Reviews — The New York Times

From the New York Times - February 28, 1882

     “The pulpit drum ecclesiastic” is being very vigorously beaten in Geneva just now and a fierce war is raging over Massenet's opera of “L'Hérodiade,” which it is proposed to bring out on the stage in the city of Calvin. All the churches in Geneva are resounding with invectives against the profanation of representing a travesty of the sacred story of the Baptist in the theatre and of attempting to express the emotions of the actors in that Scriptural tragedy by fiddles and flutes, and arranged duets and quintets, with the usual orchestral accompaniments, set off and garnished with the customary quantum of ballets. At Brussels, where the famous opera was produced last December, no one seems to have been shocked, and the Parisians, who are eagerly looking forward to its production in their Opera-house, do not seem to have been struck by the incongruity of converting the Baptist into a stage hero, who makes his last appearance in an amorous duet with Salomeé while awaiting execution in the dungeon of Herod. In England such a piece would be regarded as an outrage upon the religious sentiment of the community; and if Massenet's music is ever heard at Covent Garden it will be wedded to other words than those in which the young Brazilian Milliet has done into operatic verse the tragedy of John.

Last updated December 29, 2006