Reviews in The New York Times

     Here are articles that were published in The New York Times from 1881 to 1926 that concern Massenet and his works.

1881

• December 5: French Operatic Revolt - Why Massenet’s “Herodiade” was Porduced at Brussels. Director Vaucorbeil’s Hostility to the New School and the Movement Against Him-Massenet following the example of Reyer-How He Has Treated the Bible Story and Used a Work by Flaubert.

1882

• January 23: Herodiade - Paris [Review]
• February 28: Massenet’s Opera in Calvin’s City.
• April 10: Massenet’s “Herodiade” Objected to From a Letter to the London Times.

1884

• December 27: Sardou’s “Theodora.”

1885

• December 20: Massenet’s New Success. The Production of His “Cid” and Its Great Merits - The Most Complete of This Author’s Works - His Nervousness the First Night - The Story That is Told.
• December 24: Amusements: Italian Opera [The first performance of Manon in New York]

1886

• August 20: Paris in Midsummer Time: Playhouse Still Open and Memories of Old Days at the Grand opera and the Français - How Tickets are sold - Nilsson’s Marriage Next Month
• December 12: Talk of the Day in Paris: Goblet’s Hard Task and the New Play by Sardou Boulanger Coming to the Top - The Point He Has Carried - Sardou Talks About His Piece. [Le Crocodile]

1887

• January 15: Two of Sardou’s Works: A New Play and an Opera Based on “Patrie.” - Magnificent Scenes in Both - Otherwise Disappointing - Music Commonplace and Costumes Superb. [Le Crocodile]

1888

• August 5: Timely French Topics: Arbitration and the Fate of Boulanger. Jules Simon’s Scheme to Call in America - Bismark’s Letter on the Battenberg Match Published - Zola and the Academy

1889

• March 24: Paris and the Great Show: A Cheerful Welcome in Spite of the Unrest. Comptoir D’Escompte Affairs - Patriots in the Lost Provinces - Fetes for the Coming Summer. By the Commercial Cable From Our Own Correspondent.
• May 16: Sybil Sanderson’s Triumph. [opening of Esclarmonde]
• May 19: The Great French Show: What the Present Visitors Can See. The Eiffel Tower and Edison’s Exhibit - American Pictures Very Attractive - Other Matters. By The Commercial Cable from Our Own Correspondent.
• June 17: Miss Sanderson in Massenet’s Opera.
• July 7: London’s Pleasure Time Unusual Gayety and Fine Weather for It [Rumor that Massenet is going to American]

1891

• March 16: Massenet’s New Opera. “Le Mage” Given A Dress Rehearsal Before President Carnot.

1893

• February 12: A Week’s Musical Topics. News and Gossip of Opera House and Concert Hall. Announcements of the Musical Season in New York - “Werther,” Jules Massenet’s Latest Opera, Founded on Goethe’s Tale - Produced at the Opéra Comique.
• April 24: Opera and Play in Paris. Posthumous Opera by Delibes. - “Miracle” by Lecomte. “Kassya,” the Product of Delibes, Guiraud, and Massenet - A Galician Libertine 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.

1894

• April 1: A Week’s Musical Topics. Gossip of Concert and Opera House - Gilbert and Sullivan Write Operetta for Intellectual People - Witty Dialogue and Humorous Verse Wedded to Pretty Music - Champions of Liszt in Great Discomfort - Massenet’s Latest Opera, “Ivanhoe” in Germany. [Review of Thaïs]
• April 20: The Sorrows of Werther. The Production of Massenet’s Latest Grand Opera. - First Novelty of the Season at the Metropolitan Opera House - Jean de Reszke as the Hero of Sentimentalism - Emma Eames as the Lady Who Went on Cutting Bread and Butter Sigrid Arnoldson Turns Soubrette An Opera for Moonstruck Youth.
• April 22: A Week’s Musical Topics. Gossip of Concert Hall and Opera House. - The Supplementary Season of Opera at the Metropolitan - The Production of Massenet’s “Werther” - Paderewski Is Writing an Opera - How to Prevent the Demand for Encores - A Magnificent Letter by the Great Verdi.
• May 27: A Week’s Musical Topics. Gossip of Concert Hall and Opera House. - The Coming Saengerfest at the Madison Square Garden - To Be Preceded by a Torchlight Procession - Presentation of Sir Augustin Harris - Massenet’s New Opera - Josef Hafmann in London.
• June 25: Song and Play in Paris. “Portrait of Manon” by Massenet and Boyer.
• July 8: A Week’s Musical Topics. Gossip of Concert Hall and Opera House - Production of Massenet’s “La Navarraise” In London-The Short Opera Achieves in Great Success

