Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-18
NEWS NOTES OF MUSIC AND DRAMA
THE CRITIC TALKS
TO MUSIC LOVERS
DHrLADELPHtA opera. .soers have Ger.

TO MUSIC LOVERS |
DH1LADELPHtA opera-ecers have Ger.
talniy had no reason thus far this
season 70 complain OF the offerings ~
Mr.. Gatti-Cosnzza, for II there have
been no novelties" In the usual sense
Of the word NJ least the metropolitan
Opera Company has given Us z wGIcoms,
suroease from the line Of Verdi and
F'uccln with which "" hav" been re-
called In the early pnrt ~ the season
for considerable time past. Rlt no one
oan have any complaint 70 make OF La
Juive," carmen which n not h"'.
presented here for a nur'h"r OF yyaIs
and Bolto's great "Mchet':e'",' wN,cN
vas given last TuHednN.
Carmen" was especially welcome, TOT
II haa been "a long thu SIN -,
masterpiece has been given here by the
Metropolitan Dcsri;e n" DIN r"nc"s
OF opinion which Miss FaTrar.S lr'Hr-
probation OF the role caused among ~
musiCally critical, not to say hyper
critical tho pnrtormnnc" was most
spirited one, as for that matter, Is al
ways the case when Miss .arraF AZ.
Fnrrars voice may play upon her 2t
Dimes, no one can Say that her acting
~ ever lacking in snap, or more Nui-
carly, pep"
"
L more dispute "a to the Interpretation
or the tltlo rois than Carmen" ThIs
is Doubtless due 10 the fact that the
composer died exactly three months
after its f-s' production. which was by
no means suGc"SsiGL ne oIerh nnae
SLOWLY: In tac, IN THIS respect It may
almost he said 70 have established a
record. although Salnt-Sasns had tho
same experience with Samson ct Da-
n IL. d. H,Nt llNsNI 10 la
work acclaimed as A great production
whereas B!zet died With tho feeling that
not only was his frost opera failure,
but that he had never achieved a real
owing TO The death Of the composer
before tho opera had had more than
single production. tho-O was no oppor.
tunity for him to give 70 the perform
snce his exact ideas " the role The
Gtory in itself is a considerably subdued
version Of Prosper Merrn"e's tale Of
The same name, and even the modified
version arranged for Bi1"t by the lib-
little too strong for the polite tastes
Of the Partisan public In 1878
The HRlevy who took part in the
arranging OF the lIbretto was a son OF
the composer Of La Juive" and
brother-in-law Of B!let. who married the
daughter OF the elder and during his
life) the more successful operate COM
poser Thus II Rzet may be said to
nave been born 20 the opera. he also
married into Il, for the union with the
family OF the successful Halevy pere
gave him what Uttle succoss he euioyed
during his brief and troubled NE
Sv,tTr, r,-. -, .Co,-.,o,,,. - .,-.
N'' L'' VI mi INC" !" '"e premiere
L was taken by Nine Call Marie a
Singer OF considerable ability, but one
no1 o tar,oo-a1c,rs o-l,,os S9'u ny
brought out to The full the sensual!ty
or IN" part and In this way uncon-
scioUsiy dd her part IN preventing an
immediate success Tor the opera, Tor II
taste OF the Paris Of that day, the ac-
centuat!on OF this feature BY the prins
donna was naturally certain TO initiate
against me success Of tho perform
ance.
Owing to Bt5ets carly death. there Is
nothing absolutely authoritative 10 20
on, but there Is fair reason from the
testimony OF hts friends. 70 suppose
the annraism 70 OF tho ca; cHarac;cr era as Dor. .
trayed b. Merirnee and that the treat
rrent OF the role given b. Nine Marie
Roze. who sang {: co- the. f~s, time in
OF the nart than that Of Nine CALI
Marie The characte-lzation presented
By Nine Roz. vas followed later nv
TreheiN, Patti, Zelie de Lussan and
on tho other hand n rlust be ad
n.ittcd that none OF tnase desplte the
Array o, wonderful ,olCes hnd thn auc
Cess in :he part which attended, tho
representations OF Pauline Lucca. Mime
Seiincioni. perhaps the greatest OF them
gypsy as the more effective portrayal
DCT the beauties Of the opera do no,