The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-28

Here the composer almost reaches the
level of emotional tragedy. The best
monologue in the opera is MGrgheritd's
"Laltra notte." The most successful
piece Of lyric melody is the duet be-
tween her and Faust, 'Lontano. lon
tano." The whole prison scene Is far
more truly conceived and artistically
treated than Gounod's. but the latters
has the advantage of being superfcially
the most theatrical, and therefore maxi
Ing the reader appeal 10 the crowd.
Aroused Mingled Feelings.
The prologue. brought again before
our contemplation after an interval OF
some years. arouses mingled feelings
Heaven has always proved stumbling
block in the theatre IL 1t be, as Uncle
Tom told EvG, away up there in the
Clouds It Is dramatically fatal to bring
It down and hang 1t up In a series Of
gauZe drops close against our eyes
The expedient Of causing as to listen
t. the invisible heavenly chorus Grained
by Giulo Setti) singing behind the
Boris Anisfeld clouds lends no illusion
to this paradise of canvas patterns. It
All seems childish and silly when com
pared with the tremendous words O.
John
And ! heard voice from heaven, as
the voice OF many waters ane as the
voice Of great thunder; and 1 heard
the voice of harpers harping with their
harps. And they sung as it were new
song before the throne and before the
four beasts and the elders; and no man
could learn that song but the hundred
and forty and four thousand which were
redeemed from the earth
The truth Is that conceptions OF such
sublaity that Il ey transcend the limits
of theatrical representation would -
ter be left to the imagination. The
oratorlo form succeeds where the opera
must surely fail. The third part of
Schumann's Faust" goes much further
toward q suggestion of the choiring of
the heavenly chapels than anything ever
accomplished in the theatre.
Meanwhile. to return TO an earlier
thought, opera composers ought TO cling
to the materials suited to the stage. No
one would hail Barbere and Care as
colaborers with Goethe. but they knew
the theatre and when they took up the
German epic for Gounod thev made a
thoroughly good opera book for which
Gounod wrote captivating opera music.
Faust is no masterpiece of the closet.
but a popular drama.
John Mccullough, q famous actor in
his day, was credited with having said,
Hamlet is the one part in which any
good actor can surely make a success.
If he will let the metaphysics alone and
attend to the stage business" Mr.. Nc
Cullough's advice to the players might
well be considered by the opera COM
poser. Not reflections. psychological
ponderings. historical reviews or relig
lous dogmas. but human passions are
the matters with which the theatre Is
concerned. and these passions should
be exhibited In a clear dramatic form.
namely, story with a beginning, mid
die and an end.
One of the most delightful of old
books Is 'The Sentimental Adventures
Df Jimmy Bustrode.' by Marie van Worst.
but you quickly discover that it is a
series of short stories about one hero,
and heroine who Is in the background
till the last. You can read a story n
week. IL YOU like. till the book is finished.
But that Is not the plan on which an
ppera should no ff,ada