n the Teutonism which
tinctures the Italian music of both men; a Teutonism which adds an
ingredient more to the taste of other peoples than that of the people
whose language is employed. But while the Italianism of Mozart was
wholly the product of the art-spirit of his time, the Teutonism of
Wolf-Ferrari is a heritage from his German father and its Italianism
partakes somewhat of the nature of a reversion to old ideals from which
even his mother's countrymen have departed. There is an almost amusing
illustration of this in the paraphrase of Goldoni's comedy which the
composer took as a libretto. The Leporello of Da Ponte and Mozart has
his prototype in the Arlecchino of the classic Italian comedy, but he
has had to submit to so great a metamorphosis as to make him scarcely
recognizable. But in the modern "Donne Curiose" we have not only the
old figure down to his conventional dress and antics, but also his
companions Pantaloon and Columbine. All this, however, may be better
enjoyed by those who observe them in the representation than those who
will only read about them, no matter how deftly the analysis may be
made.

It is Mozart's media and Mozart's style which Wolf-Ferrari adopts, but
there are traces also of the idioms of others who have been universal
musicians rather than specifically Italian. Like Nicolai's "O susse
Anna!" (Shakespeare's "Oh, Sweet Anne Page"), Wolf-Ferrari's Florindo
breathes out his languishing "Ah, Rosaura!" And in the lively chatter
of the women there is frequently more than a suggestion of the lively
gossip of Verdi's merry wives in his incomparable "Falstaff."
Wolf-Ferrari is neither a Mozart nor a Verdi, not even a Nicolai, as a
melodist, but he is worthy of being bracketed with them, because as
frankly as they he has spoken the musical language which to him seemed
a proper investiture of his comedy, and like them has made that
language characteristic of the comedy's personages and illustrative of
its incidents. He has been brave enough not to fear being called a
reactionary, knowing that there is always progress in the successful
pursuit of beauty.

The advocates of opera sung in the language native to the hearers may
find an eloquent argument in "Le Donne Curiose," much of whose humor
lies in the text and is lost to those who cannot understand it despite
the obviousness of its farcical action. On the other hand, a feeling of
gratitude must have been felt by many others that they were no