Scan 24
Musical Courier 1902-05-14: Vol 44 Iss 1155, 1902
68 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 25. See the scan on archive.org.
1graceful, nervously energetic man. He employed no score, and swayed his orchestra in a manner that bespoke absolute self reliance, and the control or power over others. His movements are exact, precise, with a peculiar manner of pointing his finger covered stick, his baton, accompanied by an elevated wrist motion that brings forth the desired effect with magical promptness and precision. His men are obedient to his slightest sign, nod, finger motion or facial expression.
3The interpretations of Felix Weingartner on this occasion were perhaps personal rather than conventional or traditional. Still, to my mind, an original or subjective reading of a musical score has always been the more attractive because the more vital and interesting. What is music as a reproduction, a living interpretation, if the expression of it is not subjective? Would there be any life, real pulsating, throbbing life, if the recital, presentation or interpretation were only objective? Some of the Milan newspapers, however, found fault with Weingartner's reading of the Beethoven "Eroica" symphony, claiming that it was not "traditional," whatever that may mean to the people of this non-symphonic, melodrama loving town of Milan, for I cannot imagine what Beethoven or symphony "tradition" they should pretend to know or to venerate. But I can say that the tremendous, enthusiastic applause following each piece sounded mightily as coming from a pleased audience, in which there were many Germans. Of the symphony third movement, the scherzo, a repetition was insisted on, and it had to be played again; the Weber "Oberon" overture, too, was redeemed and given a second time. Altogether Felix Weingartner, with his Kaim Orchestra, had a gratifying success in Milan.
5Of the four concerts to be given by the Società Orchestrale del Teatro alla Scala, under direction of Arturo Toscanini, the first took place the day after the Weingartner concert above described and presenting the following program:
7Ouverture, Un sogno di una notte d'estate………….Mendelssohn
8Concerto in La per Violino ed Orchestra………………Sinding
9Variazioni Sinfoniche………………………………………Dvorák
10Till Eulenspiegel…………………………………………….Strauss
11Preludio all'op. I Maestri Cantori di Norimberga……..Wagner
12Solista Prof. Arrigo Serato di Bologna.
14Love is said to be blind, for which reason we frequently see little Cupid pictured blindfolded. If this little god is blinded by the fullness of sentiment or the loveliness of his adorable Venus, it is a beautiful idea that love can do and know no wrong. But, at times, human interest or false pride may add a certain deafness to the blindness and dictate a course worse than either condition, as in the case of several of the Milan newspapers concerning the opera at the Scala, and according to whose expressions there has not been a thing at the opera—whether in singing, acting, staging or conducting—pronounced otherwise than good, truly great or glorious, and absolutely in keeping with the traditions of the Scala.
16One thing there is, however, and one only, deserving any of this wholesale praise, in which I fully, willingly and gladly concur. That one thing is the increased Scala, or rather the Toscanini, orchestra. The band as constituted for concert playing, numbers 125 to 130 musicians, and as such, is a strong, brilliant organization of the first order. Its composition is on a basis of twelve contrabass, thirteen violoncelli, twenty first violins, with two harps and full complement of woodwind and brass instruments, and the usual auxiliaries. A great and large orchestra; but none too full or strong for the Scala Theatre, where so much of sound is lost in finding the ears of listeners cooped in the little dingy, stuffy boxes. I would say that unless you occupy a front row seat in any of the boxes, or the gallery, you have not secured the best place for hearing well. And for music, the very best position undoubtedly is in the highest regions (the loggione), front seat, your head freed from any box divisions and leaning or resting against a post, if you like. Here, though you cannot reach out with your feet, or stretch your limbs (so narrow and close is the seating arranged) you can hear well, take in all the music and support your weary head (or an aching one from the stifling heat, fumes and odors surrounding you).
18At this first concert (which was well attended, except in many of the boxes) the woodwind instruments left something to be desired in the "Midsummer Night's Dream," overture; their attack was not so precise as it should have been.
