MUSIC, PROGRESS OF, IN 1890. 



569 



" Dante," in four acts, by Benjamin Godard, 

 libretto by Edouard Blau (Paris, Opera-Comique, 

 May 13). In this opera Dante is not as yet the fa- 

 mous poet, but a young man implicated in polit- 

 ical and love intrigues, who at the close resolves to 

 immortalize in the " Divine Comedy " his beloved 

 Beatrice, who has died of a broken heart. In 

 the main the music is suggestive of the old oper- 

 atic style, and mostly pleasing, though not free 

 from a touch of commonplace. 



" Zaire," in two acts, by Veronge de la Nux, 

 libretto by Edward Blau and Louis Besson, after 

 Voltaire's tragedy (Paris, Opera, May 28), was a 

 complete failure. 



" Samson et Delila," by Camille Saint-Saens, 

 libretto by Ferdinand Lernaire (Paris, Eden-Ly- 

 rique, Oct. 31). the first performance in France 

 of this work, which was first given in German, 

 at Weimar, in 1877. It is probably the most sat- 

 isfactory of the composer's operas. 



" Gyptis," by Noel Desjoyaux, libretto by Mau- 

 rice Boniface and Edouard Bodin (Rouen, The- 

 atre des Arts, in December), was given with brill- 

 iant success. 



By German composers : '5 Konig Rene's Toch- 

 ter," lyric-romantic opera, by Rudolf Fischer, 

 (Ratisbon, in March). " lolanthe," lyric-roman- 

 tic opera in three acts, by Wilhelm Miihldorfer, 

 libretto by the composer, after Henrik Hertz's 

 drama " King Rene's Daughter " (Cologne, Stadt- 

 theater, April 12), conducted by the composer, 

 met with great success, which increased from act 

 to act; especially the third act, with its im- 

 pressive closing scene, lolanthe's recovery from 

 total blindness, produced a striking effect. The 

 music is melodious and thoroughly dramatic, the 

 vocal and orchestral parts equally effective. 



" Die Almohaden," in four acts, by J. J. Abert. 

 text freely after Don Juan Palon y Coil's drama 

 " The Bell of Almudaina " (Leipsic, Stadttheater. 

 April 13), in every respect a noteworthy produc- 

 tion. The composer has depicted the dramatic 

 situations with remarkable aptitude, and suc- 

 ceeded most happily in investing his work with 

 local Spanish and Moorish coloring. 



" Helga's Rosen," romantic opera by Rudolf 

 Thomas (Olmiitz, Moravia, in April), was well 

 received. 



" Die Rose von Strassburg," in four acts, by 

 Victor Nessler, text by Fritz Ehrenberg. after 

 ancient Strassburg poems (Munich, Hoftheater, 

 May 2), barely escaped failure. 



" Wem die Krone " and " Der faule Hans," 

 each in one act, by Alexander Ritter (Weimar, 

 Hoftheater, June 8 ), of Wagnerian tendencies, 

 met with a succes d'estime. 



Bohemian : " Certova stena " (The Devil's Wall), 

 posthumous opera, by Frederic Smetana (Prague, 

 National Theatre, May 12). 



In Italy: "Cleopatra," by Bensa (Florence, 

 Teatro Pagliano, Jan. 14). "Catilina," by Copel- 

 lini (Verona, Teatro Filarrnonico, Feb. 8). " Lore- 

 ley," by Catalani (Turin, Teatro Regio, in Febru- 

 ary). " Beatrice di Suevia," by Tommaso Ben- 

 venuti (Venice, Teatro Fenice, in February). 

