The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-23

may come ana singers may go WITH
out in any way affecting the artistic
worth of beautiful creations such as
tho music OF Mozart's opera, heard
for the first time in this city only a
few weeks ago.
VIII Remain in Repertoire.
It Is not necessary now to discuss
the opera. That 1t will remain In the
repertoire next season seems certain.
A few facts are worthy of note. The
Italian patrons of the Metropolitan do
not respond to Mr.. Gatti-Casazza's in
vitation to hear the music of Mozart.
They probably never VIII. Mozart has
never been popular In Italy. The
Italians do not like his art for pretty
much the same reasons as they do not
like that of Montemezzi, "L'Amore del
TIRE Re" has not yet received in Italy
the enthusiastic commentator be-
slowed upon it here.
The point to be made is that 1t re-
quires not only artistic conviction but
courage to present at the Metropolitan
a work which Italians are sure to re-
gard with indifference. The most Wig
orous demonstrations or appreciation
always come from the italian patrons
OF the house. There has been much
futile chatter about this of late. But
a plain truth is that singer who
would desire to pay for applause in
such a work as "Cosi Fan lutte" would
be rather hard put to 1t to find OPP
portunities for the use Of his noble
Romans" as Berlioz called the claque.
Among the other novelties of the
season "Loreley". seems to have found
favor with the public. 1t is likely to
be given agsrin next season 1t Is not
probable, however, that 1t will become
a permanent fixture In the list. lie
Roi dYs" may find comfortable bed
in the library. 1t is not likely that It
will figure prominently in the future.
About Die Tote Stadt" nothing def
mite can be said, but a conjecture may
be hazarded that 1t will not be a
medium for the display of Nine. Je-
ritza's talents next winter.
New German Singers Coming.
Just what this singer will do IS not
vet revealed. OF course there was
loose talk about her taking over all
OF Miss Farfar's roles; but II would
be difficult to imagine her as Cio-Cio-
san. She might risk Carmen. Some
one must sing It. for the opera IS too
valuable a box Office asset to be laid
aside. But French works may not
play a very conspicuous part in the
season or next winter. There are TO be
h.. several new German singers and the
German repertoire is to be enlarged.
II is also within the bounds OF pos
sibiIitv that another Russian opera
NAV be tried. Mr.. Chaliapin is to re-
turn for some few appearances. and II
might be profitable TO get up a produc-
ton on EVAN the Terrible" in which
he shines 10 great advantage.
But to return TO the repertoire OF
the season just ended, one notes that
twenty-four operas were given IN ltal-
ian. ono Of these operas, however.
was Russian, and was sung In Italian
for obvious reasons. When Mr.. Cha
liapin sang Boris he at any rate used
the original language. The other Rus
sian opera. TSnegourotchka," was
given in French. And here.an artistic
roint forces itself forward with an inn
perative demand for notice.
If operas are TO be presented IN any
other language than that in which
they were written, why are they not
given in the language Of the country?
It may be admitted that the numerous
Italian patrons of the Metropolitan arc
benefited by the performances OF
Boris Godunov" in Italian, but only a
few French people go to the instltu-
ton, so why give "Snegourotchka" in
FRENCH
The real reason Is that the singers
whom Mr.. Gatti-Casazza and his aids
select for the principal roles In these
operas are too frequently unable TO
deal with the English language, while
the Americans chosen for the casts
have TO be able 10 sing In italian,
French and German II they expect to
he OF any use In the Metropolitan.
Eight Operas In French.
However, or the twenty-four operas
given IN Italian nearly All were by
ITALIAN composers. Eight operas We're
performed In French and Ave German
works we're presented. "Lohengrln"
was heard IN English ana IN German,
'Parsifai' IN English only and Die
Walkucre" and Tristan ind Isolde
only in German. IT Is probable that a
majority Of operagoers care little what
text is used; but critical consideration
~ opera performance cannot ignore
tho matter, and there are enough seri-