The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-01
LIE CHEMINEAU' HAS
FORCE AND INTEREST
Leroux's Opera Contains Gil
makes That Need Little
Defamation.
CHICAGO co. GIVES 1T
Yvonne Gall Displays Splendid
Histrionic Skill and Sings
;; Commercially.
CHICAGO CO. GIVES 1T

Cleofonte Campanini losses OF
operate novelties with the innocent glee
of a child blowing bubbles. Tho season
OF the Chicago Opera Company at the
Lexington Theatre has not completed its
first week, and already two works have
been given fur their first time in New
York. o. Monday evening Fevriers
''Gismond.,' was produced and Mary
Garden hung another striking portrait
in the temple Of operate fame. Last
night Xavier Leroux's lie Chemineau"
was revealed. sans Mary Garden, sans
tenor. and sans many other important
items But 1t was novelty. the second
in FIVE days.
lie Chem!neau" Is founded upon
Jean Richepins story OF the open road.
a tale whose theme has served as the
suggestion for some half dozen OF the
best English novels Of recent years The
opera was produced in Paris in 1907.
The drama built on the story Is known
TO Americans as The Harvester" in
which Otis Skinner acted with distinc-
ton.
The action is in Burgundy. where the
Harvester. a man suffering from per-
petual hunger for the road, has betrayed
Toiaette. Even the proffered bride of
prosperous Pierre to put HIM in charge
Of the farm cannot induce him to marry
her. He walks off into the world and
Toinctte is prevented from following him
by Francois, who loves her.
Lapse of Twenty Years.
Twenty years later We find FroHcois
and Toinette married and possessing a
son. whose father was the Harvester.
This son wishes TO marry Ahne, daugh-
ter of the aforesaid Pierre. who strenu-
ously objects The Harvester comes back
10 find his son Toinet drowning his sor-
rows in drink. The father finds a way 10
persuade Pierre to withdraw his objec-
tions 10 the marriage of ToiBet and
A!iHe.
Francois Is at the point OF death and
he earnestly begs the Harvester 10
marry Toinette when death has released
her. But the Harvester cannot rest.
His home is the open road. He bestows
his blessing on the mall and walks out
into the wide word once more.
After the revelation OF Mr.. Ieroux's
musical style and methods in La Reine
f1ammette" at the Metropolitan Opera
with joyous expectation last evening.
Memory coniured IN the futile efforts
Of Geraldine Farrar. clad in gorgeous
robes, crowned with gems and an au-
reole of hair. 10 give dead opera the
semblance of life. One hardly dared to
hope that Yvonne Gall could be more
fortunate.
Excellence of the Book.
But the book OF &c Chemineau' is Sc
good that Il would support the burden
of a score far inferior to that OF NJ
Leroux. The drama has force and in.
terest, and its climaxes are such tina,
the most fragmentary declama ton suf-
fees for the vocal treatment. The com
poser. however. has gone much further
than this. lie has found excellent lyric
Ideas for certain passages and for the
rest ne has provided an orchestral back
ground full OF atmosphere.
These are only Impressions gained
from a first meeting with the work. Its
content cannot be properly assimilated
at one sitting. Doubtless 1t would I'M
prove on acquaintance. The perform
anrc was ono o? much merit. Alfred
Masuenat gave very good impersona
ton OF lie Chemincdu, the role which the
composer has quite successfully charac'
terized. Georges Bakianoff was admir-
able as Francois, and GuStave Huber.
deau satisfactory as Pierre
Yvonnc Gall showed excellent h!stri
onic skill as Toinette and sang her music
commercially. The other principal:
were Myrna Sharlow as AIine and DC
tave Qua as 7otnct. Louis Hasselman!
conducted.