 " Mala Pasqua," by Gastaldon (Rome, Teatro 

 Costanzi, in April). " Cavalleria Rusticana," in 

 one act, by Pietro Mascagni (Rome, Teatro Cos- 

 tanzi, in May), won the competitive prize given 

 by the Milanese Publisher Sonzogno, and was 

 performed with great success on several stages 



of Italy, and afterward elsewhere, and received 

 much applause. It is the maiden effort of a 

 young composer who lived obscurely at Cerigno- 

 la, in southern Italy, as maestro di cappella, and 

 has now suddenly become famous. "Rudello," 

 by Ferroni, and "Labilia," by Spinelli, likewise 

 in one act and rewarded with prizes (Rome, Te- 

 atro Costanzi, in May). " Raggio di Luna," by 

 Franco Lerni (Milan, Teatro Manzoni, in June). 

 " Lina di Monferrato," by Agostino Roche (Alba, 

 Teatro Sociale, in September). " La Zingara di 

 Granata," by Adelalmo Bartolucci (Santarcan- 

 gelo, in September). "Nerina," by Chiappani 

 (Milan, Teatro Filodramatico, Oct. 2i). " Andrea 

 del Sarto," by Baravalle (Turin. Teatro Carignan, 

 in November). " Fiamma," by Ravera (Alessan- 

 dria, in November). "Gli Arimanni," by Ed- 

 oardo Trucco (Genoa, Teatro Paganini, in No- 

 vember). " La Pellegrina," by Clementi (Bologna, 

 Teatro Communale, in November). " II Veg- 

 gente," by Enrico Bosse, and " Editha," by Emilio 

 Pizzi (Milan, Teatro dal Verme). " Ginevra di 

 Monreale," by Bonavia (Malta, Royal Theatre, 

 during the summer). 



By Spanish composers : " Giovanna la Pazza," 

 by Emilio Serrano (Madrid, Teatro Real, March 

 2). " Frei Luiz de Sonzo," by Freitas Gazul 

 (Lisbon, Teatro San Carlos). " Irene," fantastic 

 opera in four acts, by Alfredo Keil (ibid.). " Bug 

 Jargal," by Jose Gama Malcher, libretto after 

 Victor Hugo's novel (Rio de Janeiro, in autumn). 



Russian : " Cordelia," by Nicolai Solowiew, 

 libretto after Sardou's drama " La Haine " 

 (Prague, Deutsches Landestheater, Aug. 18), 

 for the first time outside of Russia. The plot, 

 based upon the contests between the Guelphs 

 and Ghibellines at Siena in 1369, abounds in 

 dramatic situations and has inspired the com- 

 poser with a most effective musical conception. 

 The work was received with applause. " Igor," 

 in a prelude and four acts, by Alexander Borodin, 

 libretto by Stassow (St. Petersburg, Imperial 

 Theatre, Oct. 23). As the composer died before 

 the opera was finished, the last two acts were 

 written from his sketches and motives by Rimsky- 

 Korssakow and Glasunow ; the difference of style 

 is unmistakable. Most successful is the treat- 

 ment of the Tartar element, and the ballet music 

 in the second act produced a decided effect. 

 " Pique-Dame," in three acts, by Peter Tschai- 

 kowsky, libretto by M. Tschaikowsky after 

 Puschkin's novel of the same name (St. Peters- 

 burg, Imperial Theatre, Dec. 19), was given with 

 brilliant success, finding expression in the most 

 cordial, almost demonstrative, ovations for the 

 composer. Like his older popular opera, "Eu- 

 gen Onegin," it will undoubtedly become a stand- 

 ard piece. 



England and America each supplied one opera. 

 " Thorgriin," in four acts, by Frederic H. Cowen, 

 libretto by Joseph Bennett (London, Drury Lane 

 Theatre, April 22), by the Carl Rosa Opera Com- 

 pany. The name given to the opera is that of 

 one of the characters in "Viglund the Fair," 

 one of the " Three Northern Love Stories," by 

 Magnusson and Morris. The stirring pictures of 

 Norse life in the tenth century, presented by Mr. 

 Bennett in his libretto of rare literary merit, 

 may be summarized as follows: Jarl Eric has 

 two sons, Helgi by his wife Arnora, and Thor- 

 grim, who is "love-born." During a progress 



