The New York herald., 1922-03-05
Opera Based on German Le-
gend Is Received With Becom-
ing Demonstrations.
MUSIC is CONVENTIONAL
Miss Claudia MuZio a Striking
Figure in the Title
Role.
BY w. j. HENDERSON.


nardini, the music by A. Catalani. was
performed for the first time in the Met
ropolitan Opera House yesterday after
noon. The work had been previously
given by the Chicago Opera Company at
| the Lexington Theater on February 10,
| 1919. After that one revelation 1t re-
tired to the seclusion sought by so many
of the treasures of the Chicago organi-
zation. But it could not escape the
| eagle eye which long ago discovered the
hiding place of LA Wally."
/ The production of yesterday was sur
rounded with a pomp and circumstance
which betokened faith in the spell of
this new legend of the Rhine gold to
arouse a slumbering world to the won
ders of Catalanl's genius. 1t was a
very splendid production and IL was re-
oeived with becoming demonstrations on
the part of a typical matinee audience.
The story of "Loreley' lis not psyche
logic or complex. 1t is good old fash
ioned opera. Walter, betrothed to Anna,
niece of a gentleman who lives in one
of those lofty Rhine castles double
starred in Baedeker, has had an affair
with a young woman named Lorcley
| This ENHANCEMENT upsets his whole
career. for every time he sees the girl
his first passion renews itself disas-
| lTOuSlg. III tue IlISl lHlcINlcW Will
| in the opera he succeeds in tearing him
self away to obey the command of
honor.
After a somewhat lengthy fainting fit
Lorcley arises. adjusts her hair and pro-
ceeds to a favorite haunt of the Rhine
maidens and other legendary beings
who tell her that she can revenge her
self on Walter by becoming the bride
of the lord Of the Rhine, none other
! than our friend of many years, 1iberich.
Once married to him she can torture
the faithless Walter with new and
Irresistible passion.
Postpones the Marriage.
| The young woman promptly accepts
the proposition, and in the next act. just
as Walter and Anna, with the aid of the
brides uncle Ga margrave and a bass of
course), chorus. orchestra and organ,
are giving a magnificent new version
of the wedding scene from "Lohengrin."
! Loreicy, Ortrudes herself into the scene
on a rock. and. casting her spell on
| Waiter, indefinitely postpones the mar
rage.
In the last act we behold the funeral
of the unfortunate Elisdbeth-no, Anna
and see Walter torn with remorse
| lie swoons and while thus helpless the
| Rhine maidens take advantage OF him
and dance a ballet over him. Lorelcy
once more weaves her spell upon him,
and responding to his ardor, Is about
10 yield to his embraces. when the re-
spectacle old maids OF the Rhine remind
her that she is the wife Of Alberich.
She bows to the verdict OF submarine
society, returns to her duties as head
Rhine lady and Walter, in despair, leaps
into the waters and is drowned.
Every little German boy knows that
Loreiey was a maiden who when disap-
pointed in love threw herself into the
Rhine and became a siren very danger
Gus to hardy mariners from Bingen,
Katzenelnbogen, or OberweseL Heine
wrote n poem about her. Liszt made
an ambitious song of 1t. The first words
are ''Ich weiss nicht was soil es bedeuten
das ich SO traurig bin" After hearing
Catalsnfs opera you know ell about IL.
and can sing il: Nun weiss ich was
soil es bedeuten das ich so traurig bin
None Of the old legend makers seem
to have been acquainted with the mar
riage OF Loreley 10 Al6crich. K is
puzzing matter. In "Das Rheingold"
we learn that Albertcb becomes master
OF the treasure and supreme power by
renouncing love. In die Walkuere.
when JYotna tells to BrueHnhtide the
story OF his misdeeds and subsequent
misfortunes (mercifully cut in our per-
formances) he informs her that Abe
rich has obtained a wife. who married
him for his money. Her child. the
troubled god predicts, will be one OF the
agents in bringing about the end of the
gods. In "Goetterdaemmerung' we wit
ness the destruction of Walhalla and the
whole Wotan theogony.
Happened Centuries Ago.
All that must have happened centuries
before the village OF Oberwesel was
founded or the castle Of Annd's uncle
planned Albey.ich doubtless mourned
the death of Hd0eH's mother. or perhaps
she ran away with handsomer man.
There were plenty of them At any
rate, we are forced 10 believe that Lore
lcB was a successor OF the estimable
dame who bore the still more cstiinabie
Hagen. The rock upon which this later
bride Of the Rhine king shattered sea
going vessels is still TO be seen. II Is
still over against Oberwesel and was not
long ago passed by tourists armed with
cameras.
The music OF this opera Is not impor-
tant. 1t is smooth, conventional, char
acterless and unimpressive. The man
who wrote Ii knew his business, but he
had nothing particular to say. He had
never heard Winston Churchill lecture
on the primitive mind and did not know
that one should not will to compose, but
should permit music to sprout spontane-
ously within his soul. Catalani perhaps
went forth In search OF theme and
thought he had found one In the Rhine
land He thought, too, that nc had found
n model for his music I'm the early style
OF Wagner. There are suggestions OF
the Baireuth master In the wedding scene
("Lohengrin') and the funeral cortege
OF AHHd ("Tannhcuser") but the lach-
lrymose sentiment Of the story Is of the
type excorated by Roman ROLAND II
"Tean Christophe" and the music smoth-
ers IL under a mass Of bombastic utter
ance.
But there are some inviting moments
Lorclcy, being a genuine Rhine person
age. has a theme OF her own. II enters
with the opening of the blatant ana
emphysematous overture. and. attach
ing itself to the flaming heroine, there
after, with the bleating fidelity or Marys
little lamb, follows her wherever she
goes OF the wedding march and chorus
mention has already been made. The
two ballet numbers are not distinguished
but they have graceful movement.
solo Music Is Conventional.
The music for the solo voices Is all
conventional. quite without character
and wanting In directness of method
But (. Is ali singable and affords tho
necessary opportunities for vocal dis
play. In the first act Walter and LorclcU