Such a theatre no
longer counts in the history of French music; and its next directors
will need a vast amount of ingenuity and energy to get a semblance of
life into such a dead colossus.
But it is quite another affair with the Opera-Comique. This theatre has
taken a very active part in the development of modern music. Without
renouncing its classic traditions, or its delightful repertory of the
old _opera-comiques_, it has had understanding enough, under the
judicious management of M. Albert Carre, to hold itself open for any
interesting productions in dramatic music. It takes no side among the
different schools; and the representatives of the old-fashioned light
opera with their songs elbow the leaders of the advanced school. No
association has done more important work, among musical dramas as well
as musical comedies, during the last twenty years. In this theatre,
which produced _Carmen_ in 1875, _Manon_ in 1884, and the _Roi d'Ys_ in
1888, were played the principal dramas of M. Bruneau, as well as M.
Charpentier's _Louise_, M. Debussy's _Pelleas et Melisande_, and M.
Dukas's _Ariane et Barbebleue_. It may seem astonishing that such works
should have found a place at the Opera-Comique and not at the Opera.
Pages:
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345