1895

• January 13: A Week’s Musical Topics. Timely Gossip of the Concert Halls and Opera Houses Dvorak, Sanderson, and the Manurel The Doctors’ Overture Trilogy - Sibyl Sanderson’s Voice and Beauty Manurel and His Personality.
• January 17: “Manon Lescaut” At the Opera. Debut of Miss Sibyl Sanderson in Her Native Land. A Large Audience Greets the American Prima Donna - Jean de Reszke Heard in a New Part.
• February 2: “Manon” at the Opera.
• November 1: Massenet’s Navarraise A Sketch. Calve’s Performance, Merely as a Player, Could Not be Surpassed by Either Sarah Bernhardt or Duse.
• December 12: Calve in La Navarrasie. The First Novelty of the Season at the Metropolitan Opera House. A One-Act Opera by M. Massenet - A Work in Which Incidents Move Too Rapidly to Admit of Good Musical Presentation Is Well Performed.
• December 15: Music [More of La Navarraise at the Met]
• December 19: Double Bill at the Opera. First Performance of “Pagliacci” This Season - “Navarraise” Again.

1896

• January 4: Double Bill at the Opera. La Traviata and La Navarraise Presented by Mmes. Calve and Saville and Cremonini, Plancon and Ancona.
• January 28: ”Manon” at the Opera. A Triumph for Mme. Melba and M. Jean de Reszke.
• February 6: “Manon” at the Opera.

1897

• January 7: “Werther” at the Opera. Massenet’s Setting of the Bread and Butter Story Given Once More.
• February 13: Massenet’s “Le Cid” Sung. This Was the First Performance of the Opera Ever Given in New York. Spain’s War Hero in Music. A Production at the Metropolitan Opera House Last Night Filled with Pictorial Splendor - The Music Pretentious, but Not Inspired.
• December 12: Massenet’s New Opera [Review of Sapho]
• December 14: An Opera by Massenet. Second Performance of the Theatre of Musical Arts at the Astoria. [Le Portrait de Manon]

1898

• January 2: The London Daily Telegraph, which is enterprising in regard to matters of art, has a long criticism of the first performance of Massenet’s “Sapho,” from which I extract the following pertinent remarks on the music and interpretation of the title rôle by our eccentric but gifted friend Emma Calvé.

1899

• January 15: Music Heard Yesterday. “Romeo et Juliette” at the Matinee and “Manon” in the Evening at the Opera.
• May 14: A Week’s Parisian Gossip. Pin-Prick Policy with Regard to England Apparently Resumed. The Decadence of France - Many Believe Their Nation Is No Longer a Military One - M. Massenet’s “Cendrillon”

1901

• January 17: “Le Cid” at the Opera. Massenet’s Pictorial and Historical Work Well Sung Last Night
• February 9: “Le Cid” at the opera. Massenet’s Opera Heard by a Large Audience Last Night.
• February 17: Among Musicians. Miss Breval, Mme. Nordica, and Some Points in Vocal Method.

