There is little in Massenet's score but firing of cannons and
beating of drums. The musical interest centres in a charming duet in the
opening scene, and a delicious instrumental nocturne. The action of the
piece is breathless and vivid, and the music scarcely pretends to do
more than furnish a suitable accompaniment to it. Of late years Massenet
has confined himself principally to works of slight calibre, which have
been on the whole more successful than many of his earlier and more
ambitious efforts. 'Sapho' (1897), an operatic version of Daudet's
famous novel, and 'Cendrillon' (1899), a charming fantasia on the old
theme of Cinderella, both succeeded in hitting Parisian taste. No less
fortunate was 'Griselidis' (1901), a quasi-mediaeval musical comedy,
founded upon the legend of Patient Grizel, and touching the verge of
pantomime in the characters of a comic Devil and his shrewish spouse. Of
Massenet's later works none has been more successful than 'Le Jongleur
de Notre Dame' (1902), which, besides winning the favour of Paris, has
been performed at Covent Garden and in many German towns with much
success. Here we find Massenet in a very different vein from that of
'Manon,' or indeed any of his earlier works. The voluptuous passion of
his accustomed style is exchanged for the mystic raptures of
monasticism. Cupid has doffed his bow and arrows and donned the
conventual cowl.
Pages:
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275