The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-11-27

demeanor which 50 puzzles the cas-
produce novelties at matinees in or
der to make the job of reviewing
them easier for the newspapers. 1t
does make 1t easier, but as the news
papers would have to tell all about
the new works even if they were
habitually produced at o'clock in
the morning, that Is not what was in
the impresario's mind.
The great point is that the matinee
audiences have come 10 enjoy being
confronted with novelties. They sit
right up and take notice with all their
minds from the rising of the curtain
10 the falling thereof. The matinee
audience of the first week was more
than dubious. 1t shook it's collective
head long and wondered in it's COL
lective heart just what sort of a thing
die Tote Stadt" was going to be.
Before the first act was ended IL
was smiling at itself and declaring
that It liked this Korngold opera. All
the wiseacres had been perfectly GER
tain that the public would not like 1t.
But the public is a most uncer ain
bird You never can tell which way it
IS going to fly. II lodges like an. Eng
lish snipe and has a way Of getting to
cover like a woodoock. But there are
times when it flashes forward in a
straight line AT the rate OF ninety
miles an hour like black duck.
OF course. the sceptical would be
deeply interested in what Hermann,
the magician. used to call "a lii ex-
pehment" They would like to see
what would happen to performance
Of Die Tote Stadt" without the pres
ence of bewitching woman called
Marie Jeritza. Young Korngold's
opera as a medium for the revelation
OF the talent of one of the most ex-
stage had happy Introduction to this
public.
II is perhaps too soon to "sum up"
in regard to Nine. Jeritza. 1t may
prove that in more conventional or
familiar operate roles she will not
seem to be so individual. We shall
have our opportunity to Judge of that
next Thursday when she is to imper-
senate the wayward and captivating
heroine of Puccinis "Tosca." Up to
the present we are in a position 10 say
only that she is a woman Of enchant-
ing personality, that she radiates
magnetism. that she has q powerful,
brilliant voice and that she Is an
actress filed to the lips with the true
Viennese spirit of comedy.
Jane Scott in Rodenbach's romance
"Bruges In Mort" was rather COM
monp,ace, not to say vulgar person.
HuOues. the hero, Numbering about
along the quays and benoaning the
loss Of his dead wife stumbled for
want of something to occupy him into
n theatre and saw Jane dancing in the
nun ballet Of Robert le Diable."
After the performance he followed
her. spoke TO her. made her acquaint-
ance. All this was because she was
the exact image OF the dead wife
When she answered his speech he
found that he was actually listening
10 the voice Of the dead.
SO in the end he installed his little
dancer IN a comfortable apartment
and tried to delude himself into the
belief that he had resurrected the
wife. II he had not been such
Eoose he would have known the mo-
ment Jane allowed him 70 make her
acquaintance on the street that she
I'D not resemble his wife at all Her
1ileo Tity Ser intellectual emptiness
nor frank sensuality Disguised him
When she Knocked at the dead he
slew her and then went mad.
-
The Marietta OF Nine. Jerltza was
not even n second cousin of this poor
drab This Marietta had no educqtion.
20 be sure but she had the vile OF the
serpent She was another incarnation
Of the eternal Tili.h She was q NOV
ing picture OF he flesh and needed
precious little aid from tnc world and
the devil OF course. Paul. as the hero
Of the opera Is called was altogether
TOO stupid 10 deal with such an ele-
mental creature. Suppose he had
been poet or psychological npvelist
Well. what's the user The point Ia
that whatever Is In the character OF
Marietta as II stands in the opera
book. and there Is much more than in
the novel or the play. Nine Jeritza Is
more than equal 10 1t.
To find q SINGER who has such a
striking personality az this sparkling
Vlenncse II something OF stroke OF
fortune IN these comparatively barren
days Mr. Gatti.Casazza had an un-
cers,tnding with her before the out
break OF tho war, but after the