Opera Under Sir Augustus Harris Author(S): F
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Opera under Sir Augustus Harris Author(s): F. G. W. Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 37, No. 642 (Aug. 1, 1896), pp. 521-523 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3365907 Accessed: 21-12-2015 18:58 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 and Singing Class Circular. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Mon, 21 Dec 2015 18:58:04 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES. AUGUSTI, I896. 52I melodiesof his great masters,most of which he sufficientlyrecognise the advance in taste and has learnt solely by the ear and in a mutilated intelligence of its supporters. The old gene- form." ration, which was content with a performance Why Orientals do not appreciateEuropean that contained little else of merit save some music, he says, is because they are soon tired brilliantly sung arias, had been slowly but of the constant repetition of the major and surely passing away, and those who filled minor scales, are confused by accidentals,and the vacated seats attached as much import- by modulationswhich upset their recognition ance to the dramatic as to the vocal side of the pitch or key to be observed in a com- of operatic art. These called, and with good position. The Indian may modulate through reason, for reform, for greater completeness differentmodes, but his key-note(SRUTI) remains of representation; and, seeing few signs of unalteredthroughout. these things, said, with the impatiencethat is " The Indian Snds the avenues to his heart one of the characteristicsof the new mind,that are innumerable7and the chords which are Italian Opera,as an art, was dead. The more there struck and the passions excited are lethargicthe publicbecame, the moredesperate endless; he lies buried in an ocean of ever- grew the managers, and from I 884 to I 887 varying delight createdby his numerousmodes thousandsof pounds were scatteredin more or (MELAKARTA)and melody-moulds (RAGA), and is less vain eXorts to reinstate Italian Opera in unable to appreciate the more warlike and its old form. In the last-named year Mr. spirit-stirringexcitement producedby a com- Mapleson began an opera season at Covent bination of simultaneous sounds, however Gardenin March,and the following May Mr. sweetly or concordantly arranged as in Lago opened a season at the same theatre, Europeanharmony." which lle managedto keep going until July I6. Anothernoteworthy difference between Indian Mr. Mapleson also twice tried, beginning on and modernEuropean music is in the use made June 4 and 25 respectively,to give a series of the voices of men and women. The Indian of operatic performancesat Her Majesty's runs them together,as no doubt the old Greek Theatre, but without success. In additionto ran them together, thus materiallyrestricting the above ventures,the Royal Carl Rosa Com- the vocal compass. The European separates pany gave a series of operatic performances, and distinguishesthem from the requirementscommencing on April 30, at Drury Lane, of his harmony into bass, tenor, alto, and the chief success of which was achieved by soprano. It is true the Indian may give a the presentation of " Lohengrin," the stage chorus to low voices, another to high, and management of which had been entrusted reserve stanzas for medium voices; but the to Mr. Harris. This performancewas the same melody runs through each variety of Erst gleam of the coming dawn. Harris, compass, from the lowest bass to the highest with the astuteness which was the secret treble. of his success, saw what was needed, and As alreadysaid, the Hindustanimusic of the forthwith entered the lists as an operatic North of the Indian peninsuladiffers from the managerwith a performanceat Drury Lane, Karnatic through Persian and other foreign on June I3, of Verdi's " Aida," which was admixture,and is becoming grafted upon that presented with an attention to detail and of the South, which native musicians deplore. lavishness of stage mounting that becamethe Still the monodicstyle prevails,as in Persiaand talk of the town. Other operas, including Arabia; and with a fundamentaldifference also " Lohengrin," were presented with the best in China, Japan, Java, Siam, and the Hindo- singers available and a like regard to scenic Chinese race generally, who differ from the eXect, the result being that when he closed Indian in not accepting the Diatonic scale in his season on July 23 he had laid the frst its pure form. Enough has probablybeen said stone of the revival of Italian opera. The next to show that we have under notice a very year saw the sagacious manager at Covent