Met Opera Archives Search

Review 2:

Review that held the stage of the Metropolitan last night, and it was the first marvel of twentieth century music that a big, patient Metropolitan audience sat there, imperturbably tumultuous, from 8 at night until 12:15 o'clock this morning, In all that time just three things happened. The first was a d?but, Mlle. Lucienne Br?val, veteran of eight Paris seasons, faced her first audience of barbarians in this new world. She had doubtless been warned by her countrymen that Americans have odd little ways of treating singers who fail to please, and that often you have to dance to the mirthful popular of revolver shots from the top gallery. Certainly Br?val regarded the house with awe. She made mighty efforts to sing, and yet showed no voice that could hope to charm this public. Her countenance was rude and ghastly in the half-mourning that was her chief costume. But as a fine figure of a woman she scored the success of a dozen years, and her acting placed her in the trio of Mr. Grail's chief dramatic sopranos. The second feature of last evening was the most fascinating series of ballets that any opera in the Grau repertory can offer. The third was another appearance of Jean de Reszke, who earned all the dollars that he received for trying to put life into "Le Cid."

As a serious comic opera, if such a thing wore possible, Massenet's "Le Cid" affords any amount of entertainment. Its ten scenes, cut down to eight, were handsomely set upon the stage. The bombast of Meyerbeer, the love-making of Gounod, the Spanish dances of a Bizet, and any other pleasant memory of opera that you could wish for, were made a bewildering accompaniment to the spectacle. The leading singers could not be surpassed. Here were the De Reszkes and Plan?on in the parts which they "created" fifteen years ago in Paris, and which they sang in the only Metropolitan performances, two in number, before last evening. Edouard de Reszke as Don Di?gue acted that mighty warrior's battle against old age to the very life. Plan?on might have been an artist-proof portrait of the Comte de Gorman. Jean de Reszke as Rodrigue, Spain's champion against the Moors, sang actually his best. His knightly figure in chain-mail hardly suggested his - well, never mind how many years, He was a tower of strength to Massenet as well as Spain.

Mme. Melba sang the Infanta with apologies and sang well. In fact, Massenet's trick of making his heroine repeat phrase after phrase from the Princess's lips helped one and hurt the other greatly. The loud uncertainties of Br?val's tremolo suffered from the very outset, by contrast with the light, steady tones of Melba. But to say that the more famous soprano acted like an Infanta, at any age from the cradle up, would be gross flattery of her animation. The more Br?val acted, the more Melba became as wax. After the triumph of Br?val's chamber scene, she looked positively ill. As a matter of d?but, this Scene I of Act III was last night's climax. The portrayal of a woman whose very denials declare her passion was splendidly done. The rest of poor Chimene's part was nothing but wails and howls of woe that had better been left unuttered. Of the other singers of new parts, M. Sizes had certainly not the proper size for a King in this six-footer company. M. Dufriche sang a Moorish envoy's challenge from horseback and the capers of the horse quite muffled all alarums of war. The equine comedian made a genuine hit.

After it was all over, the spectators of this revival were loud in their praises or scorn. Superlative alone expressed the pent-up feelings of suppers deferred and carriages in the worst jam of the year. The d?butante and the chief of tenors had, of course, their final recalls. As for poor Massenet, only his ballet stood out as characteristic. Those Spanish dances and a star cast would carry any opera for a season. But a man with a sword on his hands and a woman with a woe were no hero and heroine to the ballet, or to anybody else who listened for music in "Le Cid."

Search by season: 1900-01

Search by title: Le Cid,

Met careers