PUCCINI’S LAST OPERA

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12507, 24 July 1926, Page 14

PUCCINI’S LAST OPERA

Great excitement reigned in Italy over the production at La Scala, Milan, of Puccini's last opera, “Turandot.” The theatre vm packed to its utmost, and there were artists an<| journalists present from all parts of the world. Italy hon>urs its <lead. As U known, Puccini was cut; off before be had quite finished the work. In » note to his liberettists G. Adams and; R. Simoni, he wrote, “I have finished ;he instrumentation of the third act, and can assure you it will be a success. I am at the last duet. . This sore throat torments me, more by morals than physical pain. I will go to Brussels. 1 cannot gc on with it . . . and *Turando* is here ... on ray return I will go on with it at once.” The unfinished duet was taken in hand by Signor Franco Alfano, and from fragments left by Puccini he was enabled to complete it in a manner that would doubtless have pleased the maestro. Alfano is himself a composer of distinction, whose fourth opera, “The Legend of Sakuntala,” was performed at La Scala about two years ago. j The denouement of the opera is of ex- : treme importance, since up to this point I the character of Princess Turandot is an enigma, and it is only in the love duet at the close that she reveals her true feelings toward Prince Kalafl. Puccini aspired to music of exalted poetic beauty and psychological significance for this duet. Unfortunately, his fatal illness overtook him before ho oould write it; but the recital of these facts is sufficient to show the difficulty of the task with which Alfanc was confronted. On the opening night the opera was given just as JPuccini wrote it—that is, up to the concluding part of the third act. At that point Toscanini, the famous Italian conductor, turned and said to the audience, “Here the opera terminates tli rough the death of poor Puccini.” On the second night and thereafter the added duet was sung. Rosa Raisa, who wus the original priina donna in “Neromo” (Boito) over a vear ago, was Princess Turandot to the life. The critics have hailed “Turandot” an a great work. It has alredy boon translated into German, and it is understood that Jeritza is to aoiwar in it at the Metropolitan in New York. MELBA ON MUSIC Lame Nellie Melba, writing to the “British Australasian and New Zealander” on musical appreciation, says:— “Amid the sadness of bidding good-bye to bo many good friends of mine up and flown the country, it has been a pleasure to note almost everywhere a quickening in musical appreciation. To-day there are gratifying signs that the British audience begins to hoar ns well as listen; and if the result is to bo a musi- , cal revival, the credit for it wiM he due | in no small degree to men like Halle, , Henry Wood, Eugene Uoossens, Lanilon Ronald, Albert Coates, Hamilton Harty, and a number of other pioneers in Lon- | don and certain provincial centres. Yet mainly, so it seems to mo, the secret of 1 this new interest is to be found in the , astonishing enlargement of tho audience , for music accomplished by tho gramo- ] {thone and broadcasting. Although I , Alievs f was the first prima donna to , make a gramophone record, und the first t to broadcast, 1 have not, whilst recog- * nising tho possibilities of these devices, j over accepted either of them uncritically, | and I am well aware of tho flaws in j wireless as that scienco is practised to- ( day. But, just as I have followed tho gradual perfecting of the gramophone, so I. think one may look forward to like r improvements in wireless. Broadcast- f ing and the gramophone are certainly | £ tin* two most eloquent missionaries to L, the musical heathen in our midst.” r