New-York tribune., 1919-12-13
''L'Amors del tire Re-" Full
of Tuneful Melody, Is
Given Presentation That
Delights It's Audience
Amato in Splendid Voice
Didur and MartinelIi Also
Contribute to the Success
of Notable Performance
BY H. E. krehbiel

With tendency which seems grow
ing at the Metropolitan Opera House
to lay more stress upon upholstery
than singing except that of Caruso and
misc-en-scene than music, except that
Of the small successors of Verdi, it is
gratifying to note that "L'Amore del
tire Re" remains in the repertory. 1t
came to us six years ago along with
der Rosenkavalier," "Madeleine." 4"
Julien" and "L'Amore Medico."
Richard Strausss opera might have
survived-doubtless would have sur
vived-had not the will to conquer
and possess taken possession Of the
German people and wrought it's own
destruction together with many other
things more beautiful and beneficial to
it is gone, and if not forgotten is not
mourned. The other operas are
passed away into the limbo from which
not even memory will care to recall
them. But "L'Amore del tre Re-" an
opera which has had no extraneous fac
tors, such as pictures and popular idols,
to support it, seemed marvelously alive
when it was brought forward for the
first time this season at the opera last
night.
Opera Long Lacked Singer
1t was, indeed, absent from the cur
rent list for two seasons in the mid
die of the period compassed by Janu-
ary, 1914, and December, 1919, but that
was because there seemed to be no
singer among Mr.. Gatti's forces capable
of investing the character of it's hero
inc with such pussant charm as
marked the impersonaton of Miss
Lucrezia Bori, who created it for u.s.
There doesn't seem to be one now
for that matter; nor has there been a
tenor capable Of investing the role of
Avito with the pathos of passion which
but the opera is nevertheless still q
vital factor in the sum of the Metro
politan company's activities. And this
is reason for gladness and gratitude
"L'Amore del ire Re" is a drama of
fine, strong, dramatic fiber; fine and
strong, noble and denotement of the
warning play of emotions, its eXhib-
ton of the devastating results of pas
sions, never sordid, profoundly appeal
ing to human sympathy, pathetic in its
pictures of three phases of the univer-
sal passion as illustrated in the devo-
tion Of husband to his wife, an i'll
starred lover to his equally ill-starrcd
mistress, a proud father to his son as
the representative of chivaresque fam
lily honor Benefits book is an honor
to Italian literature, its score a glory
to Italian music.
Music Rich in Melody
Montimezzi's music never bellies
the nation from whose loins the COM
poser sprang. 1t is rooted in melody
albeit, melody of the modern type.
Its harmonic and orchestral structure
has the modernity which would have
won blessing from Verdi had re
lived to hear it. Throughout it is
rich, varied and glcwing-a fruit of
lhe spirit-exemplitied in the Italian
Verdi, the German Wagner and the
Russian Moussorgsky, but which
strikes its roots in the earliest of ali
lyric dramas and has Powered in the
works Of the great creative musicians
of all peoples for generations. 1t has
lived with us for six years; it de
serves to live for many times as many
years and will if the local public is
permitted to grow into full apprecia-
tion of its splendid beauty.
Last nights representation was the
best that the opera has had for long
time. We cannot credit Miss Muzc
with any of the improvement, but trib
ute must be paid to Signor Amato
whose fine voice and powers seemed tc
have returned in much of their old
! time beauty. Mr. Didur was admirable
as ever as the blind king, and Mr.