New-York tribune., 1919-03-23
The Case of ''Cyvano -
Second York, Like "Mono Unjustly Relegated to the
Lumber Room after One Season-A Discussion of the
Merits and Deficiencies of Mr.. Danrosch's Opera
By II. E. Krehbiel

journal last Sunday in support of a
longer and better trial for American
operas than they have received hereto
fore at the Metropolitan Opera House.
Two operas were mentioned as works Of
Of sufficient merit to have served as a
temporary standard at least for Amer
lean composers had they been kept in
the repertory long enough and their
authors been given an opportunity to
remedy the defects disclosed by their
performance. These operas were Pro-
fessor Parker's "Mona" and Mr.. Walter
Damrosch's "Cyrano de Bergerac." The
merits and deficiencies Of the former
were discussed a week ago, and it was
ter to the same treatment; but this
was found to be impracticable in the
space at his disposal. However, the
topic is still timely-indeed, was never
more so, and no apology is needed for
resuming the discussion. "Mona" had
back of it the great interest and curl
osity excited by nationwide competi-
tion and the award of royal prize
"Cyrano" had no adventurous help of
this character, yet its advent was her
aided as triumph and, in spite of the
criticism Of kindly reviewers the au-
thors were given to understand that
their work was officially looked upon as
something more than tentative ex.
pertinent. Yet, like "Mona," it went
into the lumber room at the end Of the
season.
"Cyrano de Bergerac" was not the
fruit of hurried hothouse cultivation
The purpose to write it had been formed
by Mr.. Damrosch ten years before, af-
ter he had witnessed a performance OF
an English version of M. Rostand's
play by Richard Mansfield. At that
time the management Of the Metropol-
itan Opera House was giving no though,
to native composers, and very little in
cured the collaboration of Mr.. William
J. Henderson, and after the latter gentle
man had put the libretto in his hands
he took up it's composition while rest
ing for season from the labors of con.
ducting orchestras and choruses. Hav-
ing practically composed the work, he
applied the admirable Horatian adage
and left it alone for nine years. Their
he took it up again and gave it's first
act trial at his home. Mr.. Gait
heard the trial and agreed to produce
the opera at the Metropolitan. After
Mr. Damrosch had rewritten the fourth
act the opera was produced on Fehru.
Try 27, 1918. To a Tribune reporte,
ne composer, before the production
had explained that there was more
italian and French influence in the
music than German; that in the first
,'ct he had harked back to Rameau;
hat, to some extent, he had used the
Wagnerian system of typical themes
nd that the musical symbol for Cyra.
nos celebrated nose was in the whole
one scale (although he had written il
before Debussy was widely known), st
nat it might stand out in the music
did the huge probosis from the
eros face. Roxane, being q prccicuse
CT music was at first of the florid kind
,ut became serious, and even tragic, a
er love developed
There were gladstone incidents at th
rst performance, including nine cur
iin calls after the first act for com
on. After the balcony scene tn,
,mposer made speech, and after tn,
nal curtain he made another. He sal,
rat as his father had been the frs
introduce German opera in thi
ountry, so he hoped to have helped t.
y the foundation-st stone Of a type o.
pera which should prove as popula
German opera at the METROPOLITAN
. opera House. Perhaps the elation O
c moment may be pleaded in extenu
ion for Mr.. Damrosch's faulty history
~ a matter of fact, German opera il
'erman had been fighting it's wa
oward recognition for nearly thirt
,ars when DR.. Leopold Damrosch be
n his memorable experiment at tn
.etropolitan. 1t was given on extr
lghts IN the Italian seasons of Ma
aretzek at the Academy of Music
'crgmann and Anschiitz had conducte
any performances, Carlotta Patti ha
avelled through the country at tn
'ead of company that produced "Di
2uberfote," Parepa and Lucca ha
ing in German performances and tht
res in other cities than New Yor
I'D echoed to the strains of martha
'tradella," "Fidelio," "TannhRuser
'.ohengrin" and "Der Fliegende Ho
nder," "Dic Walkure' was pcrforme
the Academy of Music at a wagne
'stival in 1877.
otto II. Kahn told the newspaper r,
orters after the performance that h
fought the opera would stay in tn
'pertory Of the Metropolitan Oper
'iousc. and that thereafter the Metre
olitan company would produce an
nerican opera which had anythin
ke the merits Of "cyrano.p Mr.. Eer
crson's mind preserved its habituall
ormal temperature. In his rcyie
the season, published in eth
y an" no said he thought IL tolc,
bly, certain that no one was bette
ware Of the mistakes made in III
5mu0aiffop of the ouewa than NJ nsr