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Show HIGH ARTISTRY PROFANED. What is called by the press "the sensational opera of Richard Strauss, that is. the piece entitled en-titled "Salome," was presented in Xew York last week at the Metropolitan opera house, and aroused some very vigorous criticism. After the initial production of this opera the directors of the company com-pany entered a protest against its repetition, writing writ-ing to Mr. Conreid. director of the opera, that in their opinion the production of '"Salome" was "objectionable "ob-jectionable and detrimental to the best interests of the Metropolitan onera house." According to the report of this "sensation of the season" the criticisms criti-cisms which led the directors to enter their protest were directed chiefly against the text of the opera, the "Dance of the Seven Veils." performed by Salome Sa-lome before Herod, and the kissing of the lips of the severed head of St. John the Baptist by Salome. At a meeting of the directors the subject of discontinuing dis-continuing the opera performance was discussed, after which Mr. Conried gave out the statement that, the production would be continued according to the pre-arranged program for the week. In announcing an-nouncing his determination that it should continue Conreid said that as Salome is a great artistic achievement and has been acknowledged by the musical world as one of the most important, if not the most important since Wagner, and since it has been produced in many of the most important opera houses of Europe, he considered it his duty to the public of Xev York City to give them an opportunity oppor-tunity to hear the master work of Richard Strauss. Here is a curious mingling of a love of high musical mu-sical art, at least ostensibly a love for reverence, perhaps, and decency upon the stage, and a love for "the best interests of the Metropolitan opera house, as the directors put it, which is most likely to be taken to mean chiefly the financial interests. Let us simply note that the music of the opera Salome has not been harshly syoken of by those who have criticized its rendition. It is the text of the opera, the introduction of the dance before Herod and the kissing of the dead lips of John the Baptist that have been objected to. That is, the beautiful artistry ar-tistry of the musician has been marred my the sensuous sen-suous and irreverent portrayal of the scenes to which. "the sto'y reiers. Mr. Conreid "maj havt' a keener idea of what will "draw" patronage to his house than even the directors .who protested and care less for maintaining cleanly avoidance of sug-gestiveness sug-gestiveness and irreverence, but it is too bad that "great artistic achievements" must be made the vehicle ve-hicle of coarse appeals to sense. Western Catholic. |