MUSIC, PROGRESS OF, IN 1888. 



579 



tole. June 1), met with a favorable reception. 

 M Reiiaud.'' by Gilbert des Roches Baroness 

 :x ( Boulogne-sur-Mer, during the sum- 

 mer). " Bichilde," in four acts aud ten tab- 

 leans, by Eniile Mattliieu. who also wrote the 

 libretto (Brussels. Theatre de la Monnaie, De- 

 cember TJ). was given with great success: the 

 work, whose subject is from the mediaeval his- 

 tory ...f Flanders, shows dramatic skill and much 

 inventive power; the instrumentation is excel- 

 lent, and a gorgeous mise-eu-scene contributed 

 to the result. " Hertha," a romantic opera in 

 four acts, by Franz Curd (Altenhurg, in Feb- 

 ruary). Aphrodite," by Nicolaus Milan 

 (Agram, Croatia, in February), with consider- 

 able success. " Konig Arpad," by Verhey, 

 libretto by Van Loghem (Rotterdam, German 

 Opera, end of February). " Dido," in three 

 act.-, by Otto Neitzel (Weimar. March 18), ob- 

 tained a fair success. Harold." by Edoard Na- 

 pravnik. the tirst time outside of Russia (Prague, 

 National Theatre, in April), was well received ; 

 the music is not very original, but appears 

 throughout to be the product of a refined mu- 

 sician. u Satanella," by Reznicek (Prague, 

 Deutsches Landestheater. May 13), met witb a 

 very favorable reception. " Der Sturm." in 

 three acts, by Anton Urspruch, text by Emil 

 Pirazzi. freely after Shakespeare's '"Tempest" 

 (Frankfort, Stadttheater. May IT), was re- 

 warded with great applause. "Murillo," in 

 three acts, by Ferdinand Langer, libretto by E. 

 Henle (Mannheim, Hoftheater, September 16) ; 

 the opera had been given last year, but ap- 

 peared entirely remodeled, and obtained a com- 

 plete and well-deserved success. "De Geuzen- 

 bruid," by Melos, libretto by Marnix (Amster- 

 dam, in October) : " Katherine und Lambert," 

 by Van der Linden (Amsterdam, in Novem- 

 ber). ' ; Nelly," in three acts, by Carl Bou- 

 man (Dordrecht, in November). "Aladdin," 

 by Emil Horneman. who also wrote the libret- 

 to, after the " Arabian Nights " (Copenhagen, 

 Royal Theatre, November 19). ' Eugen On- 

 gin," in three acts, by Tschaikowsky. the first 

 time outside of Russia (Prague. National The- 

 atre, early in December), conducted by the 

 composer, and very successful. " Die Gletscher- 

 jungfrau," by Franz Curti (Altenburg, Hof- 

 theater, December 25). ' Das f teinerne Herz." 

 a romantic opera, in four acts, by Ignaz Brull, 

 libretto by J. V. "Widmann, alter Hauff's tale 

 (Prague, Deutsches Landestheater, December 

 19). was brought out with signal success, tak- 

 ing immediate hold with its popular strains 

 and dance rhythms, which never fall below the 

 high standard of the composer's refinement; 

 the first and third acts are the most attractive. 

 It is a genuine example of the good old-time 

 folk-opera, as produced by Dittersdorf and 

 Weigl, modernized. " The Corsican Broth- 

 ers." by George Fox, libretto by Charles Brad- 

 berry (London. Crystal Palace. September 25). 

 Among Italian operas may be mentioned Ver- 

 di's " Otello," as having been produced for the 

 first time on this side of the Atlantic, in New 



York, Academy of Music. April 16, by the 

 Campaniui troupe, with great artistic si 

 The novelties in Italy were: " Asrael," by Al- 

 berto Franchetti. libretto by Fontana (Reggio 

 d'Emilia, Teatro Municipale, in February, with 

 brilliant success. "Diana d' Almeida," by Raf- 

 faele Ronco (Genoa, Teatro Carlo Felice, Feb- 

 ruary 22), met with a favorable reception. 

 "II Saggio.'' by Alfredo Sotfredini (Lucera, 

 Collegio Reale. February) had great success. 

 Ncstorio." by Galignani (Milan, Scala, April 

 3). with indifferent result. " Carmosina," by 

 .1 oil o Gomes de Aranjo, a Brazilian composer, 

 libretto by Ghislanzoni (Milan. Teatro Del 

 Verme, in April), was received with applause. 

 " Don Pedro," by Castegnaro (Vicenza, June 

 21), was very successful. " Ivanhoe," by Ci- 

 ardi (Prato. Teatro Metastasio). "Don Pros- 

 pero." by Garzia (Naples. Teatro Rossini, in 

 September). " Bice di Roccaforte," by Gia- 

 como Medini (Savona, Politeama. in October). 

 'MedgeV' by Spiro Samara (Rome, Teatro 

 Costanzi, December 12), met with a most fa- 

 vorable reception. There were also two Italian 

 operas given in Portugal : " La Donna Bianca," 

 by Alfredo Keil, and " Ribelli." by Marino 

 Mancinelli (both at Lisbon, Teatro San Carlos). 

 (oniif Operas. " Die Drei Pintos," in three 

 acts, by Carl Maria von "Weber (Leipsic. Stadt- 

 theater, January 20). based upon the sketches 

 and manuscripts left by the composer and 

 upon the libretto by Theodor Hell, the opera 

 was compiled and finished, the musical part by 

 Kapellmeister Gustav Mahler, the dramatic 

 part by Capt. Carl von Weber, grandson of 

 the composer. This work occupied the mas- 

 ter before the composition of the " Freischutz " 

 was completed, and as late as the end of 1S24 

 he had not given up his intention to finish it, 

 although the last note of the existing sketches 

 was written in November, 1821. Meyerbeer 

 proposed to complete the opera, but desisted : 

 Jules Benedict, Weber's pupil and biographer, 

 declined to undertake the task, which has now 

 been very creditably achieved by the able 

 orchestra leader of the Leipsic Stadt-theater 

 and Capt. Weber. Both were recipients of 

 ovations on the night of the first performance, 

 which was unusually brilliant, the house being 

 crowded to its utmost capacity by a most en- 

 thusiastic audience, among whom were to be 

 seen many foreign musical and dramatic celeb- 

 rities. The director, Herr Stagemann, who 

 had taken charge of the entire mise en scene, 

 and the artists, shared largely in the generous 

 applause. The opera was subsequently given 

 at Hamburg (April 5), Munich (April 10), 

 Dresden (May 10). Prague (August IS). Coburg 

 (November 6). Breslau and Bremen (also in 

 November). " Turandot," by Theobald Reh- 

 baum, text freely after Gozzi's tale (Berlin, 

 Royal Opera House. April 11). The work, 

 which was very favorably received, contains 

 many pleasing melodies; composer and per- 

 formers were called after each act. "Im Na- 

 men des Gesetzes," in three acts, text and 



