MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1920, 1 December 1913, Page 5

MUSIC.

H3y Treble Clbf.i

The Opera in Now York,

"The coming season will prove the richest iu novelties and revivals of any at the Metropolitan since the liogmniug of my directorate," said Mr. (<attiCasazza recently. 'J no opening week will witness a revival of Verdi s "Lin Ballo in Maschera," with Caruso, Am a to, Destiin, Matzenniier, Jiempel, In tho third week Strauss's "Roscnliavalier" will be staged, with llom pel. Case, Ober, Goritiz. For Christmas wce.v the novelty will be Montemczzi s "L'Amore dei trc re," with Bors, Arnato, Didur. "Carmen," wilh Farrar, bon, and Caruso, is booked lor the first Dair of January, and the same month wnl witness the premiere of \ ictor Herbert s now opera, "Madeleine," ' w' l ' l A, 11 ",'' Sparkes, Althouse, Scotti. Charpen-.ier s "Julicn" will be given before tiie ond or February, tho east including l-arrar. Caruso, and Gilly. Wolf-Ferrari fi new opera, "L'Amoro Medico, will be the season's last- novelty. A brilliant opening of the season is assured by .Million," with Farrar, Rotnier, and De Segnrola.-ivew }oik "Post." '

Verdi the Farmer. Verdi not only improved Jtaiam opera: ho also was olio of the pioneers o. intensive farming in Italy. ''TiiaiiKs to liis innovations, M says a wntor m London "Field," 'iio wus able tc? inspire respect by making farmniff though it is not so clear that he inspired affcctiou in the same degree, ana his reputation as an employer is that ot a man who was j iist, hut exaciiiig and severe. To flic indolent, indeed, no was a 'terror,' for lie was a man of his hands, and a mighty boxer, qniCK tempered, and always ready to givo a- tasto of his prowess to those who 'answered back' when he reprimanded them lor idleness or incompetence. He was, however, a man of large views and wide outlook, who followed the progress ol; flfincnlturc in other countries, and Ins frequent introduction of up-to-dato improvements did much to enricl'i tne corner of tho peninsula iu which ho resided." To this int-orestinp; information onn may add that he really had no moral rigiit to chastise indolait employees, for lie himself, in liis own_ speciality, was »> no means a- model of industry. In lKio he wrote to Count Arrivatene: ''Vm a si; mo why I do not write Tne I'alstaff' or somo other opera. Because <or the time being I consider a dolcc l#r liiento tho most suitable tiling for boti! body and mind." The plain truth is that Verdi was a lazv fellow; unnke "nRHfjM who was never happy except wlion m llio midst of the hardest work, he swift most of liis time in mental idleness. Jhe iiict that ho wrote- twcnt.v-six operas in fittyfour years docs not refute this. sta_cment,' for most of these operas are too lirrht and hastily executed to weigh m the balance. After compocins '■• a Forza del Restino" lie waited jive years before "Don Carlos'' wss given to tno world: four years of indolence preceded "Aida " and after that lie took a little, vacation of sixteen interrupted only by the writing ot his _ Requiem. It is not at all certain, in fart, that lie would have comp'iscd anything moio after "Don Carlos" (186/) nad not the Khedive of Egypt teinntcd !nm with tho romantic story of "Aida.

Notes. London is to have an early opportunity of hearing Saint-Sawis's new work, "Tho Promised Land," for which Jr. Hermann Klein wrote the I'bretto, and which was tho chief novelty of uio recent Gloucester Festival. The oratorio is set doWn for performance by « Choral Socioty on -Novendier 2/, wliich occasion s Talo of Old Japan" is also to be given.