TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13683, 17 March 1910, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The Covent Garden

Wagner opera teason was Out-Wagnered. due. to open on

February 19th with the first English production of "Elektra," the work by Dt. Richard Strauss that mado such a deep impression in Dresden end New York, It has been described as an opera of tremendous musical surprises, and critics have stated that it out-Wagners Wagner in its awe-inspiring experiments in harmony. Tho cast, which was specially selected by the composer, was to be assisted by a chorus of eighty and an orchestra of one hundred. The score of "Elektra" is unique. Dr. Strauss has utilised (so it is said) every sound and every instrument known. A writer in the "Daily Express" states that sounds of the farmyard are reproduced in music—the lowing of cattle, the clucking of hens, the cooing of pigeons, the barking of dogs, the cracking of whips, and the cries of animals in pain. The ro«ar of thunder, the rush of the wind, -the soughing of the branches in the .freeze, and the rippling , of the brooks all.find-their representation in this remarkable work. Human passions, too, are translated into music—love, hate, jealousy, exultation, revenge, and murder having each its paean of notes. Among the novel musical effects introduced aro drums beaten with birch rods and a triangle hurled at a gong. The composer has marked the orchestral score with such instructions as "A terrible buzzing sound here," or "The crack of a whip in the distance." The pride of the orchestra is an immense "heckelphone"—a great bass oboe —which has the voice of a steam siren. Another musical curiosity is the Dreadnought drum, which two men hold up, while another pounds it. The story of the opera deals with the murder of Agamemnon by his wife Klytemnestra, with the help of her lover on Agamemnon's return from tho Trojan wars. Elektra, a daughter of the murdered king, is bent on vengeance. Klytemnestra, to still her conscience, decides to make a sacrifice, ana it is in the sacrificial scene that Strauss engineers some of bis most startling effects. Here musio reproduces the cracking of whips on the backs of tho victims and the shrieks of the tortured. Elektra determines to kill Klytemnestra, and gets the hatchet with which -—gistheus slew Agamemnon. The eound of the hatchet

There were some lively The Election scenes in Ireland durin in the recent election Ireland. - campaign. England was by no means free from serious disturbances, but mast of them took place on the night of the declaration of the poll. In Ireland rowdiness marked the progress of the campaign. Sticks were freely used in a fight between Redmond ites. and O'Brienites at Fermoy, the latter chasing their opponents for some distance through the town. During a League meeting at Castletownrocne. a party of O'Brienites came up with a band, and, halting by the meeting, made such a din that sneaking was absolutely useless. In the end the exasperated League men charged the O'Brienites, and there was a free fight. West Cork is said to have enjoyed itself thoroughly. Two M.P.'s who went down to assist the League candidate were smothered with lime and eggs (hurled separately, not as a mixture). At Ballydehob. one place of meeting, they were followed by a hostile crowd, denied an opportunity to fpeak, and again pelted with eggs. After a meeting at East Tyrone, a Nationalist crowd marched through a Unionist district and indulged in some promiscuous revolver shooting. It is also said that gentle missiles, such as iron bolts, were thrown through windows. Mr W. Redmond, M.P., lost his temper when howled down by an O'Brienito crowd. "For seven years," he shouted, "I represented Fermanagh, where I had to fight with my life in my hands against Orangemen, and I tell you there is no mob in Ireland that can cow mc. There is only one way to put mc down, and that is to kiil mc. If any of you want to tackle mc, I am ready for you. I'm not a very big man, but my blood is Wexford blood." It is not stated whether any one accepted tho challenge. Apparently party feeling in England, bitter though it is (and it was never so bitter as in the recent campaign), is nothing to tlie animosity that divides the two sections of tho Irish Party.

The excitement in "L'Affaire Paris over the producChantecler." tion of M. Rostand's

" Chantecler " must seem almost ludicrous to British people, who, compared with the French, tako but a dull interest in the theatre. There was almost an "affaire Chantecler." After waiting for the play for years, the Paris public were naturally irritated by the numerous postponements in the last few months, and when tlie floods came and kept them still 'onger in suspense, the nerves of somo good Parisian playgoers quite gave way. It is stated that for months "Chantecler" quite dominated social arrangements in Paris. Dinner parties, dances, holiday-making, depended on "Chantecler." "Can you come to dinner on February 1st?" "Well, I shall be delighted, if 'Chantecler' does not intervene." "Shall we go South for a holiday?" "Well, it would be very nice, my dear, but you aro forgetting 'Chantecler.' " Such conversations are said to have been general in P_r_s for somo time. No invitation was accented without a proviso that if "Chantecler" crew, the guest must be excused. Even weddings were postponed on account of the bird, for young ladies explained that it would be a dreadful thing to be away on the honeymoon when "Chantecler" was produced. The following* letter to a Paris newspaper tells a pathetic story of worn-out nerves: —"For the last fortnight successive postponements of 'Chantecler' have completely disorganised my existence. I can no longer pecept or send invitations without tho proviso 'Unless "Chantecler." . . .' I can now bear it no longer. Kindly announce, therefore, that I offer for sale two stalls, Nos. 208 and 210, which I bought for the first night of 'Chantecler.' " The correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" tells of being accosted at a railway station by a complete stranger and asked, in agonised tones: "Pardon mc, sir, but what of 'Chantecler'? This is a terrible state of things. Is it for to-night or not?" II genius could be measured by the noise a person makes in the world, M. Rostand would have an unchallenged place among the immortals.

ax it inlets human fiVsh comes Irom. as it nutts nun the orchestra: the mardor, .Aov. tor blow. is set to music. The opera ends in a wi'-l dance by Elektra—a dance of trminnh and death. She falls lifeless tr.umpn ana ac«n as the curtain drops to runer.u mu_ic.