1902

• February 20: “Le Cid” at the Opera. Massenet’s Opera Given for the First Time This Season

1907

• November 25: The Story of “Thais.” An Early Christmas Legend to be Enacted at Manhattan Opera To-night.
• November 26: Massenet’s “Thais” First Time Here. Mary Garden Makes Her American Appearance as the Heroine. An Uninspired Opera - The Singer apparently Not in Good Voice - Her Dramatic Power - Mr. Renaud as Athanael.
• December 14: Mary Garden as Thais. Another Large Audience Applauds Massenet’s Charming Lyric Drama.

1908

• March 29: Even Through a Winter of “Hard Times” Two Opera Houses Have Enjoyed Record-Breaking Attendance…Where Receipts Go.
• August 16: Fascinating Legend Revived in Massenet’s Coming Opera “Le Jongleur de Notre Dame” Tells the Quaint Fourteenth Century Story of the “King of Jugglers,” as He Was Called, a Role Which Will Be Sung This Season by Mary Garden.
• September 6: The Story of Massenet’s Opera, “Griselidis.” Based on a Mystery Play and Rich in Supernatural Imagery, Patrons of the Manhattan Will Find in This Production a Work Typical of Composer’s Genius.
• November 12: Massenet “Thais” at the Manhattan. Miss Garden and Mr. Dalmores Make Their First Appearances This Season. - Mr. Renaud as Athanael - A Large Audience Hears the Opera with Approval - Good Work of Old Chorus.
• November 12: “Le Jongleur” on Nov. 26 With Mary Garden as the Singer - Labia as Carmen for Thanksgiving.
• November 28: “Le Jongleur de Notre Dame” Heard. First Performance in America of Massenet’s Opera at the Manhattan. Miss Garden as the Hero - An Opera of Delicate Fancy Telling a Simple Story with Pathos, Mysticism, Humor - Mr. Renaud as the Cook.

1909

• January 19: Lina Cavalieri for the Manhattan. [to sing Thaïs; the beginning of the “Prima-Donna War”]
• January 20: Mary Garden Will Have No New Thais. If Hammerstein Puts Miss Cavalieri in the Role He’ll Take the Consequences. Has Told Him So, She Says - “I have Worked Too Hard to Allow These Roles I Brought Here to be Taken from Me.”
• January 21: Miss Garden Wins Fight Over `Thais’. Hammerstein Withdraws Miss Cavalieri in Deference to Other Singer’s Protests. Miss Garden Resigned - Wrote Hammerstein She Had Quit When Advertisement for the New Thais Appeared.
• January 22: Mary Garden Back in Manhattan Fold. Wins on All Her Protests and Is Correspondingly Happy Over It. Lina Cavalieri Withdraws - Will Stick to Italian Roles - Sends a Nice Letter to Say So, Though Quite Too Ill to be interviewed.
• January 23: Mary Garden Gives Out the Letters. With a Few Remarks About Her Moderation and Patience as a Woman. She Won All She Asked - Renewed Contract, Exclusive Rights to Roles Existing and to Be, and the Last Word - Untermyer Advised Her.
• January 23: Mary Garden as Thais. An Enormous Audience Attracted by the Repetition of Massenet’s Opera.
• January 24: Hammerstein Holds Meeting. And After It Was All Over All Diffirences Were Patched Up.
• January 24: A Growing Popular Interest in His “Salome” and Other Works by the World-Famous Composer.
• February 4: Massenet’s `Manon’ at Metropolitan. Revival of a Charming Opera Not Heard There for Ten Years. Miss Farrar the Heroine. Her Impersonation One of Much Beauty Mr. Caruso Acts Well as Des Grieux Messrs. Scotti and Note Take Part.
• February 16: Massenet’s `Jongleur’ Again. A Beautiful Production of a Charming Work at the Manhattan.
• March 7: Cavalieri to Sing Thais. Denies That She is Engaged to an American Millionaire.
• November 7: Manhattan Season Opens with “Herodiade”. Massenet’s Production To Be Heard For the First Time In America Tomorrow Evening.
• November 9: Opera Season Opens at the Manhattan. First Production in America of Jules Massenet’s Opera of “Herodiade.” Excellent Performance - Unskilled Libretto Presenting Story of Salome Ineffectively - Cavalieri, Gerville-Reache, and Dalmores in Cast.
• November 14: “Sapho,” Another of Massenet’s Productions, to be Given for the First Time Here at the Manhattan.
• November 17: Opera Comique at the New Theatre; Massenet’s “Werther” Presented by the Forces of the Metropolitan Opera House. Fine Acoustic Qualities; A Performance of Merit Though Lacking in Finish - Miss Farrar as the Heroine - Other Singers New.
• November 18: Massenet’s “Sapho” Is Disappointing. Specifically Musical Element of Opera, Heard Here for First Time Is Thin and Bare. Mary Garden as Heroine - Her Performance Misconceived and Unsympathetic - Messrs. Dalmores and Dufranne in Leading Roles.
• December 5: Le Jongleur de Notre Dame. Mary Garden Displays Her Versatility In Revival at Manhattan.
• December 7: Geraldine Farrar Again Sings Manon. Brilliant Only in Some Parts of the Role - Notably the Gavotte. Mr. Clement Applauded - Gives the Song of the Maisonette Exquisitely - Mr. Podesti, Conductor, Almost Drowns Out the Singers.

