Of all forms of the musical romance, that built about the love-story of a composer would seem to be the easiest to present and the most successful. Such, unfortunately, is not the case. The latest attempt, on the boards at the Majestic, entitled "White Lilacs," a romance with music, based on the life of Frederic Chopin, has all the failings and few of the fortes of the genre. That is to say, one does not enjoy fully either Chopin's music, or Herr Johannsen's play: the first because the music was almost wholly written for the pianoforte, not orchestra with voices, and was supposed to be played at the tempo originally indicated; the second because the incongruity of seeing Heinrich Heine and Giacomo Meyerbeer cavorting about the stage, not to mention George Sand fainting and a rather picturesque but wholly unconvincing ending to the whole, strikes a false note. Perhaps, if one could look upon the production as purely imaginary, if one could forget the historical and musical associations which the dramatis personae call up, the enjoyment of the audience might be greater.

Along with its faults, however, the "romance"--one hesitates to say operetta--has certain strong points. The voices of the main characters are with out exception remarkably good, and while the acting and directing leave much to be desired in the way of smoothness, the two leading ladies are a pleasure to watch--particularly, we thought, Miss Brinkley in the part of Delphine. And then of course De Wolfe Hopper is in the cast. But on the whole "White Lilacs" is neither fish, flesh nor fowl nor, as the name might imply good, erotic, red herring.