Opera in London Author(s): Francis E. Barrett Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 60, No. 922 (Dec. 1, 1919), pp. 699-700 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3701945 Accessed: 13-12-2015 10:52 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 134.129.120.3 on Sun, 13 Dec 2015 10:52:22 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1919. 699 OPERA IN LONDON. Cassio stood out well, and Miss Edith Clegg was the By FRANCIS E. BARRETT. Emilia,operatic ally a ratherinsignificant person. Sir Thomas conducted THE BEECHIAM COMPANY'S SEASON AT COVENT GARDEN. Beecham an energetic performanceof the wonderfulscore, showingup the good qualities of the It was generallysupposed that London wouldbe without orchestraat his command. From Shakespeare a move any representationof opera this winter,for whenmost of was made on the secondnight to Old Russia, whenBorodin's the arrangementsfor the season were made known,nothing ' PrinceIgor' was given. Its firstrepresentation in English was said upon the subject. At a late hour the welcome was seen duringthe Grand season in the summer,and on announcementwas made that CoventGarden would open this occasion the cast was muchthe same. Mr. Edmund its doorsto opera,and thatthe performanceswould be given Burkewas the PrinceIgor-a dignifiedfigure, but one that by the Sir Thomas Beecham Opera Company,Limited. seemed to feel s-)mestrangeness in his surroundings,which This is the new styleof the organizationthat haa been foundexpression in poorarticulation of thewords. Madame 'carryingon' withsuch effectduring the war. The business- S'ralia sang brightlyas the Princess,but did not show looking titlethe Companynow possessesimplies tnat it is completefamiliarity with the part. Good workwas done by establishedon a firmfinancial basis-i matterfor congratula- Miss Edna Thorntonand Mr. NormanAllin as themembers tionwhere opera in Englishis concerned. So far,however, of the friendlytribe that capturedthe Prince,and the wild there has been little expansionof the undertaking,and it dances of the Polovetz were a special f:ature under the still remainssomewhat in need of strengthening. directionof M. Gavrilov. Mr. Albert Coates conducted. But thatdoubtless will come withtime, mnre especially as Rimsky-Korsakov's'Coq d'Or' followed. This opera-ballet the opportunityfor adding to the operaticforce is greater or ballet-operathe Britishperformers have made theirown. than it was, since opera is to be made a subjectof special Truth to tell it is somewhat inane, but the singers studyat one at least of the London schoolsof music,the and actors showed that it could be amusing. Mr. Foster way being led in this instanceby the Royal College of Richardsonas the King-the personificationof satire- Music. But the eff~rtis youngyet, and has had no time to was distinctlyfunny, a fact that could be appreciated, exerciseits influence. thanks to his admirably clear articulation of the The Companyconsequently has remainedmuch the same words. Mr. Herbert Langley gave him loyal assist- as it was in previous seasons, but with some notable ance. The Queen's 'kickery-kick''music was delivered additions. One of these is found in the person of by Miss SylviaNelis, and Miss Doris Lemrn was the Bird. Madame Stralia, who seems to be permanentlyengaged, As a joke the thingwas entirelysuccessful. Mr. PercyPitt and others are Mr. Edmund Burke, well-known at conducted. The nextnight brought contrast in the shape of Covent Garden, Mr. George Milner, an American,who the marvellous' Falstaff'of Verdi. Decided serviceto the has sunga good deal in opera in Germany,and last, but operaticart is done by placingsuch a monumentalexample not least, M. Dinh Gilly, who has made regular and in the repertoire,but that servicewould have been rather successfulappearances in London underthe auspices of the moregraceful had the Companyprepared themselves a little GrandSyndicate. Thus therehas been a small acquisition more. There was much too great a tendencyto speak of strength. As faras theseason has been carriedout down insteadof sing the words,and therewas some dispositionto to the timeof goingto press,it has been somewhatevident 'guy' the performance,as the word is behindthe footlights. thatthe reinforcingprocess must be begun soon if the new Tne cast-which includedMesdames Agnes Nicholls,Gladys organizationis to win permanentsuccess. Ancrum,Miriam Licette, and Clegg, and Messrs. Maurice The