Reviews — The New York Times

From the New York Times - April 24, 1893

OPERA AND PLAY IN PARIS
POSTHUMOUS OPERA BY DELIBES
- “MIRAGES” BY LECOMTE.
“Kassya,” the Product of Delibes, Gui-
raud, and Massenet - A Galician Liber-
tine and Revolt of Peasants - Gypsies
and Village Festivals - A Belgian Prima
Donna - “Mirages,” an Ibsenite Play,
at the Theatre Libre - A Dreamer Mad,
Imagining He Has Inherited Madness.

     Paris, March 28. - The opera of “Kassya” of Léo Délibes will be judged with kindly respect, almost with affection, for he was a favorite during his life, and his memory is tenderly cherished by all. Above many other composers, Délibes was singularly happy in his popularity, even if “Carmen” did captivate the world before it came to Paris, but so did several of the Massenet operas.
     What Délibes might have done remains a secret. Could he have followed the marvelous musical coloring of “Carmen,” even without the ultrascience of the new school, he would almost have been a genius. Unfortunately, death cut short the career of a gifted composer, and “Kassya,” written when Délibes was a very sick man, has been entirely developed for the orchestra, first by M. Guiraud - who died also - and finally by M. Massenet. Undoubtedly both these musicians gave their best, their most devoted endeavor to their task, but it cannot be the realization of the intimate thought of the composer.
     Délibes had the habit of writing out the entire score for the piano first, so that his friends had no documents to follow; moreover, he had made use of the spoken dialogue, and even at the Opéra Comique these are now given over to the so-called old-time répertoire.

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Last updated December 30, 2006