File:Giacomo Puccini, by Herman Mishkin.jpg

Identifier: morechaptersofop00kreh (find matches)
Title: More chapters of opera : being historical and critical observations and records concerning the lyric drama in New York from 1908 to 1918
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Krehbiel, Henry Edward, 1854-1923
Subjects: Opera
Publisher: New York : H. Holt and company
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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iss Aronte Andrea Segurola Une Naiade Marie Rappold Un Plaisir Alma Gluck Conductor, Arturo Toscanini On December 10, 1910, there was a first performance onany stage of a new Italian opera by Puccini. This was LaFanciulla del West, the libretto of which had been fabri-cated by G. Zangarini and C. Civinni out of Mr. DavidBelascos melodrama, The Girl of the Golden West. Themanagement had put its finest talent at the service of thecomposer, who had come to America to direct the produc-tion; Mr. Belasco had taken upon himself the task of train-ing a company of foreigners, who knew as little about theForty-niners as they did about the antediluvians, how tolook and act like the argonauts of California and theirparasites; Signor Toscanini threw himself devotedly intothe interpretation of the music, and all that could possiblybe done to make the affair a brilliant and momentous onein operatic history was done. It was momentous, but notin the sense expected by Signor Gatti. The time was a Sat-
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Giacomo Puccini REASONS FOR SUCCESS AND FAILURE 205 urday night, but instead of the popular prices which ordi-narily prevailed at the last performance of each week, theprices were doubled. There was a fine attendance, but notan extraordinary one. The performance was fine also, suchan one as there is no risk in saying the opera would not havereceived at any other opera house in the world, for nowhereelse would the factors essential to a presentation of the char-acteristically American play been brought together. Theplay was familiar to the public, and Mr. Belascos associa-tion with Signor Puccini in the most popular of the lattersoperas whetted the natural curiosity in a work which wasnot only national in plot, but was also to have its first rep-resentation in an American theater. The excellent meritsof the performance had recognition, and between the cur-tains the singers, the composer, Mr. Belasco, and SignorToscanini were repeatedly called out and vigorously ap-plauded. After the op

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