arrangementsfor the season are somewhatunusual. D'Oisley and Sydney Russell-can and must do better. The repertoireseems to take it for grantedthat the public Happily the Falstaffof Mr. FrederickRanalow saved the knowsall aboutopera, and thatit is now readyto deal with situation. It was a very 'rich' piece of work, amusing its latestphases. In spiteof the factthat the audiences have withoutbeing farcical. The Bardolphand Pistolof Messrs. been of good dimensionsthis is really a mistakenview. Heatherand Wynnhad all the necessary'cat-a-mountain' It is givingthe public a move up beforeit is ready. We looks, and Mr. Percy Heming was an excellent Ford. have still a war-timepublic in search of any kind of Mr. Eugene Goossens,jun., conductedin ratherutilitarian amusement,and ready to take anythingthat is offered.fashion. But it is impossibleto build on this foundation. The real Wagner's'Tristan,' whichfollowed, exercised its wonted ground-workof an operaticeducation has still to be laid appeal on a sectionof the communitywhich attended in down. Nothing in the present scheme, for example, large numbers. There was a familiarexposition of this illustratesthe process of the developmentof opera, and the longest,if not the greatest,operatic duet in existence nothinghas been done to enable the would-beopera-goer to at the hands of Miss Rosina Buckman, the Isolda, acquirereal appreciationof the art by illustratingits growth. and Mr. Mullings, the Tristan, whose efforts were It maybe thatsuch a plan is ideal, but thefact remains that supplemented with good effectby Miss Ancrum, the if any lastingappreciation of opera is to be cultivated,it Brangane, and Mr. Norman Allin, the King Mark. must be inculcated on sound principles. The present Mr. Percy Pitt's reading of the score was sound procedure is simply a form of ticklingthe public: of but not inspired. The final productionof the week was attractingthe child's attentionwith the prettypictures, and Puccini's ' La Bohbme,'whicb has certainlycome into its leavingout all the long words. own as faras L-mndonis concerned. Miss MiriamLicette The greaterpart of the schemehas been made up of what made her appearance as Mimi, but withoutinvesting the maybe termedall the highermathematics in the operatic partwith any great vocal distinctionowing to herunfortunate sum:; the additionand the subtractionhave been ignored. methodof emittingher upper notes withan effectthat is To take the season in chronologicalorder, which I thinka morepenetrating than pleasing. Mr. Millar was a debonair betterplan than to pick out the plums and pass over the Rudolph,and withthe help of the othersand Mr. PercyPitt remainder,a beginningwas made withthe masterworkof a at the conductor'sdesk there was a spiritedperformance master-handin the shape of Verdi's 'Othello.' In this rathermore British than Frenchin tone. Later the list was mostof the exponentswere familiar. Mr. Frank Mullings swelledby M. Saint-Saens's'Samson and Delilah,' with an repeatedhis impersonationof the Moor which undoubtedlyalluring Delilah in Miss Edna Thornton,a vigorousSamson has the distinguishingmerit of beingperfectly sincere. It is in Mr. FrederickBlamey, and a veryfine Aged Hebrew in onlyhis methodas a singerand as an actorthat places a limit Mr. NormanAllin, withMr. Pittas a watchfulconductor. on its effect. Miss JeanneBrola, who was the Desdemona, Fresh ground was broken a few days later when the carried out an effortthat was new to London. There was Companyoffered a curiousmixture of operatic styles by giving muchcharm in it, onlydiscounted-intentionally or uninten-Wolf-Ferrari's 'Susanna's Secret,' and Stravinsky's'The tionally-by a suggestionthat she was thinkingtoo muchof Nightingale,'both forthe firsttime in English. The former .. crime unreconcil'das yet to Heaven and grace' suffereda little fromwant of rehearsal,but it was clear and conveyed it by a persistenttremolo in her voice. that in due course both Miss Brola's Countess and The Iago was the new-comer,Mr. George Milner, who Mr. Ranalow's Count will be having distinction,to say showed himselfpossessed of a gratifyingfamiliarity with nothingof the mimingof Mr. Langley as the Servant. the stage and an ease of deportmentthat did much to Mr. AlbertCoates laid ratherheavy hands on the orchestral augmentthe impressionof his work, of whichas yet no score. As to the Stravinskywork, it is forthe futurerather furtherexample has been seen. Mr. Webster Millar's