The New York herald., 1922-11-26
BY w. j. HENDERSON.

Gounod's Romeo ct Juliette" was
revived at the Metropolitan Opera
| House yesterday afternoon in a man.
ner and with a luxurious setting
which promise TO give the old lyric
play new lease Of life. The repro
duction restores Shakespeare to a de-
pleted operate treasury and enriches
the French repertory of the house
with a. romantic creation greatly
needed in these times Of frequent
repetitions with moderately important
changes of cast.
Without doubt Romeo ct Juliette"
WIN be quite new to some. of the
younger set of operagoers, despite the
fact that 1t was given no further
back than Washington's Birthday,
1921, by the Chicago organization with
Nine. Galli-Curci and Mr.. Muratore
as the lovers. But from the stage of
the Metropolitan it had been absent
since the season Of 1901, when it
was presented ON January 13 with
Miss Farrar as JuIette, Dimitry Smir-
nof as Romeo. Dinh Gilly as Mercutio,
Mr.. Rothier as Frere Laurence and
Mme. Rita Fornia as the page. 1t had
two performances in that season.
For older operagoers the work is
associated with memories of the most
beautiful singing ever heard in this
city. A. this moment it is wise to try
to forget the unforgettable Adelina
Patti as Ju,iette. to obliterate from the
mind the lovely picture of Nine. Emma
Eames, the. matchless tones of Nine.
Nellie Melba, and above all the moving
pathos Of Nine. Marcella Sembrich.
Nor is it judicious to dwell on the
knightly and romantic Romeo of Jean
de Reszke, the aristocratic Capulet of
Plancon and the admirable Frere Lau-
renee of Edouard de Reszke.a
Opera Is Very welcome.
Other times other singers, as we'll az
other manners. The opera itself is
very welcome. The score. is not
monument of genius to be sure, but it
contains some of Gounod's happiest
embodiments of sentiment and even
rises sometimes to real emotion. The
rather cheap waltz song need not be
emphasized. but one can hear with
pleasure the "Ange adorable the
gems" Of the balcony scene-"Ah,
leve toi soleil' Mutt divine" and "Ah,
ne full pas encore"-the other gems Of
the chamber scene. Mutt d'hymenee"
~ 10
the passionate cries of the tomb scene.
20 ma femme, o ma bien aimee" and
"Viens fuyons au bout du monde
The more younger operagoers listen
to this work the more they will be
willing to believe that old men and
old wom-n have not been telling them
fairy tales about the famous casts of
the '90s. For they will realize that
the elegant and polished style Of
such music demands finished singing.
A more than creditable presentation
Of the music made by Mr.. Gatti-Ca-
sazza's artists yesterday was one OF
the noteworthy achievements of his
long administration.
1t would be exaggeration to say that
all the singers had command of the
Styit, Dul LoulS I1tlSSeiIildllS, WIZ NoH-
Quoted, made a gallant and measun
ably successful effort to bring them
all into intelligent cooperation and TO
create the lyric moods which Gounod
had so charmingly conceived. That
some failed to realize the ideals was
due to long training in far different
school, to anxiety TO evoke damonstra-
tions of approval from those to whom
nothing appeals but violence and 20
the obstacles thrust into the path by
an unfamiliar tongue.
Admirable Scenic Effects.
But Cfounod's poesy was not oblit
Grated, and in the balcony scene, in