New-York tribune., 1919-02-05
Opera
Cali. .Curci Revives an Old
Opera and Some Memories
at the Lexington
By II. E. Krehbiel

x,;thout them how shall we read Alright
.bs signs of the times? Donizettis
onera LINDA di Chamounix" WAS sung
there Is no need to say performed"
in cases like this) at the Lexington
Theatre last night. After an act of
doubt and obvious CONSERVATION there
succeeded scenes of almost wild en-
thusiasm. Is there not significance in
such q fact? And if so, who shall
venture to explain it except those who
can see it not only in the light of to-day
but also in the light Of days gone by :?
For LINDA" is an old opera and has
been hidden In the limbo of things we
had supposed forgotten for nearly
thirty years. Now it steps out of the
closet, arranged in its melodic crino-
line, ringlets, beauty spots and furbe-
lows, and the revolution in taste and
advance in knowledge of which critics
have discussed long and learnedly is
forgotten in trice, and we are trans
ported back into past which is almost
traditional-to the days when the
brother of Tribune critic was the
impressario at the Astor Place Opera
wpse, il our operate years have
reached threescore and ten, to the reign
Of Mapleson ct the Academy of Music
il our memories are limited to half
that period, or to one score and eight
or nine if we began our novitiate at
the Metropolitan Opera House under
the checkered consulship of Henry
Abbey.
Obviously it is only composers and
singers, reacting upon each other, who
really exemplify that change which his
torians call development. The prime
val instincts of the people seem to re-
main pretty much the same throughout
the ages, though understanding may
undergo mutations because it is based
on experience. Happily or unhappily,
as one may look at it, understanding
frequently comes into conflict with the
inherent desire to worship old fetiches
in new forms, and then the would-be
historical philosopher becomes involved
in maze of perplexities.
Twenty-Five years or so ago we
thought, and so thinking wrote. that
the continued existence Of Bellini and
Donizetti seemed to be so closely knit
up with that of few singers of that
day as was Meleager's life with the
burning billet which his mother
snatched from the flames. and that
whether or not we should hear those
composers more depended upon how
long those few singers should live and
practise their art All are passed out
of hearing now, and yet the operas in
which they and their predecessors
charmed US continue to find their way
into the repertories.
Are they sung as they used to be :?
Ali that Is a different matter, and if
we we're to attempt to discuss it pre-
sumptuous youth would bid US hold our
dotard peace. Yet even in the presence
Of Galli-Curc as the demented Linda,
wandering down the mountain side
into her native village, lured by the
hurdy-gurdy Of the Savoyard, it must
be said that there is something to be
gathered from the records in defence
Of those who believe that the art of
song enjoyed happier and better days
when Linda was young than it does
now.
We call upon our own files to COM
fort US, if they can, and find that on the
night Of November 5, 1888, when Nine.
Garster, Miss York; and Signor Vi
cini and Galassi sang in LINDA d
Chamouni," at the Academy Of Music,
we thought it quite sufficient COM
mentary on the affair as a whole to say
that it was "the best performance Of
opera which has been given at the
academy of Music this season."
There was no need to say anything
about the work, for it had been familiar
to whole generation Of opcragoers in
New York, nor about the manner in
which it might, could, would or
should be sung. for that manner had
been exemplfied by Adelna Patti only
year before and by all the singers
Of her genre from Persiani down to
her day.
Besides, it is very likely that we
we're bit embarrassed by the fact
snar on the same night Mines. Serbrich
and Lablache and Messrs. Capoul, Del
raente and others were singing LA
House.
There also arises the fond recollec-
ton Of the last days of the italian sea-
sSon, supplementary to the regular
herman season. at the Metropolitan
Vpera House in April 1890, when
Madame Patti appeared as the sorely