THE OPERA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5249, 19 January 1878, Page 3

THE OPERA.

I.OUEKG-KIN. _ ! This opera, a subject ,'of much curiosity to most of the audience which was present yesterday evening at the Theatre Royal, was witnessed by an immense (.assemblage, and. although the applause wnslat times most enthusiastic, still the impression created was so different from past experiences iu the theatre that the audience at times appeared perfectly bewildered by the strange discordant harmonies and apparently rambling strains of music. It is not much to be wondered at, since this opera, although composed some twenty or thirty years ago, has been 'until of late comparatively unknown and uncared for, and of itself is of so new a lino of operatic composition that the innovations, if they may be properly so called after so long an existence, when first heard can scarcely be appreciated at their intrinsic . value.- .We must confess that the impression made on this our first opportunity of hearing it was not altogether favorable. .It is no doubt a want of. musical soul and taste on oiuppart to say,so much. That, may be, and (no doubt will be, accepted as “rank heresy ”\hy those who, although iu no better position asTegards their previous acquaintance with this opera, will air their musical eloquence and expatiate upon its grand contra-puntal complexities, or, as they ought to be called, contra-puntal perplexities. Every branch of art is inundated from time to time with innovations and new ideas of construction; which by degrees encroach, upon the established axioms and uractice of the day, until they so assimilate themselves that_ they are nuconsciously adopted and embodied in the effusions of the then acknowledged best, composers, Meyerbeer, Rossini, Gounod, and lastly have each in their time trespassed across the boundary of all that was considered most sacred and inviolate by the majority of musical composers, and introduced chords, harmonies, and sequences which, before their lead of discovery, would have been expunged 'from the works of any less talented and independent writers. It is thus, indeed, with instrumental music, which has progressed by gradual development and imperceptible steps from the old quaint, but interesting Sarabanda, Corrente, Giga, and Ciaconna, which ■ were in vogue in the time of Bach, . and so. much followed by Tartiui Yiotti, Correlli, and in fact all the old classical masters, to the grand and sublime proportions of the movements which are to be' found in any_ of the symphonies of Beethovjen, where there is combined the vivid expression of all that we can conceive beautiful in melody, harmony, modulation, and sentiment. It may be, then, that this Herr Wagner, the innovator of musical traditions and , precepts; who arrogantly claims for his! compositions the title of “ Kunstwerk der fiitur”-(the art work of the future), may have discovered some more definite rules of proceeding! thau-have hitherto been known, some better . .means . than, we- ; at present possess qf 'giving to* the' airy nothin cr s of the imagination a local habitation and a name. Let us for,one moment consider. We and all thinking musicians arc, and ever have been, as well aware" 1 as he of the tendency to .-.abuse in the composition:, of :the modern opera—a tendency .which, makes true music subservient in, many'cases to the capabilities of the vocalists: for displaying tlieir particular excellencies There is nothing new in this, nor will, it ever cease. :■ Itds the I ,re-.: suit of the uneducated . and , vitiated taste for music that exists 'amongst the general public. Herr Wagner by his present course is very materially assisting in lowering the standard of excellence of the opera, by pinning the. musio'down to be the;servant of words instead of being their mistress, thereby both degrading it and narrowing- its ,:uni. Rossini may tickle the ear, but Wagner -stuns and intoxicates it. His music is the sublimity Of ' impudence ; his. musical principles false, meretricious, and at the same time barely. theoretically, correct.. His is the music which requires tinsel for its gaudy .trappings, and outrageous instrumenta- ’ tion for its glittering effects.-i It-contains page upon page without 1 melody, noise beyond endurance, and modulation .sufficient to scare even Sebastian Each from his grayq, the, entire result being an indiscriminate concatenation of unearthly noises, which forms a conglomeration of singing, row, clarionets, oboes, violins in their extreme register, ahdvCicesi unable to be heard, and the only relief to the mind, body, or soul being fonnd when the curtain "falls, after hours jof immense talerit' displayed, but utterly misapplied, and for the true enjoyment of all artistic purposes totally ■ wasted. Such was the effect upon us yesterday evening. It .may be, and very probably is, that we are at present unable to grasp the hidden beauties of sostrange a composition ; but on its first performance we can but say we were much disappointed, not with

the artists, but with the composition itself. Signora Guadagnini, as Elsa, had a most congenial part, which taxed alike ; her vocal as well as her dramatic powers. -Hew rendering of the romanza (La visions d’-Elsa); “ Sola ne’ mici prim’ anni,” in which, she describes her dream and the vision which her maiden fancies had conjured of the gallant knight was sung with great ; effect. The part of Elsa requires more than ordinary dramatic power, and therefore was especially suited to so great ‘a dramatic artiste as Signora Guadagnini. Her duets in the second scene, second act, - with Ortruda, and in the second scene, third act, with Lohengrin, were both masterpieces," and 'reflected 0 the highest possible credit •on the executants. Signora Caranti "Vita, as Ortruda, bad not much scope for her exceptional talents, nevertheless in the duet “ Vendetta avro I’ha il corguirato” she made the most of the opportunity afforded, and sang: throughout with great effect. In the quintett . at,, the close of the first act she rendered sighal'service. Of late the performances of Signor Paladini have been spoken of _in such terms of deserving praise that it is with difficulty we find words to express our admiration of his Lohengrin. His voice was in excellent form, and the music apparently to his entire satisfaction. The scene in the nuptial chamber was one of his grandest efforts during the season. Both Signor Paladini. and Signora Guadagnini were rapturously applauded. Signori Garnbetti and C asari , were in good}voice, and well sustained their.fespeotive parts in the gem of the opera, namely the quintett at the end of the first act; it was fine beyond description. Herr Schott again was.of signal service in the orchestra, playing both the cor-anglais and oboe very effectively. That master of the contra-basso, Signor Oescbina, had a fine violinoello solo to phiy without orchestral accompaniment. It received full justice at his hands, being a rare display of executive skill. The scenic artist and mechanist must certainly be congratulated upon the able manner in which the stage effects and scenery were produced, which far eclipsed anything of the kind previously exhibited in tills city. The performance as a whole was a most pronounced success on the part of the performers. •