New-York tribune., 1920-01-17
I>oncavallo's Opera, Sung
fAr First Time in America
ii the Metropolitan, Re-
! wives Memories of Play
Much in 1t to Condemn
Shafts Of Indignation Hurled
al the Spoken Drama Still
Would Bear Repetition

4 rss performed 1or tne NrSt TIME III
y.v York st the Metropolitan Opera
p.rse last night The work itself was
:, requirement from the late Oscar
Hsmnerstein. who had it In the list
4 e1eras which he announced for per-
ssraances in his last season ten years
sgo.
English version made by David Belasco,
L vas the vehicle III which Mrs. Leslie
cartsr created temporary disturb
suce of the local social and theatrical
waters. Now it has become the vehicle
far the exhibition of the dramatic, and.
il some degree, the musical powers of
i Mss Geraldine Farrar.
II Enough of Preachments
To this end it will. we think, prove
efiescious, though the reasons upon
/ which We base the belief are not of
II tie kind which will reflect credit upon
l. he author oil the piece, the producing
/ manager, the artist who is its chief
/ interpreter or the public, whose ap-
l. wobstion it will gain.
OF moral preachments with "Zaza"
as 8. text we had a superabundance
| twenty years ago. Time has not dulled
i single one of the shafts which in
s righteous Indignation William Winter
y hurled against it through the columns
i Of The Tribune
L Those shafts are still barbed with
Il truth. Hurled again by q weaker hand,
4 they would penetrate even less deeply
/ row than they did then, for there lis
/ now less sensibility in the popular
/ spidermis in ell questions Of morals
4 sad srt or the interrelation of morals
/ md art.
The only question involved, so far
- this review Of last nights produc-
sion will be concerned, is of the in
tuence OF the play upon the lyric
1 drama That influence, which we con-
| ceive to be vicious, will not interfere
J With the popular success of the opera.
On the contrary, it will enhance it.
The young women to whom Miss
FarraJ is a paragon and an idol will
admire her all the more because of her
rally vivid embodiment of a bawd, who
on wager lures a man into her dress
,ngroom, asks his aid in disrobing, and
forces her physical charms upon his
wery sense until he becomes her
victim.
Tales Told in Latin
These young women and their elders
ilso will let fall copiously the pardon
| isg teer when the wanton's heart is
.uaeked b. the prastle Of child (their
swn also by beautiful piece of music
tr..uily introduced) which she finds in
the home of the wife of her lover,
vhisher she had gone to learn wheth-
6, that wife was truly wife or only a
nistrsss and rival.
The men will find much for their ad-
mirstion in the circumstance that Miss
Fa1sr effects several changes Of cos
/ tune 10 the presence OF the audience;
/ that she can cut q caper, has the
i back trick as strong SIS any man in
Il llyris" Tor woman either) and can
\ kick wineglass held shoulder-high
4 from the hand Of Mr.. Amato as neatly
/ IS any dancer at the Rialto.
/ Should such things be hid? Shall
/ considsrstions OF dignity or propriety
/ conventions both) prevent a prima
h donna from exhibiting her skill in i'm
| perscnating deni-rep who has risen
| to the dignity Of & song g-and-dance per-
t former in variety show? Not If she
nn add feather to her crown of pop
| ulsrity.
/ Scientific collectors of folklore have
Z convenient device FOR conveying to
ssudsnts features Of the tales gathered
T 'y them which are not At to be pre-
ssnted undisguisedly to polite, or mere
1 !; curious, eyes and ears. They tell
1 hose parts Of the stories in Latin. If
zs we're able (Which we are no.) we
shcuid like 70 resort to the same plan
% emphasize an objection 70 "Zaza" as
a cYera.
We should like 20 relate, frankly and
without evasion, an anecdote about
! painter and the measure to which he
.sserted to impress upon some artistic
.nends his conception of what were
1sstlmate subjects for pictorial treat
nent and what were not.
Cannot Be Plainspoken
Though We may not be plain-spoken,
9effaps the reader may be able to con-
Efuct parallel in his Imagination
sasa We say that the story is akin to
~ told OF Apelles and tha painted
pspes which deceived the birds.
french artist, who believed Oike
as present school OF yeritists in opera)
~ q! things in nature were fit sub
Hs Tor artistic reproduction, made
p'esorsai representation Of some
mp mp OF which z man Of refined sem
.,sanss never speaks without loathing
e e skich nobody ever contemplates
Willingly.
lailsd upon to admire the veri-
ssa.Aslde of the representation, and
~, - upon that verisimilitude as an
.ssl.es.ion Of correct art, one Of the
.slsers confreres invited the same
ssIfsny 70 visit his studio next day
saspccs mis- rasterpiece.
nnsl they were come, he shocked
- Paykical as well as aesthetic
~ ~ ~ exhibiting the veritable thing
ssa nis friend had painted, contend
ss.ssrs W while that IL transcribed In
seaaness eaess any possible depletion OF
oAes the object Itself disgusted
Eny seek 10 dslIncate it?
nss.s sscry Ia comprehensive COM
J On Leoncsvallo's opera. What
lnma 70 the operatlc stage In the
Ssssssass structure Of tho piece Is ths
sesssas,on in the FIRST act OF tho
S,ssss Ss ~, behind the scencs of
rIss,t.st .stisisgs variety theater. with It's
as2sesaas' iealouaies, frank i'm
srsisss (not 70 call them inds~
Assss As All eddyfng around lara AZ a
ss Opportunity for Music
4 =. .ssnswork Of this act o1fers H.
vorsur't7 fov music eppertafnlng
I Risy itself. that Ia ~ ray. its
ixsse.. larger and bettsr part OF
sssS ssS.si,es 1. score in This aef is d..
- = M music Of the sesnas which
~ s2pssd 70 bs represented on ths
se.t Z. hs variety thsateY of which
sss stssss sersral xlimpssx Wills different
Ssys are doing their "stuntg.r
slX = music for IN s14 WITH
43aT.4 1a,nee, a,, foyns more for MARCH
MA IT'S accompanying an aet In
EerXeens hussAY ztruka ahn,t4.