Metropolitan Opera Archives

The regular Tuesday evening opera given by the Metropolitan Company at the Academy of Music revealed another of Giordano's operas, "Andrea Chenier," as its eighth presentation this season. This same composer's "Fedora" was produced here several weeks since and another, founded upon Sem Benelli's drama known in this country as "The Jest," was recently produced in Europe.

Umberto Giordano, the composer of these operas, who was among those who competed for the prize which Mascagni won with his "Cavalleria Rusticana," has a talent for composition that largely owes its success to what the great Verdi taught through his many scores. His art of writing does not depend upon the idioms of expression which the men of the newer Italian school use to make use of a rather indefinite phrase; on the contrary, he finds his mode of utterance in the same source of inspiration that Puccini, Leoncavallo and Mascagni found theirs. His power of composing for the stage is best heard in the lyric scenes, where his natural Italian melodic fecundity freely expresses itself. In the more dramatic portions of last evening's opera the music was effective, but lacked the poignant intensity necessary to carry conviction. The introductory chords at the commencement of the third act, for example, did nothing to create the atmosphere which the scene revealed a moment later. On the whole, the second act finds the composer at his best in this score.

Utterance of Music

The production which the Metropolitan Opera Company gave last evening allowed the composer to have free utterance for all the music, both vocal and instrumental he had written, and which was guided by the musicanly baton of Signor Tullio Serafin. It is always a satisfaction when Mme. Florence Easton is cast. The character of Madeleine, though not a difficult one, received the same careful consideration from her that would be given to Isolde, which includes the finished singing she may be depended upon giving. Countess de Coigny offered Mme. Ina Bourskaya little opportunity, but the opportunity she made the most of, and added to the general ensemble of the performance. Miguel Fleta has the voice for Giordano's music, combined with theatrical temperament which suited well the part of Chenier, the poet of the French Revolution assigned to him. Charles Gerard, sung by Giuseppe Danise, and Giordano Paltrinieri, as the governmental spy, completed the principal roles. There were many smaller parts which, the like the larger parts, were ably sustained.

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