New-York tribune., 1919-03-13

only suggest the sacred dances which
she was supposed to perform, and the
stage manager, with benevolent
intent, we fancy. turned both the
snake dance" and the "Dance Of
Temptation. as the composer calls
them, into sort Of game Of tag or
q chase & la Tosca, which Miss Faston
made little more ridiculous than was
necessary BY holding out the head Of
the snake as if threatening to make
II bite her pursuer while proclaiming
shat it would protect her.
This was q new uuance in serpent
worship. The verbal part Of "The
Temple Dancer" 8 in rhymed verse.
and Mr.. Hugo's music Is lyrical He
relies on melody 10 convey the emo
ti0nal contents Of his play. his melody
is fluent and frequently appealing.
and his rhythms effective. Both would
have profIled had the orchestral sc0r-
ing been done by q lighter hand. had
he thought less of the orchestral style
Of to-day and studied the manner Of
earlier composers of Oriental subjects.
Delibes offered him splendid model
In "Lakme But there is grace and
fancy IN both book and score. and if
am American opera had to be given
Tins was worth trying for want OF
better.
The story is that of dancer who.
out of love for man not Of her faith.
learning OF the Nickedness Of selling
her virtue for the enrichment Of the
temple, attempts 60 steal the Jewels Of
the dol to help hor lover 20 escape some
uudescribed danger. The dcsocration
is punished by "a lightning stroke
which kills her. but before this final
catastrophe occurs. fne rs forced TO
hill hY polsou tomne guurd who is
nhamed with passion for her and who
has discovered her secret purpose His
attempts to win her make mp all tho
notion Of the play; the rest iH ritunl,
paEeaniry and picture. for which Mr..
1atti made generous provision.
So he did for the opcra by Mr. Breil.
though it ofWod no opportunity for
picturesque stage effects The singers
in The iogond" Vrro Miss rousoile.
Miss kathleen ilownld. Paul Althouse
and Mr. Louis d'AngelO. for all nf
whom Il may hc said thnt tncy strovc
NAlHn'lF to be understood nnd the
lhsllsh lAnguaEe bong nHtive TO thom.
Huccoedcd whenever the music permit
tod thom 10 do so Ihis ~ did I'M the
dialogues and did noi ia thr passneos
"hich approached song lhefo vAs
ono interruption of applause in some
'' l'' i''' itfNHl' 1fif HNfiuNrIf gen
YIN" appreciation of hn eifecNvc irief.
mezzo introduced 10 epnhle tho lower
10 60 10 sleop and be discovered by the
tpbbet nohlem4A whoa hc comes in
from storm with heart nttuncd to
give prccipltate welcome to u son-in-
law he had never seen.
After the opera there were many
calls to which the singers, the com
poser, the librettist and tbc conductor.
Mr. Aloranzoni, responded There We're
a!so Representations Of approval after
"Ihe Temple Dancer" but the com
poser took only orc call, and that
Iardlly with apparent reluctance. The
singers here We're Miss Faston. Morgan
Kingston and Carl Schlcgel The tessi-
tura Of the music of fhe soprano is
cruelty. nigh. but Miss Easton sang it
admirably. In action and song the mon
We're far from worthy competitions.
After tho novelties came a repetition
of Mr.. Cadman's "Shanewis.7 which
had full allotment Of performances
last year and in which Miss Braslau
sang with splendid voice and fervor
and was admirably seconded by Miss
Sundelius and Mr. Althouse.