New-York tribune., 1919-01-28
Opera
Novelty Marks Opening of
Chicago Opera Company's
New York Season
By II. E. Krehbiel

OJ l /. L. NlenClci
The Chicago Opera Company, on
which in its present and previous IN
carnation as Mr. Hammerstein's COM
pany New York has largely depended
for introductions to French operas,
began a season which is TO last FIVE
weeks at the Lexington Theatre last
night. 1t began with an exhibition of
the oldtime enterprise and energy, not
to say strcnuousness, bringing forward
a new work as guarantee of good
faith and presenting at least one
familiar and puissant parsonage, who
made her plea and won its acceptance
III the manner so familiar that to de-
scribe or discuss it would be waste
of precious time and space. Miss Mary
Garden it was who came again TO
weave a spell not with worn PAGES
and waving arms, but with the stride
Of General Boum and tho gestures
of a fexuous semaphorc to publish
the emotions Of woman torn by
maternal affection and sensual passion.
one UiOtSHl WIN UCi NIlc CIt OulllJ
and a new opera which dalled piquant-
ly with the motif which was CONNER
cialized successfully in the days of
Hammerstein's reign in the Thirty
fourth Street house of opera.
The opera was "Gismonda," by Fe-
vrier, which had It's "world premiere in
Chicago fortnight ago under the
eyes of the composer, who was also on
hand last night to witness its first
production in the metropolis and to
receive the acclamations of an au-
dlence which, numerous and brilliant
in appearance, was also reminder of
the glories domiciled decade ago at
the Manhattan Opera House. In an
other opera by the same composer,
which Miss Garden had the privilege
Of introducing TO the American people
about tour years. ago. the motif is pre-
sented in a slightly different way than
IN the new work. In "Monna Vanna'
the heroine Of the story makes viii
ing sacrifice OF the sake Of her people
by going to the tent Of general who
is successfully beleaguring it clad only
in her virtue and her cioak; but the
magnanimous tyrant who cXacts the
offering is conquered by the lady's
innocence and recollections Of youth
full love.
In "Gismonda,9 which is an oreratic
version of a play by Sardou. the
heroine makes similar visit in cX-
change for a vow to we'd the man
who rcscues hcr child from death in
a den of wild beasts. Tho quito 1me is
the same, though in Maetcrlinck's play
the revival of AN old love plays part,
while in Sardou's the evocaton Of
passion is of later origin and not so
remote from the incident which the
audience is invited, in fancy, to wit
ness.
However, such reflections are Of a
lrofundity out of harmony with
levrior's opera. They call for pass
ing mention only because they illus
trate the only argument which can be
advanced in favor of what is called
Miss Garden's art-thc argument en-
case of Grecian antiquity.
How Miss Garden sings. or sang last
night we shall not attempt to say for
we would not like to involve ourselves
in controversy with some artisticaily
minded persons who hold that voice
beautiful in itself, or capable of dra-
matically beautiful expression, and
knowledge of the fundamental elements
OF vOcaliZatiOn are essential to singing.
1t must suffice that she did such things
as she is willing and able to do to the
music of the new opera, which might
have sounded somewhat differently had
it been intrusted to an artist of differ
ent gifts, and that many people found
delight in her performance
The music which N. Fevrier has asso-
ciated with Sardous play can scarcely
be said to be alluring in itself or illu-
minating of the plays text and situa-
tions. In the first act it is of com
monplace pomposity and NJ. Campanini
seemed willing to let it be as noisy as
it pleased.
In the second act, in which the
dramatic climax of the drama is reached
with the scene in which Almerio de-
clares his passion and Gismonda offers
her compromise, it rises to moments of
passionate utterancc without reaching
the atmosphere Of ecstasy which a com
poser with melody in his soul might
have created for it.
BEYOND that circumstances prevent
us from venturing. We shall not even
attempt a comparison with the music Of
"Monna Wanna" which is obviously
challenged. Among Miss Gardens col
laborators were Charles Fontaine,
tenor of somewhat stridulous voice, but
with style capable OF real dramatic
utterance and commendable knowledge
of dramatic behavior, and three artists
who are approximately remembered
from former years-Mme. Berat. Gus
tave Huberdeau and Marcel Journet