concerned in an
appreciation of it. In Philadelphia
its production seemed an achievement
Of national Significance In New York
it was an episode in the movement to
which much attention had been di-
rected by the Metropolitan prize COM
petition, the production of "The Pipe
of Desire" the promised performance
of Mr.. Arthur Nevin's '"TwilightH and
the agitation of the musical patriots
who in their eagerncss to promote
opera in the vernacuiar seemed to be