Scan 17
Musical Courier 1902-05-28: Vol 44 Iss 1157, 1902
43 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 18. See the scan on archive.org.
1performed at the Opéra, of Paris, and the lyric theatres of the provinces, where they form part of the repertory, was interdicted after a few performances of his "Lohengrin."
3The book of the opera is as far removed from the ordinary plan and formula as is the music which accompanies it. It is a play with a continuous musical illustration, and the composer has been advised that his work will meet with more success when given in a symphonic form at the coming orchestral concerts. With this view I quite agree. The principal music critics are as divided in their opinions as to the merits of the work as is the public. D'Harcourt says: "Debussy has a horror of the common chord, and if by accident he uses it, it is nearly always in another tonality, as if to say, 'This is a common chord, it is true, but you will admit that it doesn't sound like one.' The music of Debussy is obscure, but this does not exclude the fact that it possesses at times a certain charm, but this obscurity in the end becomes tiresome. This work of Debussy is the result of theories which a certain number of musicians have undertaken to promulgate for some time past; that is, to sacrifice musical art to vague conceptions and dangerous compromises. This performance of 'Péleas et Mélisande' again proves to us that the musical world is divided into two camps. On the one hand, a group of those who wish to succeed, whose noisy friends are determined to defend their views at all hazards; on the other hand, those devotees of art who believe that music consists of a holy trinity—melody, harmony, rhythm—and that the constituent elements of this trinity have laws which cannot be violated without detriment to reason and hearing."
5André Corneau says: "The music of 'Péleas et Mélisande' is of such a special originality that it would be surprising did it not encounter many detractors. As the privilege of denying the value of a musical work is an absolute right, there is nothing surprising in that the remarkable score of Debussy should not escape the fatality. But if it is perfectly natural that everyone does not find the exquisite music of Debussy to his taste, still we ourselves reserve the right to be charmed by the curious, poetic and delicate music of this composer."
7Catulle Mendes, while speaking in high praise of the music, hopes "to hear shortly, without the reciters, the score of Claude Debussy at one of the large orchestral concerts, and to see played in some theatre without singers and instruments the charming play—which is in itself sufficiently lyric—of Maurice Maeterlinck."
9The representation so far as the people on the stage were concerned was unequal. Too great praise cannot, however, be given to the remarkably fine playing of the orchestra, conducted by Messager. And I notice that while the critics are very dissident as to the merits of the work, they are wonderfully unanimous in praising the marvelous and delicate stage pictures and setting. I am told that it is an old journalistic trick, when one does not want to criticise a work too severely, to expatiate at very great length on the mounting and acting, giving only a few lines to the work itself. This has been largely done in the case of 'Péleas et Mélisande.'
11The program for the week at the Opéra is "Siegfried," "Meistersinger" and "Romeo et Juliette."
13At the Opéra Comique: "Le Roi d'Ys," "Lakmé," "Péleas et Mélisande" and "Louise."
15Very great preparations are being made at the Nouveau Théâtre for the Lyric Festival, which is to consist of a series of performances of "Tristan and Isolde" and "Die Götterdämmerung." The orchestra is to be entirely hidden, as at Bayreuth and at the new Prince Regent Theatre at Munich. An entirely new plant of lighting and electricity is being installed, a very necessary adjunct in works of Wagner where the shading of the orchestra accompanies and accentuates that on the stage. In the first performance of "Tristan and Isolde," Félix Litvinne, who has been singing the role at Brussels this last season, will be Isolde; Marie Brema will be Braengane; Van Dyck will be Tristan, Vallier King Marke, and Maurel Kurwenal.
17Risler continues his series of concerts at the Nouveau Théâtre with great success. At the last his performance of the Sonata, op. 26, Beethoven, and of compositions by Liszt and Chopin, were received with the greatest enthusiasm by the public. Mme. Mysz Geiner sang songs by Schubert, Schumann and Brahms with a delicacy and fidelity rarely heard.
19A monster concert is advertised to take place at the Trocadéro for the benefit of the pension fund of the Opéra Comique. Some idea of the extensive nature of this entertainment may be formed from the fact that it is to represent the musical history of the Opéra Comique from its earliest days up to the present. Over forty numbers make up the program, which includes selections from the works of Adam, Auber, Berlioz, Bizet, Boieldieu, Bruneau, Charpentier, Donizetti, Delibes, Dubois, David, Erlanger, Grisar, Guiraud, Gluck, Gounod, Grétry, Halévy, Hérold, d'Indy, Joncières, Lalo, Meyerbeer, Maillard, Mascagni, Messager, Mozart, Massé, Méhul, Massenet, Pierné, Puccini, Saint-Saëns, Ambroise Thomas and Verdi. Not only will the entire troupe, orchestra, chorus and ballet take part in this performance, but all the singers who are living in Paris, who have been at some time or other engaged at the Opéra Comique, will form a select chorus. Among the published list of the singers forming this last item I notice Marie Rôze, Marimon, Victor Capoul, &c.
