New-York tribune., 1920-03-07
'Manon,' With
Dancing !! Added,
Again Charms
Massenet's Opera Restored
to Metropolitan List,
With Fresh Stage Picture
and a Graceful Ballet
Newcomers Win Honors
Trio of Young Women
Divide Plaudits for Sing
ers With Charles Hackett
By II. E. Krehbiel

Having been permitted to lie idle
since the season Of 1915-'16, when it
was performed once with Nine. Aida
in the title part, Massenet's "Manon"
was "revived" at the Metropolitan
Opera House yesterday afternoon.
There had been an interregnum for the
opera in one season Chat of 1910-Il)
before that since Mr.. Gatti assumed
the consulship. Yesterdays cast, how
ever, which included Miss Farrar
(Manon), Charles Hackett (thc Cheva-
lier des Grieux). Giuseppe de Luca
(Lescaut), Leon Rothier (Count des
Grieux), Octave Qua (Guillot), and
Andres de Segurola Ode Bretigny),
was practically the same as that of
several years past, except for the par
ticipation of Messrs. Hackett,. de Luca
and Qua and the three young women
who impersonated Ponssette, Javotte
and Rosette. These were respectively
Marie Tiffany, Mary Melish and Cecil
Arden, and from them, it may be said
at once, came the best singing, consid-
cred as such, of the afternoon, saving
only that of Mr.. Hackett.
There was one feature which was
revival" without stretching the sig
nificance Of that ill-used word as has
become habitual in Metropolitan an
nouncements. The Cours la Refine
scene-which had been eliminated at
ali the performances Of the last de-
cade, at least, possibly at all of
the representations since the opera
had its first performance at the Acad-
envy of Music on December %, 1856
was restored. For this, however, the
scene in the gambling house was sac
rificed. with the result that greater
hiatus was left in the dramatic action
than had been filled by the restoration
of the fair scene. The purpose of
this, if we may be permitted to guess
at the operation of Mr.. Gatti's mind,
was to introduce new stage-picture
and ballet. What made the exchange
worth while was the delightful dance
music in the eighteenth century style
and the introduction of color and viva
oious movement without which the
opera, despite it's musical charm. is in
danger of becoming monotonous.
There was nothing particularly strik-
ing in the scenic furniture, and though
the dances arranged by Rosina CALI
and participated in by her were grace
full and welcome change from the
conventional leapings, contortions and
pirouettes, they were not the old
dances-at least not the Saraband,
Pavan and Gavotte as we imagine them
tS to have been from the descriptions in
Tabourot's "Orchesographie" The art
taught in that famous old handbook is
irretrievably lost, we fear. We do not
know whether or not it survives even
in the traditions Of the Academic Ma
tionale de Musique. But yesterdays
audience should have been gratified for
Massenet's music, which is full Of the
charm which dance measures had in the
olden time, when Don Juan of Austria,
Viceroy of the Netherlands, went in
cognito from Brussels to Paris to see
Marguerite Of Valois dance a minuet;
Moliere, Lully and Quinault spent much
dinal Richeiieu, with green violet
breeches and bells on shoes, ratified his
castanets as he danced a Saraband for
the delectation of Anne of Austria, and
even the Grand Monarch, though he
thought himself all the state, found
time to take a daily dancing lesson
from Beauchamp. Perhaps the world
was afflicted with dance mania then
as it is now, but what differencei
We do not see much Of that dual
nature in Miss Farrar's impersonation.
fascinating in spite of her wickedness.
Neither she nor Mr.. Hackett, though
the latter sang charmingly throughout
the first two acts, reached the heights
of passion which dignity and almost
ennoble Massenet's score in the scene
in the seminary of ST. Sulpice, but they
held the interest of the audience and
frequently aroused it's enthusiasm. Sc
did Signor di Luca, though tho swash-
bunkling Lescaut Of Puccini's opera
would be more native to his manner
as we'll as his tongue. Mr.. Wolff'l