Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-24
JUCHESSAYSCARMEN,
And Meets With Some of the Disad-
vantages Of other DivaS
WHERE ROzE AND PATTI FAILED
In Role Not Suited to Their Powers, Jueh
Fares Little Better.
OTHEE ADJUSTMENTS LAST EVENING

1t is getting too close to Christmas-too
many people rehearsing the role OF St
Nick, for any very large number to be
drawn to the theateE, even to see role In
which there is so much OF the ''old Nick"
as in Prosper Merimee's Carmen. And
yet, while the Grand Opera House was not
at all crowded last night. it was no
small tribute to the popularity Of Miss Emma
Juch in our town, that the audience gathered
TO witness her first appearance here in George
Bizet's fatalistic opera was comparatively SO
numerous and, for a Monday night house, SO
fashionable.
The role of Carmen is q peculiar one, quite
sui 0e7lerts. 1t seems to call for Especial brand
Of artistic spirits from its own private locker.
Lucca. Hauk Lehman have had the key;
little De Lussan and dizzy Delaro gave us sur
reptitious nips of the genuine brand
There have not been many that could.
Not few have tried and failed. Marie Roze
gave us a chalk-and-water Carmen; keIlogg
couldn't hold the gypsy within bounds. Even
peerless Patti was poWerless to portray tnls
witching wanton. Most Of the great can
tatrices have let her severely alone.
NOT SUITED TO HER VOICE.
Itisnot character that lies either vocally or
historically within Miss Juchs own proper
sphere. The part lies too low in pitch for her
voice to show to best advantages; and, further
more. it wants a tone that is temptngly,
tauntinely luscious, rather than sweetly
angelic or thrilling and inspiring More
yet: the role wants woman VINO can De
more than archly firtatious, more than prettlly
aiuring more than stubbornly intensei u
wants nature in which caprice darts 1ortn
like lightning flashes against the voluptuous
evening sky of the tropics, a nature over wnlcn
grim fatalism hangs like the portentous calm
that heralds the dread simeon.
1t is no dlsparagement TO Miss Juch TO say
that she does not, that, indeed, she cannot get
the full measure OF tins strange characSeI:
That she did not WAS not her fault. All tnat
could be asked in the way OF earnest Ialtn-
full, finished and artistic work, she gave
last night She was always worth watcn-
ing and hearing-the center Of attrac-
ton whenever on the stage Occaslonaly-as
at the close of the mountain scene, when Car
men would have killed Jose in order to run
after EscdmilIo; and at the close OF the opera,
where Jose was about to kill her for continuing
of the same mind-she quite rose to the tragic
height demanded. But generally the woman
woman played; certain phases of the latters
character seemed the worse because lacking the
spontaneity and abandon of your real gypsy.
SUFFERING FROM THE GRIP.
During the earlier portions of the opera Miss
Juch's voice was delightfully."- pure and strong;
onlyin seeming to become tTtae fatigued at an
earlier point than usual did the organ show
any signs-as was the fact-that the singer was
suffering from the effects of Ia grippe, other
wise influenza in a mild form.
Miss Susie Leonhart. as Michdeld, sang with
some feeling and developed a voice of great
purity and sweetness, especially in the highest
register. She was quite often, however, dis
tressipglv out of tune and her acting might
have been on somewhat stronger lines. Miss
Lizzie Macnichols rich and velvety contralto
and Miss Marie Freeberts clear soprano were
heard TO advantage in the lesser gypsy char
acters.
and poise seemed to threaten rather weak
Jose for the chief male character. He gained
IN strength, however, toward the last as the
dramatic current of events commenced to
draw him out and make him forget himself.
But he never rose quite uD TO the
lesel of the exceptional opportunities offered
him in this strongly developed role. His voice
is a high tenor of no small power and Of a
generally pleasant, though uneven quality.
He sang ofteutimes with much taste. though a
rathsr afected mouthing had 70 pass muster
the Position, for example, Mr.. Hedmonr world !
no doubt m1Sntain his LeipsI reputation.
A p bsT MoRTEM PROGRAMME.
It is strknge that the name of Alonzo Stod-
dard- whose untimely death last W ednesdaY
was Announced in this paper. should
girartnes as the 1oToador. Perhaps, il is
y
of 4Tagliapietra should have been omitted,
6i.ce Manager Locke has been fortunate
enough to secure the latter as Mr.. Stoddard's
successor in leading baritone parts. Mr.. Tag
Iiapietra hardly needed to be programmed to be
known. The musical chaps in the gallery rec
ognized and greeted him warmly as he came on;
and before he had sung many bars Of the "Tor-
eador Song the rec ,gnition was general
Considering the fact that Mr.. Tagliapietra had
Just reached tbs city yesterday and sang for
the first time with the troupe without any re-
helreal his ASSUMPTION of EScQTDiTIo
was worthy his high repute. His
marked eccentriciies in tempo were
excusable on this ground; they served, any
how, to display Conductor Neuendort's expert
enced GOODNESS and command Of his players |
Mr.. Tagliapietra's noble baritone was handled |
with great effectiveness the favorite air as |
the evening.
THE MINOR ROLES.
M. E. n Knight deserves a word of credit |
for bis manly impersonation of the Captain, |
Zunigo. The minor male roles were taken by |
Messrs. Elvin Singer, Frank Pieri and T. s. |
Guise. The orchestra Of two dozen or SO i
was nicely balanced, and under Mr. Neuen- |
DORIS skilled baton handled the fscore /
in a more than usually satisfactory fashion. |
While the local military contingent was bit |
more awkward than usual. the company's chorus /
was large and more than lively enough to /
make mp. Its singing, while showing careful /
drill lacked in volume and balance OF tone. 4
That fact made il particularly unfortunate /
was not sent behind the scenes. but left /
out in the orchestra, where it absolutely /
drowned the triumphant shouts that are sup /
posed to goad Jose on TO his deed of Jealous Il
frenzy. The costuming was admirable; the Il
scenery ali that could be reasonably expected 1
On account of the length of the operas Man
ager Wilt desires it stated that hereafter the /
curtain will rise promptly at o'clock if there's
only a corporal's guard in the house. and /
an army just entering. Tonight I'll Trovo-
tore" viii be given, with Laura Bellini Lizzie |
Macnichol. Charles Turner and Tagiapietra
IN the cast c. W.S.