The New York herald., 1922-05-09
Russian Opera
Company Opens
With sRusSalka'
DargOmijsky's Work Produced
(, in Petrograd in 1855 Sung
Here for First Time.
BY w. J. HENDERSON.

BY w. j. HENDERSON.
A company of Russians began at the
New Amsterdam Theater last evening
a season of opera In Russian. Four
years ago this organization left its
native land to give performances in the
Orient. Travelling eastward against the
sun. 1t arrived last December on the
western shores or the United States.
Still facing the rising sun 1t has at
length come to this metropolis. where
1T offers Russian operas in the orig
inal language and interpreted by singers
from Russian opera houses
The season opened last evening with
Alexander Sergeivich Dargomijsky's
"Russalka," first hear in Petrograd on
May 4. 1856. 1t belongs there fore to
the old Russian era. 1t was not till
after this work had been produced that
Dargomijsky came under the influence
Of the nationalistic gospel preached by
the famous Five Of Russia. Becom-
ing an enthusiastic convert to that ar
tistic faith he wrote his "Stone Guest"
which deals with legend familiar to
all music lovers through it's treatment
In Mozart's Don Giovanni"
But when he composed "Russalka"
the musician was still a follower of
Glinka. He rejoiced In the possession
Of Russian poetry as material for
opera. but he clung to methods which
had been developed on the great south
ern peninsula which produced Scarlatti
and Verdi The poem of PoushlSln
which the composer utilized tells the
story OF a northern Loreley. a sprite
whose seductive powers. like those of
her Rhineland sister. were exercised for
no good.
Suited to Operatic Treatment.
The poem is particularly well suited
to operatic treatment. The dialogue was
almost ready to hand. The introduction
of operate features long deemed es-
sential. the choruses and dances, the
concerted pieces and ensemble was not.
difficult. But Dargomijsky was not
permitted to escape the customary con-
fiict Of critical opinion. Cesar Cu. one
of the Five" lamented his use of the
old fashioned set numbers, the aria.
duet, trio and ensemble. He confessed
that the composer had attained force Of
expression, but wished he had done it
some other way. The music. he ad-
mitted, was perfectly in keeping with
the spirit of the text.
However 1t was In the construction
of his recitatives that Dargomijsky
reached his highest artistic level, The
melodic recitative, breathing with ap-
parent spontaneity the genius OF the
Russian tongue and discarding all the
shopworn phrases and antiquated
formula of italy for a new and char
acteristic melodic character quite orig
inal, was priceless contribution to
the development of Russian opera.
It Is not possible after a first hear
ing Of this old work to give a correct
report Of its quality. Only shadowy
| impression can be recorded. Nor can
a favorable estimate of the worth OF
the performance be given. The abilities
Of the Company may possibly better be
understood when they are exhibited IN
| more familiar operas.
1t is unquestionable that 'Russalka"
bears the marks of its period. Its
series of set numbers, It's long vocal
| utterances, with incessant reiterations
| Of flimsy melodic ideas it's choruses.
interjected into the action because 1t Is
time for a choral number; It's dances
introduced apparently for the reason
| that dance Is needed to give some
variety to a scene. and it's poverty Of
action. resultant, of course. from the
necessity Of permitting the prolonged
numbers to proceed without Interrupt
tion all belong to the opera of the day
antecedent to Verdfs reformation OF
Italian opera and Wagner's conquest
of Europe with his endless melody.
Only in the melodic types does one
find the influence of Russia, and this,
as usual, proclaims itself most clearly
in the choruses.
Old Fashioned Contrasts.
The old fashioned contrast between
rustics and courtiers is provided by the
Princes wooing Of the millers daughter
in the first act and his wedding to
lady in the second. The plunge OF the
r:,ler's daughter into the waters sug-
gests "Loreley" forcibly and her myste-
rious singing from "off stage" in the
wedding scene ought to have q thrill
which was entirely missing last evening.
In fact. pretty nearly everything In
Dargomijsky's opera missed fire because
there was not any fire anywhere about.
The costumes at least were good.
They were Russian even AS the text was,
and in the wedding scene there was
considerable show Of brave apparel. But
on the whole the mounting OF the work
was such as might be expected from
wandering band Of expatriates circum-
navigating the globe under discouraging
circumstances.
II the musical quality Of the perform
hopeful might be said this morning. but
1t was thin and generally cold. The
orchestra was not of the kind that even
theater audiences are accustomed 20 In
this city, where moving picture houses
vie with symphonic bodies in presenting
famous compositions. AS for the con-
ductor, he had enough to do to keep
things going without making any at
tempt to indulge In the finer details OF
his art.
Nicholas Karlash as the Miller sang
with something smore like a style than
any one else in the cast. but he acted
so much that he seemed overwo .ked.
Miss Marie Mashir as Ndtushd. the
miller's daughter. and Miss valentina
valentinova as the Princess were the
principal women, and the tenor was
Nicholas Busanovsky. who had hard
time Of II with his two able bodied loves.
the princess and the siren of the mill
stream. None of these displayed inn
portant voice or vocal skill. The audi