New-York tribune., 1921-03-06

of Dvorak and the composer Of various
works, a Czech opera "Was ir Wolff"
after Shakespeare ("Twelfth Night: or
What You Will"), produced in Prague,
1892; another opera "Die Zwiilinge"
("The Twins'') given at Frankfor.-am-
Main in 1902; also symphony n C
minor. Dr.. Richard Batka, Of Prague,
co-author with Victor Leon of the
liberetto, also furnished the libretto
for kienzl's opera "Kuhreigen" ("Ranz
des Vaches"}. He Is a critic as we'll
as iibrettist, Victor Leon Is best re-
mem bered as the librettist Of 1.-THE
Merry Widow"
DER Polnischa jude" opera In two
acts and four scenes. was given At the
Czech Theater. Prague, in March, 1901,
later in Vienna at the Theates an der
Wien, where opera was occasionally
given, and in various German cities. The
score bears this dedication to "Den
lieben, edlen Grossmutterchen, Frau
Barbora Ctruocta. der dankbare Kari
Weis" ("To my dear and noble little
grandmother. from her grateful Karl
Weis"). The English version, which will
be used at the Metropolitan, has been
made by Sigmund Spaeth and Cecil
Cowdry. The operatic version Of the
story Is as follows:
Story Of the Opera
In Burgomaster Mathis's Inn, in an
Alsatian village, preparations are In
progress for the betrothal feast of
Christian, young police official. and
Annette, the daughter of Mathis.
Christian, delayed by the heavy
snow, at last arrives, to the great re-
! lief Of Annette and her mother, Kath-
arine. While the lovers are exchang-
Ing endearments they are interrupted
by Schmitt. q forester, who tells the
grewsome story of the Polish Jew and
his mysterious murder fifteen years
before.
Just such another winter the Jew, a
dealer in grain, came to this inn, flung
q gold-filled belt upon the table and
later went to bed. In the morning his
horse was found, embarrassed, by the
river bank and near by lay the Jew 8
fur cap and mantle soaked with blood.
But the man himself had disappeared
completely and the mystery was never
solved.
I Mathis, entering, continues the fessal
preparations and then sends the others
Oft to church. While they are gone he
counts his gold and lays aside a dowry
for Annette.
Soon The neighbors and witnesses ar
rive for the betrothal with the lawyer.
Antonio, and Testing and dancing ensue.
| The wind whistles outside and sudden
| ly a window pane crashes to the door.
The dance is interrupted by .he sound
! of sleigh bells and Polish Jew enters.
He greets the company and dings Il
girdle of gold on the table, exactly a,
did his counterpart fifteen years be-
tormented by an illusion Of bells jang-
ling in his ears, breaks down and Is
taken to his bed, while the Jew Is also
given a room.
Mathis is in his bedroom when the
second act opens. The guests are de-
parting. One hears distant singing
Mathis thinks he hears the sleigh bells
again, but Niclas, his man, quiets him
he begins to suffer the pangs Of con-
science, he prays and finally falls into
dream, which Is completely enacted
on the stage.
In this dream Mathis Is at his own
last Judgment, with Schmitt as the
judge and Antonio as the notary
Mathis admits that he has heard sleigh
bells ringing In his ears and calls for
Christian to help him. The ghost of
the murdered Jew appears, Katharine
Annette and Christian are then called
as Witnesses. Annette protests her
(Csn4tnas4 - next pass)