File:Lucrezia Bori, by Herman Mishkin.jpg

Identifier: morechaptersofop00kreh (find matches)
Title: More chapters of opera : being historical and critical observations and records concerning the lyric drama in New York from 1908 to 1918
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Krehbiel, Henry Edward, 1854-1923
Subjects: Opera
Publisher: New York : H. Holt and company
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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niversal appeal could be spoiled by an attemptto turn it into an English opera was demonstrated on theafternoon of January 24, 1914, when a piece in one actentitled Madeleine was performed for the first time.The book of the opera was adapted from the French ofDecourcelles and Thibaut by Grant Stewart; the music wascomposed by Victor Herbert. In the official prospectus ofthe season Mr. Gatti announced that it was intended to rep-resent the National Art of Music, which fact may be setdown as a deplorable incident in view of the fact that Pro-fessor Parkers Mona, with which the directors of theMetropolitan Opera House made a noble experiment in theline of national art, had been put upon the shelf and the ef-forts of other American musicians ignored. What the orig-inal French play which provided the dramatic frameworkfor Madeleine is like I do not know. Certain it is thatits story is amiable and that in the hands of a litterateurwith poetical instincts and a composer with a light touch, a
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LUCREZIA BORIIn LAmore dei tre Re A GRACEFUL FRENCH STORY SPOILED 319 command of gracious and graceful melody, and a knowledgeof the essential elements of refined comedy (such a com-poser as Wolf-Ferrari, for instance), it might have beenmade into a delightful opera. Its humor is summed up inthe conceit that an opera-singer, accustomed to the homageof the world, finds herself unable to get her favored lover,his hated rival, an humble friend of her humble childhood,or even her maid to dine with her on New Years Day be-cause all have promised to dine with their respective moth-ers. Sweet and chastened memories are thus forced uponher and in the end she finds happiness and contentment inthe companionship of her own mothers portrait. The dramatic motive is lovely and no doubt was in-geniously and sympathetically developed by the Frenchauthors. Its gentle appeal was felt in the operatic trans-mogrification only for afew moments after the last wordshad been uttered and the orchestra sang it

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