New-York tribune., 1921-10-16
BY Katharine Wright


Metropolitan Opera House, already
announced by Nh. -Casazza last
spring and recently confirmed by him
detail included interesting novel
lies and as interesting reviVals. The
novelties include Die Tote Stadt,"
'Snegourotchka," "Le Roi DIS" "Cosi
Fan lutte and "Loreley'; the rcvivals,
"Ernani," LA Trayiata," "La Nayar-
raise and Die Walkuere."
The opera house will open on Mon
Gay evening. November Ii. with yerdi's
"Traviats" Nine. Ameiita Galli-Curcl
viii appear in the title role, and others
in the cast VIII be benamno Gigli and
Giuseppe Danise.
nc first Of the seasons novelties, to
be presented curing the first or second
week, VII be Ole Tote Stadt," by
Enrich Wolfgang Korngold, of Vienna,
which has been sung in Vienna, Cologne
and Hamburg The libretto, by Paul
Schott, is based on Rodenaach's rlss
The Mirage" which, in turn, was de
rived from the novel "Bruges, la
Morte." The story has no clements in
common with D'Annunzio's play Of the
same namo, Ia Citta Morta," pre-
sented here by Eleonora Dpse.
Ancient Bruges, with its deserted
streets, It's old bell towers, is the scene
os the action. In this city so suited to
him Paul, dreamer, spends his days
vorshipping the memory of his dc
Darted wife. lie talks to her picture,
Lis house becomes "the sanctuary Of
phat has been,' and his diseased imagi-
nation sees the dead woman return in
he flesh in the person of the beautiful
dancer Marietta, VINO resembles her.
lie cannot realize that she is different
from his spirit love in feeling and
character. After wild adventures he is
cured Of his fantastic dream, and. st
'ength, realizing tlrat it is impossible to
ve With the dead, returns TO realitv.
Nine. Marie Jeritza. of the Vienna
1oera, one of the seasons newcomers
.t the Metropolitan, will appear in the
.eie OF Marietta, and Johannes Sem
aach will sing the part OF Paul. When
erge Rachmaninof first came to this
ouatry, few years ago, he expressed
4rprise that comparatively few Rus
al operas we're known here, "Pique
oams." Eugene Onyegia" and Cog
orr being among them.
Why not other operas By Rimshy-
,.rsakof7 he asked. 'snegouroth-
for instance.
Now his wish is to be granted, for
opera is announced for perform
zee BY both the Metropolitan and
-icago opera companies.
The story Of Snegourotchka9 5
ssed on fairy tale told in d
Gem by Ostrowski The Snow
Maiden is the year-oid daugh-
= of the Fairy Spring and Old Win
er. Old Winter fears danger for his
aughter should she be exposed to the
over of his perpetual enemy, the Sun
-,od Fairy Spring, however, permits
ev daughter TO roam at will Owing to
me snow which fills her veins, Sne-
ourotchka is constitutionally cold
earted. Noticing this her mother
remedes the deficiency. No sooner,
acwever, has the Snow Madea taken to
herself q lover than hcr delicate form
IS pierced by the warm June sunshine
nd only vapor, floating heavenwarc
remaius. According to Montagu-
Nathan, the composer has found fol
the four acts and prologue an ample
fund Of incident and interest in thc
iegend. and the beliefs OF pagan Rus
la which ore from time to time re
erred 10 in the pages Of the opera
nelp to create an atmosphere of ma
tionality. There is quite host Of ac
eessory characters - birds, flowers
rohles and their wives, the Cars suite
n'ayers Of the ruslee the rebec and tn.
9ipe, blind men. bufoons. shepherds
rouths and raidens and Bercndeys c
gesy class. all helping 20 make
linking pictorial effect As fo~ tn,
cenery, its description in the score i
efficient 70 suggest that from a ma,
e sky-Korsakof ss%4eaIth of mag
nation Il could DO no less than evok,
music which would fulfill all the need
y tae picturesque legend Of spring.
lhc Snow Maiden vas given 70
'-e arst time iu 1882 at the lmpcria
heater pefroe,rad uheo tho r,,.oo.4