New-York tribune., 1919-03-23


course. That Mr.. Henderson knew and
he labored valiantly and with much
success to supply its place with lines
which would carry music, though they
could not reflect the romantic life
which was the breath in Cyrano's nos
trils. But music came with its clog in
spite of him, and in spite, even, of Mr..
pretty conceits, which he thought nee
essary to preserve the joyous vivacity
which the hero injects internationally
into the play, even though consumed
with mournful contemplation of the
role which he is forced to enact in
the eventful history of which he is
part.
1t is assumed that nobody is suf-
fciently interested in reading a dis
cussion of the opera who is not famil-
lar with Rostand's play. Mr.. Hender-
son did not depart materially from the
French drama except tat the sugges-
tion of the composer), to bring the
two closing scenes of the last act
closer together in point of time and
have the hero die from wound re-
ceved at the battle of Arras the day
after the incident. There was no seri~
Gus objection to be urged against this
device, except that it lessened the psy-
Geological interest in Cyrano's char
acter, and also measurably that of
Roxane, by robbing the unvolitional
oc bo II,
fraud of much of its illusion and
bringing him nearer the commonplaces
of romance than he ever was in the
magnificent conception Of the poet. 1t
was a more serious defect that, not
knowing what the composers method
would be, Mr.. Henderson gave Mr..
Damrosch more material to clothe in
music than could be compassed within
reasonable time by that method. A
brave effort was made to obviate this
difficulty by liberal eXcisions in the
course of the rehearsals; but the OBJ
vious remedy would have been to cut
out the scenes which, however bril-
!; liant and illustrative Of Rostand's
genius, were not essential to the pres
entation Of the romantic figure which
was uppermost in Mr.. Damrosch's
mind.
The music Of Mr.. Damrosch might
be approached from several points of
view and always invite more praise
than condemnation. AS to its style, it
was electic, so electic, indeed, that it
Lo ~ IL. i
consistency in manner. The opening
scene was splendidly effective, full of
, grace and spirit, and nothing could
have been conceived more appropriate
in any respect than the measures
which began the pastoral play inter
rupted by Cyrano. But the interest
dropped where it was expected to
, mount in the duel. Here synchronism
of real sword play and word, rhyth-
mically piquant melody and nice ad-
, justment of music and action would
have had beautiful effectiveness. But
they were lacking. 1t was in the love
, music of the third act and in the dra-
) matte finale of the fourth that Mr..
Damrosch's skill showed itself at it's
> best. Here there were echoes of the
! melodc, harmonic and instrumental
| idioms of composers who have drawn
; luminous lines across the pages of
| operatic history, but enough freshness
= of inspiration in every department to
, compel not only respect, but admira-
tion. To sum up: A drama which has
, many external features that lend them
} selves gracefully to an operatic set
J ting, which might even be said to de-
) mand an operatic investiturc, but
which frequently in all that makes it
/ great and glorious in it's original form
rescnts deApoiliation of any kind, had
. been turned into an attractive musical
Y drama. With it's Gallo esprit insepa-
rablc from the original text, there evap-
Grated so much of its characteristic
, charm that few of M. Rostand's ad-
mircrs could approve OF tho transfer
, nation; but saving the defects which
we're to be found chiefly in the musi-
. cal settings of portions Of it's comedy.
, 1t was yet notable artistic achieve
2 lnent and ono which reflected credit
upon it's authors and tho institution
which produced it. II offered nothing,