20The violin concerto proved to be a most grateful composition, musicianly written and pleasing. It was beautifully played by Arrigo Serato, who came on from Bologna to present the work. Serato displayed splendid technique and played like a musician. His tone is broad and full, his bowing excellent, fingering fleet and dexterous; his intonation absolutely pure and flawless. The whole manner of treatment, broad, serious style and musicianly interpretation of the concerto, demonstrated that Serato is a violinist of a high order, indeed a great talent. There was enthusiastic spontaneous applause and calls for the artist and the composer.
22The Dvorák variations were interesting and well played by the orchestra.
24"Till Eulenspiegel," by Richard Strauss, though not an absolute novelty, was quite as important and interesting as the newest novelty could have been, characteristic, humorous, fanciful if not fantastic, eccentric, rich and varied in color contrasts, Schumannesque in ideas, all going easily, naturally with most skillful technic in orchestration. Strauss employs in this "Eulenspiegel" music every instrument (but the harp) known to modern orchestral writing, and giving to each one something of his or its own nature to say: the funny ejaculations of the clarinet exciting considerable amusement, while several innovations, caused expressions of pleasant, agreeable surprise to the audience. Upon loud demand and cries of "bis" the Strauss number had to be repeated.
26The "Meistersinger" prelude was played better and far above anything ever attempted in connection with an opera performance under Toscanini's direction. Maestro Toscanini is really a much better, a superior conductor of a concert program. All the music, except the violin concerto accompaniment, was directed without the score.
28"Andrea Chénier," at the Dal Verme Theatre, attracted fair audiences until the two principal male characters were changed for others, when, after a few more representations, the opera ceased, and now "Carmen" is in preparation, to be given shortly, or quanto prima, it is announced. The earlier performances of the opera had the following cast of singers:
30ANDREA CHÉNIER
31Musica di Umberto Giordano.
32PERSONAGGI.
33Andrea Chénier……………………………………………..Giuseppe Borgatti
34Carlo Gérard…………………………………………………Giuseppe La Puma
35La Contessa di Coigny………………………………………Elena Marenzi
36Madalena di Coigny…………………………………………Mary d'Arneiro
37La Mulatta Bereri…………………………………………….Tina Mazzucchelli one of two readings
38La Mulatta Berdi……………………………………………..Tina Mazzucchelli one of two readings
39Rousche………………………………………………………..Alessandro Silvestri
40Il Sanculotto Mathieu detto Populus…………………….Michele Bonanno one of two readings
41Il Sanculotto Mathieu detto Populus…………………..Michele Bonanno one of two readings
42Madelon………………………………………………………Elena Marenzi
43Un' incredibile……………………………………………….Carlo Ragni
44Il romanziere Fleville……………………………………….Alessandro Silvestri
45L'Abate poeta…………………………………………………Carlo Ragni
46Schmidt, carceriere…………………………………………Giuseppe Pellegrini
47Il Maestro di casa…………………………………………….Dumas, presidente del Tribunale. one of two readings
48Il Maestro di casa……………………………………………Dumas, presidente del Tribunale. one of two readings
49Fouquier Tinville, accusatore pubblico…………………..Alessandro Silvestri one of two readings
50Fouquier Tinville, accusatore pubblico…………………Alessandro Silvestri one of two readings
51Maestro Concertatore e Direttore d'Orchestra, Giovanni Zuccani.
53Señorita Mary d'Arneiro was a very good Madalena, though hardly warm enough in her love for the poet Chénier. The lady was warmer in voice than in manner. In the first act she appeared to have a full but rather dark, heavy voice of Spanish beauty, brightening pleasingly, however, as the opera advanced. Her meeting with the poet in the second act displayed yet more the rich quality of her voice. The third act brought the soprano a well deserved round of applause, and her big scene had to be done all over again before the opera could proceed. Here, in addition to d'Arneiro's rich lower range of voice was also displayed her higher extension of very clear and musical tones; her ear, too, is accurate, so that her singing remained in tune. The last act, prison scene with Chénier, while not affecting perhaps, was rather impressive.
