New-York tribune., 1922-01-01
Cut Fiiasl s'C.ar,nscn"
TO Make Picture
Opera at RiaIto

Carmen is to be presented to-day
as a film opera by Hugo Riescnfeld
at the Rialto Theatcr, az part Of the
elaborate program arranged TO supple
ment the pre-relcase presentation Of
Just Around the Corner" Cosmo-
politan production for Paramount
"Carmon,' the picture play, with Ger
aldine Farrar in the title role and
Wallace Reid as Don Jose, has been
cut to half its original length, or about
thirty minutes, in order to use only
the most important and most beautiful
things in the score.
The work Of matching music and nln
in Carmen" was bit more difficult
than for "La Tosca" because the Car
men, picture was based on Prosper
Metlmees story rather than on the
opera itself. The arrangement Of scenes
is different. There arc episodes in the
picture that were omitted in The opera
and scenes from the opera are omitted
in the picture. The character OF the
gypsy cigarette girl, however, is the
same.
One fundamental feature Of Bizet's
opera made the task Of matching film
and opera possible. Bizet used the
Wagncrian idea Of loit-motif in his
work. Almost every time that the
heroine appears Bizet sounds his tragic
warning note, warning that forecasts
the tragedy that is impending. 1t is
never overdone, never so strong that
it kills the climax, but it is nearly
always there, haunting the ear-untl
the auditor is ready for the final great
moment. In arranging the film opera
Mr.. Riesenfeld followed the original
motif. 1t is the backbone of his score
To go into detail: The Bizet over
ture is used in its entirety with the
film. Those who know "Carmen" will
recall how the opening number is made
up Of themes which are used in the last
act to portray the life and hustle of
busy. happy Seville, with the addition
Of the toreador song theme and the
tragic Carmen motif, the whole thing
ending in q crashing dssonance
Unlike the opera the picture opens
with the smuggers on the beach. 1t
is short scene, but the film reverts to
the same subject later, dcvoting in all
about ten minutes to these banditti.
The opera gives them about three
quarters of an hour. The music here
is 50 characteristic, so fascinating,
that every bit possible has been saved.
Counting out repetitions and recita-
tives, it is probable that almost two
thirds Of the important original score
has been utilized here
All the three dance songs Of Carmen
have been saved, though, Of course,
they will have only an orchestral inter
, pretation, with the visual. but not
vocal, gypsy present. The "Habanera"
is used several times to characterize
her flippancy, her buoyancy - her
scenes when she first tempts Don Jose
and leads him into betraying his cause
and into Staying his superior officer
The "Seguidilla' is used only once, to
underline her seductiveness, then she
turns to the toreador after she is con-
vinced that Don Jose is hers
For the remainder of the film opera
the impresario cut the score to suit his
needs. The toreador song, as such, is
first heard when Escamillo makes his
appearance at the arena in Seville-the
last act And, incidentally, it is in this
last act that the film opera follows
most closely the action and music of
Bizet's work. The scene before the
arena, the bullfght, the triumph of Es-
camille, match in with the arrival of
Don Jose, his pleas to Carmen, her de-
fanca and his final act which ends their
lives.