1910

• January 2: D’Alvarez in “Herodiade.” Newcomer in Cast Makes Beautiful Picture as Herodias and Sings Well.
• January 20: `Griselidis’ Charms at the Manhattan. Massenet’s Mediaeval Opera Has Picturesqueness, Imagination, and Poetic Feeling. Mary Garden as Heroine - Gives Remarkable Interpretation of a Shadowy and Unreal Character - Mr. Huberdeau Vividly Portrays Devil.
• February 13: Mme. Mazarin’s Great Opera Feat. After Matinee in Wearing Role of “Electra” She Sings Salome in “Herodiade” at Night. Mme. Lina Cavalieri Ill - Singer Tales Her Place, Although She Had Not Sung Role for Years - Mrs. Taft at “Electra.”
• March 1: “La Navarraise” Revived. Mme. Gerville-Reache in Massenet’s Little Opera at Manhattan.
• December 7: `Thais’ A Success in Chicago. Mary Garden’s Performance Is as Intense as Her Salome.

1911

• January 1: `Don Quichotte’ Applauded. Massenet’s Opera Delights Paris, Where It is at Last Presented.
• January 11: `The Jongleur’ with Novelty. Victoria Fer Sings Tenor Role - Artistic Success at Hammerstein’s.
• January 25: Chicago Company Sings `Thais’ Here. Mary Garden in Title Role of Massenet’s Opera at Beginning of French season. Old Favorites Welcomed - Renaud, Dalmores, and Huberdeau and Mme. Bressler-Gianoli Greeted by Enthusiastic Audience.
• April 2: Massenet Tells How He Composes His Operas. “That Fellow’s Stuff is Made of Bronze!” Cried Carre, Meaning He Never Changed It, Once Written.
• November 7: Mary Garden Sings Prince. Massenet’s “Cendrillon” Given by Philadelphia-Chicago Opera Co.
• November 28: Mary Garden Welcomed. Her Toothache Over, Prima Donna Sings Prince Charming in Chicago.

