OUR PARIS LETTER.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5230, 17 July 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR PARIS LETTER.

MUSIC. National Opera. — " Jeanne d'Arc:" Opera in four acts, woids and music by M. Mermet. This opera meets with unqualified condemua tion, and cautious appioval, but a composition like the ptesent ought uot to be definitely judged from a smgle representation. "Guillauine Tell " was unfavourably received at first, and to-day it is legarded, and justly so, as one of the chrfs d'ceiivic m the repeitory 01 modern opeia. Jeanne d'Aic labours under the difficulty of not being suited to opeiatic handling; love can beai frequent repetitions in the scoio. but we giow fatigued when patriotism is sinnlaily dealt with. Then the work has been vaunted excessively befoie it was given to the public, and it has undcigene seveial inipoitant cuttings down, which seriously tell on tlie geneial eflect ot the opera It can never take lank as a lnstclass woik. The authoi has founded the stoiy on hutcny, legend, and imagination. It commence with the maid in her native village, and finishes with the coionation of the ungiateful king at Rheims, where glass pauelb tor a, moment open, aud display Rouen and the stake '1 lieie is no lighting scene ; when Jeanne ai lives befoie Oi leans the English auny vanishes like leaden soldiers in a toy-box. Tho sceneiy is \eiy magnificent and pioves that France has noiivalinthe decoiatne ait; the village of Dumreui) , ' the chateau ot Climou, Jeanne's tent and the cathedial of Khenns are master pieces ; fifteenth century life in its legal, mihtaiy, ecclesiastical, and ci\ie phases leappear like realities ; the costumes dazzle by their gorgeousness and astonish by their historical fidelity. The ballet was a remarkable success, and e\ecuted in scenuy lepiesentuig the Lone and the cattle ot lilois il Faint 1 was truly Fame; but Mdlle. Krauss as Jeanne, though she did her best, wanted yuuthl'ulness, agility, and soul. The general diameter of the music js common-place. M Mermet tollows no school, and appioiches Donizetti more than any other model n composer Theie are parts of the scene full ot eueigy and emotion, and the " Vein Ciioim " is equal to the best inormiu in his " Roland. " In tho first :ict the maid sings a very giaceful ballad, "One Minimei's evening. ' The " voicc3 " failed, owing to being lepresentcd behind Lhe scenes. Fame sings a capital drinking song and a charming duet, a ballad by Gaston de Met/ is pleasing, and the trio between Agnes hoicl, the astrologer, and the traitor Richard was peculiaily eScctive in its soinbie lugubriousness. The coiona tion music was a failure How one recalled " La June" and the " Prophetc " and even Gounod ' The score is wanting in passion and mspuation. On k v Comique. — " 1'iccolino :" (Jomic opera m thicc acts, hhietto by Messis S, u don and Quitter, music by M. Guiiaud. lhu> is a distinguished success. The plot is ai ranged fiom Sardon's "Piccolino," liiat repiesented at the Gymnase Theatre lift> en yeaia ago. Fiedenc, a French aitist, h,is arrived at Lausanne to find scenery for sketching; he makes the acquaintance of Mai the, a protty orphan, seduces hoi, sets out to Rome, and forgets all his proiin&ci She pines in seciet till, one Clnistinas night, two s hangers anive at the houau when, Martho has found an asylum Among ofclKi mittcis of convcisation between tlicmsehcs, they allude to Ficderic and his lite at Romo Next evening Marthe sets out tor Home, disguised m boy's clothes ; anived in the city, slie appears before Frederic as a piftoiaio, with a boaid of plaster ca^ts on her head, lit likes the mild and modest air of tho "lad,"' engages him as a model and finally as a pupil, giving him the name of ' ' Piecolino. " She watches over Frederic, encourages him to woik and to make a name, and saves him from being murdered by an assassin, hired by tho Marquis Stroz/i to pievent the aitist's attentions to his sister Mai the icsolves to return home, satisfied that Frederic has foi gotten her ; as she is leaving, the ai tist kneels at her feet, divines her real chaiacter, and they are married. M. Guiraud is a young musician belonging to the school of melody, who writes to amuse the public, not to tieat them to a course of haimony ; Ins popular music is all gaiety and good humour, there is nob a tear in tho whole scoic* Neaily every gem in the second act was icdemauded, and the three acts aie studded with biilliant monrau t, all equally claiming «m impossibility — to be named. Like the Ficnch tncolour, they are destined to make the tour of the world.