55Giuseppe Borgatti, the creator of the part of Andrea Chénier at the Scala, a few years ago, provoked applause the moment he made his appearance. Concerning this tenor's voice and manner I have written much in previous letters to THE MUSICAL COURIER in connection with his Chopin performances. On this occasion at the Dal Verme, his first singing was applauded and bissato-ed before an unbiased listener could ask himself "why?" The singing surely merited no repetition at this point, and it always seems out of place to interrupt an opera or drama performance in this manner.
57Borgatti, however seemingly modest he may be, always manages to secure and hold the centre of the stage in more ways and senses than one. While he has mannerisms, he is undoubtedly one of Italy's great tenors of the day; and besides his great impersonations of Andrea Chénier, Chopin and other characters, none better or greater than his creation of a role like the tenor part in Franchetti's "Germania" could be desired, he having just the voice and manner for such a soldier character. Whether Borgatti felt out of sorts, or found himself in a "don't care" mood, his letter aria (the verses) in the last act of Giordano's opera, was certainly not sung so well as might have been expected, being given with more or less effort, and the audience let him off without exacting a repetition or "bis" of this interesting, and usually repeated melody.
59Giuseppe La Puma, while acceptable in the trying and difficult part of Gérard, was certainly not great. There are a number of baritones in Italy who could have presented Carlo Gérard in better style vocally and histrionically. He did his best, however. Elena Marenzi, as the Countess and as Madelon, was pleasingly accepted in both parts. Carlo Ragni and some of the other male singers did their parts well.
61The orchestra, under Giovanni Zuccani, was good in parts, finished and thoroughly well rehearsed here and there, but the players not doing their best throughout the opera. Signor Zuccani, usually the conductor at the Lirico Theatre, is known as a capable director. The band numbered sixty-five. The chorus, about forty singers (though advertised as seventy), especially in the finale of second act viewing the fallen Gérard, wounded by Chénier, needed a tuning up to the key, or a keying up to proper pitch; they flattered frightfully, but hardly from horror at the sight, for their intonation was not a sure or safe thing during the evening.
63The Dal Verme Theatre has a very deep stage, and an immense gallery, which is always crowded; there are two tiers of sixty-four boxes, and six proscenium boxes at the stage sides; the main floor has fifteen rows of thirty seats each. For this theatre, sufficiently large and important, ranking next the Scala and the Lirico, to use a common sign-plastered outer curtain as a drop curtain, for act and scene changes, is not only bad taste and poor form, but it is positively outrageous. Is it not possible, and time to provide this house with a simple, decent and respectable looking curtain; one that will not be an eye-sore, a disillusion and disturbance of every scene upon the stage, an offence, as is the present miserable looking patchwork? Have the Italians no aesthetic taste, no sense of the fitness of things, that they should look on and quietly tolerate such abuse, such imposition in their theatre?
65At the Filodrammatici Theatre a company is producing a parody, written by Romeo Carugati, the critic of the Milan Lombardia, on d'Annunzio's tragedy, "Francesca da Rimini," entitled "Francesca del Polenta"—polenta in Italian meaning also a mush of corn or maize-meal (chestnut flour when obtainable), usually eaten here with uccelli, little birds, such as reed or black birds. Another part of the bill is "La Zia di Carlo" (Charlie's Aunt) a "Brand-on" Thomas jest, or rather farce.
67It is said that the grand old man of the Vatican, who completed his ninety-second year in March last, is the only Pope who has strolled along Piccadilly, London, and occupied a seat in the distinguished strangers' gallery at the House of Commons, when he had the pleasure of hearing a speech by Daniel O'Connell, the Irish leader of
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