21Mme. Alma Webster-Powell and Eugenio Pirani gave a concert at the Salle d'Athénas, consisting chiefly of compositions by the last mentioned artist. Pirani is a pianist of ability, who has a fine tone, taste and technical skill. Madame Powell, in the aria from Rossini's "Barbier," showed the very great compass of her voice by means of a cadenza and ornaments written with this end in view. For the last number on the program some English songs by Pirani were substituted.
23May 14, 1902.
25I had hoped to have been able to send an account of the new opera, "Orsola," book by Ghensi, music by Hillel-macher, which was to have been produced this evening at the Opéra. The first performance has, however, been postponed until Friday, and I hope to send full particulars next week. one of two readings
26I had hoped to have been able to send an account of the new opera, "Orsola," book by Ghensi, music by Hille-macher, which was to have been produced this evening at the Opéra. The first performance has, however, been postponed until Friday, and I hope to send full particulars next week. one of two readings
28Program for the week: Monday, "Samson et Dalila"; Wednesday, "Faust"; Friday, "Orsola" (first performance); Saturday, "Salammbô."
30The engagement of the singer, Sigrid Arnoldson, proved such an attraction at the Opéra Comique that she was induced to give four more performances, thus enabling her to be heard as Lakmé. Mignon remains, however, the role in which she is most admired by the Parisian public. As the composer, Ambroise Thomas, said of her: "Sigrid Arnoldson does not sing Mignon; she is Mignon." "Péleas et Mélisande," the new work composed by Debussy, continues to attract the public and is said to be making money. Program for the week: Monday, "Louise"; Tuesday, "Péleas et Mélisande" (changed through illness of Jean Périer to "Le Roi d'Ys"); Wednesday and Saturday, "Mignon"; Thursday, "Péleas et Mélisande"; Friday, "Carmen."
32Georges Marietti, for twenty-five years attached to the Opéra Comique as chorusmaster, and one of the assistant conductors, died last week. He was not quite fifty years old.
34From Brussels I have heard that an opera called "The Violin Maker of Cremona" ("Le Luthier de Crémone"), by Jeno Hubay, well known as a violinist and composer, met with great success on its first production in the Belgian capital. Mlle. Alice Verlet, the coloratura singer, of La Monnaie, delighted her audience with the flexibility of her voice and the pearly quality of her chromatic scales in the role of Giannina. Seguin, the bass, was also much applauded in the principal part. The composer himself, Jeno Hubay, played the violin maker, and added a success as virtuoso to that of composer.
36A "Grand Festival," announced for Saturday, May 10, at the Trocadéro, proved to be one of the most remarkable concerts given in Paris for some time. It was organized for the pension fund of the Opéra Comique, an association to benefit the orchestra, chorus and stage employees of that theatre. This concert was remarkable for the fact that the program, which contained forty-four numbers, represented and contained selections from all the composers of any eminence whose works have been performed at the Opéra Comique from Mozart, Méhul, Grétry, &c., down to Verdi ("Falstaff") and Massenet ("Grisélidis"). The orchestra and chorus were those of the Opéra Comique, although it seemed to me that the former department was augmented for the occasion. The conductors were those of the theatre for which the concert was given—Messrs. Luigini, Marty and Giannini—the chorusmasters being Busser, H. Carré and Marietti. To aid the work of this excellent charity, the following distinguished composers directed in person selections from their own works: Charpentier (an air from "Louise"); Saint-Saëns (Finale to second act of "Proserpine"); C. Erlanger (air from "Le Juif Polonais"); Massenet (Ballet from "Cendrillon"); G. Pierné (concerted number from "La Fille de Tabarin"); A. Bruneau (Prelude to "Ouragan"); Vincent d'Indy ("Le Sommeil de Fervaal").
38The soloists were the singers of the first rank at present engaged at the Opéra Comique, and also prominent singers who have at some period of their career formed part of the personnel of this lyric theatre. The most interesting feature of all was several opera choruses sung by singers of great reputation, who in former years belonged to the Opéra Comique of Paris, and who have either retired or are engaged at other theatres. As it was utterly impossible to utilize the services of such a very large body of vocalists in any other way, the idea was an excellent one, and showed a self-abnegation on the part of the artists rarely met with in opera singers. The last number on the program was the "Morning Hymn" from Méhul's "Joseph," which was sung by all the performers at present engaged at the Opéra Comique, or who had ever been engaged there, and who could be gotten together for this occasion. The effect of this last number was really superb, and it was enthusiastically encored.
40Among the men choristers I noticed the names of Badiali, Bouhy, Capoul, Duvernoy, Ismardon, Lhérie, Mouliérat, &c., and the list of female choristers included the names of Madames Engally, Merguillier, Molé-Trufier, Marie de l'Isle, &c., many of whom are or have been famous.
42One thing impressed itself very much on my mind, and that was that very few of the present members of the Opéra Comique could hold a candle as singers to their more ancient comrades. The soloist who really made the sensation of the concert was Mlle. Adèle Isaac, in an air from Mozart's "Nozze di Figaro." I have not a French score to hand, but it is the air of the Countess, known in the original Italian version as "Deh vieni, non tardar." This was sung with such purity of style, accent and color as to raise a perfect storm of applause from the immense audience that filled the Trocadéro. I do not know at what period Mlle. Isaac belonged to the Opéra Comique,
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