1912

• February 18: Cinderella The Theme of Latest Massenet Opera. Mary Garden Will Be the Prince Charming, and Maggie Teyte Will Sing the Title Role in the First Production of Massenet’s “Cendrillon” at the Metropolitan by the Chicago-Philadelphia Company.
• February 21: `Cendrillon’ The Fairy Opera, Given First Performance Here of Massenet’s Work, with Miss Teyte as Cinderella. Mary Garden the Prince - An Excellent Representation of an Agreeable but Not Exciting Work - Mmes. Berat and Dufau.
• February 28: Double Opera Bill at the Metropolitan. Massenet’s “Le Jongleur de Notre Dame,” with Mary Garden, Sung by Chicago Company. “The Secret of Suzanne”. Wolf-Ferrari’s Charming One-Act Piece Given with Carolina White as the Countess Gil.
• March 13: “Thais” at the Opera. M. Dippel’s Chicago Company Again Appears Here.
• March 31: Massenet’s `Manon’ at Metropolitan Revival of a Charming Opera Not Heard There for Two Years. Miss Farrar the Heroine - Mr. Caruso’s Fine Singing as Des Grieux - A File Performance Under Toscanini.
• May 18: Hammerstein’s Latest Hit. Produces “Don Quixote,” by Massenet, with New Singer in Cast.
• August 14: Jules Massenet Dies Suddenly. Famous Composer Had Long Suffered from Cancer, but Was Not Thought to be dying - Was a Prolific Worker - Born 70 Years Ago, Massenet Became Celebrated Early in Life - His Operas Favorites in New York
• August 15: Hammerstein on the Dead Massenet. Last of the great Melodists - A Composer Who Wrote From the Heart
• August 16: Hammerstein on Massenet.
• August 18: A Talk with Massenet a Few Days Before His Death. The Famous Composer Discussed the Art of Musical Composition and Modern Tendencies in Operatic Construction Condemned the New Scale.
• September 8: Massenet’s Memoirs Described His Own Funeral. Now Paris Is Asking Whether It Was Second Sight or a Whim---Famous Composer Tells of Personages Who Figured in His Life.

1913

• January 28: Massenet’s “Manon” Given at the Opera. A Brilliant Performance of the Work for the First Time This Season. Miss Farrar the Heroine - A Charming Figure in the Part - Mr. Caruso Effective as Des Grieux.
• February 19: Mary Garden in “Thais.” Chicago Company Gives Revival of Massenet’s Opera.
• April 21: Massenet’s ’Ghost’ Seen at Rehearsals. Singers and Stage Hands of the Paris Gaiete-Lyrique Swear They Behold an Apparition. Acts as if Leading Opera - Outsiders Unable to See Anything on Stage where composer’s Last Work is Being Made Ready.
• April 22: A Psychic Mystery Explained.
• April 24: `Panurge’ Premier a Great Success. Massenet’s Posthumous Opera, on a Rabelaisian Theme, Merry and Tuneful. “Ghost Does Not Appear” - Melba in Concert, Delights Another Great Parisian Audience.
• June 17: For Massenet Monument. Committee Formed in St. Etienne, the Composer’s Birthplace.
• November 16: American Premiere of `Don Quixote.’
• November 26: “Thais” Given in English. Massenet’s Opera Performed at the Century Opera House

1914

• January 1: Massenet’s `Manon’ Sung. A Much Postponed Opera Finally Heard at the Metropolitan.
• February 1: Massenet’s “Don Quichotte” One of Many Operas Based on Cervantes’s Immortal Romance.
• February 4: Don Quichotte’ Has Premiere Here. Massenet’s Opera Given by Chicago-Philadelphia Company at the Metropolitan. Mary Garden, Dulcine - A Work from Cervantes’s Romance Fails to Make a Deep Impression - Vanni Marcoux as Hero.

1919

• February 9: More French Opera. [Céopâtre with Mary Garden]
• February 12: Opera By James Gibbons Huneker. Mary Garden as Cleopatre.
• February 25: Opera By James Gibbons Huneker. Mary and the Asp.

1924

• February 24: An Early Massenet Novelty. “Le Roi de Lahore” Has Its Day - After Composer’s Dozen Operas Here
• March 1: Opera. The Early Massenet

1926

• April 4: Opera by Olin Downes. Metropolitan’s First “Don Quichotte.”
• April 9: `Don Quichotte’ Sung Again Chaliapin’s Admirers Pack Metropolitan - Farewell Week’s Bills.
• May 30: A Glimpse of Massenet Through the Eyes of a Contemporary Critic
• December 19: Opera by Olin Downes. Chaliapin as Don Quixote

Last updated December 30, 2006