Scan 6
Musical Courier 1926-02-04: Vol 92 Iss 5, 1926
43 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1February 4, 1926
2MUSICAL COURIER
4ALBERT COATES SCORES BARCELONA TRIUMPH WITH RIMSKY-KORSAKOFF'S "FORBIDDEN" OPERA
5Never Performed Outside Russia Before, Being Regarded as a Sacred Work
7BARCELONA.—The production of Rimsky-Korsakoff's great opera, The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitesh, which took place here on January 6, was an event of truly international importance—not only because of the high standard of the performances under Albert Coates, but chiefly because it was the very first in western Europe, the first outside of Moscow and Leningrad, where it had its premiere in 1907. The reason for its non-performance outside of Russia has been the injunction of Rimsky-Korsakoff himself, who regarded it as a sacred mythical work suited only to Russian orthodox hearers. Only owing to material stress, the heirs have finally given their consent to its release.
9The production here (in the original Russian) was due wholly to the initiative of Mr. Coates, who regards this opera as Rimsky-Korsakoff's masterpiece, and the success of the work seems to have borne him out. Indeed, as the result of this performance, the opera is very likely to make its way—like the Coq d'Or—around the world.
11Kitesh, which has been called, with some justification, the Russian Parsifal, is based upon a thirteenth century legend found in a monastery manuscript, and prepared for the stage by V. I. Bielski. It tells the story of Prince Vsevolod, heir-apparent to the crown of Kitesh, who has lost his way on a hunt. Wounded, he wanders about until he meets the beautiful and saintly Fevronia (later canonized by the Russian church), sister to a woodcutter, with whom she lives in the wood. She charms the prince by her artless manner, and he resolves to make her his wife. When, some time later, she goes to meet her bridegroom, her way is blocked by the Tartars, who have overrun the country, plundering and killing as they go. Only Fevronia, whose beauty awakens the desire of the Tartar chiefs, and Kouterma, a drunkard tramp, are saved, the latter because, as the price of his life, he offers to lead the invaders to the wonderful city of Kitesh. However, the city, by a miracle, disappears in a fog, and is carried to heaven by angels, leaving in its place only a great flaming cross. The Tartars, frightened, flee. Fevronia is abandoned, dies in the wood, but her spirit reappears and is led by the spirit of her bridegroom (who has fallen in battle) to the heavenly city of Kitesh, where celestial nuptials are celebrated.
13A BEAUTIFUL SCORE
14About this typically Russian tale Rimsky-Korsakoff has woven a musical texture which is as rich in inspiration as it is accomplished in technic, and it is certainly one of the most beautiful and at the same time the most Russian of his works. There is, as in all his works, a strong folk-element, and by combining this with his structural mastery, he contrives to produce his greatest effects with an extraordinary economy of means. The choruses are of capital importance, commenting on and illustrating the action, of which they are often the very axis. It seems useless to point out details, for the work forms an inseparable whole, in which every episode finds its just expression; but one must mention the very beautiful a cappella prayer; the interlude describing the battle of Kershemets, and the magnificent final scene, which alone would make its author immortal.
16It is rare that one sees a work so finely produced, so perfect and just in every particular. All the artists worked with equal zeal and intelligence, though doubtless the great merit-for the memorable day goes to Conductor Coates, who not only brought his exhaustive knowledge of the work, but the fervor of his love of the score and his whole musical temperament to bear upon the performances, which, despite the great difficulty of the work, came off without a hitch. Sharing the honors with him was Alexander Sanine, the stage director; Mme. Jakovleva, an ideal interpreter of the role of Fevronia, and Messrs. Possemskoyevsky (Kouterma), Zaporojets (King Ury), Kaidonoff (Tartar chief) and Vesselovsky (Prince). The success of the work has been the outstanding event of the season. TOMAS ORTS CLIMENT.