remarkablebook, whetheras writtenin English Garden supportedby an influentialsyndicate, by a native, or as a contributionto that store- and the commencementof a policy that may house wherein is gathered all that can be be briefly described as a clever appreciation foundconcerning the most ideal of the arts. of the law of supply and demand. Thus the late zmpresario may be said to have assisted the natural developmentof opera rather than to have dictated its course. That which was OPERA UNDER SIR AUGUSTUS asked for was given, and in a manner most HARRIS. likely to appeal to the majority. Although THElate Sir Augustus Harris's reign over " Lohengrin"had provedso attractive,no other opera in Englandembraces a remarkableperiod work by Wagner was ventured upon until of its history. When, in I887, AugustusH arris I889, when, on July I3, ;' Die Meistersinger't opened his Srst lyric season, Italian opera was was mounted in Italian, with MadameAlbani passing through that darkest hour which pro- as Eva and M. Jean de Reszke and M. Lassalle verbiallyprecedes the dawn of brightertimes. in the respective parts of Walther and Hans For several years its managershad failed to Sachs. The followingyear Mr. Harris had so This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Mon, 21 Dec 2015 18:58:04 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 522 THE hIUSICALTIMES. AUGUSTI, I896. far gained the confidenceof his patronsas to be " Elaine"-- three works which may be said able to dispensewith the preliminaryprospectus to severally represent the domestic, volup- hitherto issued at the commencement of tuous, and sentimental phases of operatic operaticseasons. This yearsawthe departurein art. In this year another impetus was given favourof worksbeing presented in their original to the spreading popularity of Wagner's language,and Gounods " Romeo et Juliette" music-dramasby their performanceat Drury and Bizet's " Carmen" were sung in French"; Lane by a German company, containing GoringThomas's " Esmeralda"was, however, several leading Wagnerian artists, under the also given in French. Five yearswere to elapse conductorship of Herr Mahler. Speaking before an English opera dare be presented broadly,these representationswould have been in the vernacular during the grand season; well-nigh perfect if the vocalisation of the which was not venturedupon until I895, when principal artists had been equal to their Mr. Cowen's " Harold" was produced. The histrionic abilities. In I 893 Leoncavallo's autumnof I890 was remarkablefor the revival " Pagliacci," the only successful imitation by Mr. Lago, at Covent Garden, of Gluck's of " Cavalleria Rusticana," was presented, " Orfeo,"with Miss Giulia Ravogli in the title together with another domestic opera by role, both work and artist being promptly Mascagni, entitled " I Rantzau." Other securedby Mr. Harris for his season of I89I. novelties were Isidore de Lara's " Amy The same policy was pursued with regard to Robsart," Bizet's " Djamileh," and Villiers Mascagni's" CavalleriaRusticana," which was Stanford's" Veiled Prophet"-the last-named producedin Englandby Mr. Lago on the Erst being hustled in at the close of the night of his autumn season of I 89I at the season. The following year the production ShaftesburyTheatre, and which,combined with of new works surpassed all record, the Gounod's " Philemon et Baucis," formed the list comprisingVerdi's " Falstaff," Bruneau's bill of Sir AugustusHarris's opening night of the " L'Attaque du Moulin," Puccini's " Manon " Italian Season " of I892. In the autumn of Lescaut," Massenet's " Werther" and " La I89I, however,another departure in the history Navarraise," Cowen's " Signa," and Emil of operatic art had been made by the impor- Bach's " Lady of Longford." At the same tation to Covent Garden by Sir Augustus of time a second Germancompany was performing a French company chiefly drawn from the Wagner's masterpiecesat Drury Lane. The Paris OperaComique, and under the conductor- chief effect of so much activity was, however, ship of M. Leon Jehin. This company gave to bring into prominencethe dramaticrather the Srst performancein England of Gounod's than the lyric side of the art, and the works " Philemon et Baucis," which took place on were judgedby the public moreby their libretti October24. The prodllction,five days later, of than by the merit of the music. Such a result Bruneau's " Le Reve " also served to make was inevitable,for the better the librettois, the this season memorable. The visit of these moreinstantly it appealsand impresses; but the French artists did more, however, than morelofty the music,the longer it takes to gain make us acquaintedwith these works.