Evening star., 1935-10-20


For in reading over the casts OF those
operas given with pomp and ceremony,
but few names mean anything to the
music devotees of the present day. The
training, the talent and the sacrifices
that helped fashion the careers OF
those stars of long ago could not cause
their names to be inscribed in the rec
ords of immortal musical fame.
But for a few the halo of greatness
persists today and will persist for all
time. Adelina Patti, Marcella Semb-
rich. Etelka GerSter, the tenor, Cam
panini, and Christine Nilsson are art
lists whose memory still pervades the
musical achievements of this era.
OF A performance Of Patti in La
" Gazza Ladra," the reviewer leaves
this account:
"One of the first thoughts that
such a melodious outpouring as that
which followed on the heels Of her
entrance (as soon, in fact, as the
turbulent applause OF an audience
that seemed beside dtself with Joy
could be stilled) suggested. was that
here was the last perfect representa-
tive of the old art of beautiful sing
ing-a charming woman whose
eraces of face, figure and action were
only ornaments to a perfectly bal
anced and divinely inspired musical
nature.
Nine. PATHS singing Is fower
of precious odor, which it is given
the present generation to enjoy. 10
describe how she sang would De
simply to rhapsodize; her singing
vas not merely an exposition, 1t was
almost a revelation of an art un-
happily at present in its decadence.
The day of the art of perfect sing
ing. as taught in Italy, is past ana
onIv lives in the beautiful voice and
extraordinary execution OF Aoellna
Patti"
In the production of Beito's Me
flstofele" Nilsson sang the part OF
Helen and called forth the following
eulogies:
"Helen is a character that is cut to
the very form of Nine. Nllsson-regal
In beauty and carriage, soul-movlng
in voice. serene in pose and gesture
She moved through the opera last
night like a veritable Hellenic queen
The beauty, the majesty, the pulssan'
charm of perfect woman OF the cas-
sic type-all were hers.
"Signor Campanini. was the Faust
whom we have seen In the opera De-
fore but fired with a greater degree
of enthusiasm than ever. Not only
was he singing the opera which he
was chiefly instrumental in giving te
American audiences, but he was sing
ing it under the direction OF orotnei
in whom he has proud and aHec-
tionate interest"
This brother became musical director
and later head of the Chicago Grand
Opera in its earliest days.
GONE of the reviews OF the early
~ performances Of Wagner's operas
bring interesting comments on this new
type of writing. The "Valkyrie' was
performed in January, 1885.
with the production of The val
kyrie' last night at the Metropolitan
Opera House, DR.. Damrosch's Ger
man performances reached their cul-
minating point. The 'Valkyrie' was
selected to celebrate this occasion be-
cause it is the most popular OF Wag-
ner's latest works and because Wagner
is with Germans, at the present mo-
ment, the most popular OF German
composers. his works being more often
presented and more warmly applaudeo
In his native land than the works OF
any of his predecessors. He is not sc
highly esteemed by Americans, the
triumphs of DR.. Damrosch's season
having been Meyerbeer's Prophete
and Halevys La Juive. The Metro
pol;tan was last night so packed with
the German public that the success
of the opera, with all its oddities and
extravagances, was assured from the
rising of the curtain.
"The radical defect of the opera is
Its monotony. All of its comic effects
are unintentional. A spear plainly
marked with Frau Materna'S name
caused litter. The sudden death
of Hunding at word from Wotan
raised another laugh. But the true
comedian of the evening was Brun-
hilda's horse. This docile beast, al
though trained to Mazeppa, had not
sufficiently attuned himself to Wagner
There were passages that made him
restive and almost persuaded him
to leave the stage and abandon his
histrionic career. But in view OF
this possibility the management zhaC
tethered him securely to a stump.
1.-THE music has grand moments
yet all the characters fall into tedious
defamation. Music such as this may
appeal to a nation of special taste.
and aptitudes, but the human tenn
permanent must be radically changed
before it will appeal to the world al
large"
OF LOHENGRIN it was written:
"Other things than high note.
sngrossed the attention of last night!
audience, and many of the unobtru
Bive instances of intelligent, artistic
eHOTI TcCclVcU piUIupt IcCoShiIiou dhS
decorously expressed reward. 1t nigh
be argued from this that the patron!
Of opera in New York are ripe fol
something better and nobler thar
the sweetmeats of the hurdy-gurd.
repertoire. It is a compliment to tn,
performance that 1t must be set dowr
as worthy of a more careful judgmen
than is ordinarily given to the amuse
ments Of an evening. The interpre'
tation of the work as whole, no les!
. than the accomplishments Of eacf
performer, furnish food for reflection.
The first performance of die Meis'
tersinger" in this country was wit
messed by an audience Of unwontec
brilliancy and every seat and foo'
Of standing room was occupied" The
music was spoken of in eulogistic term.
with "some moments distinctly beauti.
full and some fraught with strange
impressiveness, while the skill and in