18Weingartner Chorus Well Liked in Liverpool
19LIVERPOOL.—The principal events during December were the two Philharmonic Society concerts conducted respectively by Wood and Weingartner. Vaughan Williams' London symphony, conducted by Weingartner, disclosed several features which were not apparent on its first production here. In order that the audience should be posted on the architecture and content of the work, no less than eleven pages of the program notes were considered necessary. This sort of thing is being carried to excess and, though perhaps interesting to enthusiasts, is certainly not of much use to the general public.
21At the same concert we had the overture to Ethel Smyth's The Wreckers, Svendsen's Carnival, and Delius' Dance Rhapsody No. 1. Jelly d'Aranyi gave an excellent account of Mozart's D major violin concerto, and Ravel's Tzigane. This young lady, an alleged relative of the late Joseph Joachim, is a player of genuine merit and commands unanimous admiration in everything she attempts. Weingartner also presented Berlioz' Fantastic Symphony, which received a splendid rendering, and a short choral work by himself, entitled Re-Awakening, which was favorably received by the audience.
23The second half of the season was opened by Rhené-Baton, the French chef d'orchestre, who chose Franck's symphony as his principal effort, but it did not seem to me that he threw any fresh light on it. France was also represented by an excerpt from Alfred Bruneau's Messidor and Paul Dukas' symphonic ballet, La Péri.
25JAZZ DE LUXE REACHES LIVERPOOL
26Big houses were attracted by the Savoy Orpheans Orchestra (jazz-band) under the direction of Debroy Somers. Extravagant emphasis and eccentric phrasing were indulged in to a rather wearisome extent, but the wicked travesty on Wagnerian themes and the "potted" version of the New World symphony made one regret that so much real ability should have been wasted in so frivolous a manner.
28W. J. BOWDEN.
30BERLIN OPERATIC SITUATION STILL MUDDLED
31Projected Fusion With Municipal Opera Abandoned and Schillings Withdraws Compromise Acceptance—Busoni's Brautwahl Produced—Also Wetzler's Assisi
33BERLIN.—Operatic affairs are still muddled in Berlin. Schillings has not yet been replaced by another impresario at the State Opera. A short time ago it seemed that affairs would be straightened out. A compromise agreement between Schillings and the minister was at last made, both parties yielding a little and finally meeting on common ground. At the same time it was officially reported that a union of the State Opera and the Municipal Opera was approaching realization, with Tietjen, the present manager of the municipal opera, as general manager of both houses. However, the difficulties of this project were greater than had been expected. It was abandoned for the present, and Schillings once more declared that the agreement already obtained is no longer binding on him, as it had been entered into in connection with the project named.
35In the meantime both opera houses have not been idle. At the Staatsoper, Verdi's Otello was remounted. The performance, conducted by Georg Szell with vigorous temperament and precision, was of remarkable quality, without, however, producing a sensational impression. Heinrich Schlusnus, as Iago, enchanted the audience by the beauty of his singing; but he is not enough of an actor for this demoniac role. Fritz Soot's Otello proved one of the best achievements of this artist, who in consequence of the scarcity of heroic tenors in Germany is about the Staatsoper's only representative of that ilk. Delia Reinhardt's Desdemona was a touching personification of Otello's loving wife.
37E. N. von Reznicek's opera, Ritter Blaubart (Knight Bluebeard), not heard for several years, was also revived. Conductor Selmar Meyrowitz made a good deal of the complicated score, which testifies to the admirable skill and experience of its composer in everything pertaining to orchestral technic. As regards aesthetic value the work is rather unequal. The singers only approximately fulfilled their tasks, Carl Braun being the Bluebeard and Anna Scheffler-Schorr the Judith.
39ANOTHER BUSONI OPERA PERFORMED
40The Municipal Opera might have accomplished something memorable if it had given to the first performance in Berlin of Busoni's opera, Die Brutwahl, that careful study which the work of a master of Busoni's rank merits. The general
42(Continued on page 33)
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.