Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-22
THE MUSIC WORLD.
An Unusual Supply Of Opera for the
Gas City During the Week.
MANAGER LOCKE'S ORCHESTRA.
4 New Tenor That Was Very Much Needed
for the Juch Troupe.
OPENING CONCERT BY THE MOZARTS

| SPcio OVerran tne Town last WceA. l
started on Fifth avenue as grand oper'
pure and simple, became an odd mixture o
grand and comic by the time 1t got to Penn
avenue, and rapidly degenerated into bois
ferrous burlesque as it turned the corner intt
Sixth street. Each kind was reasonably
satisfactory, at least, according to its OWL
standard; there was something good 70!
every shoe.
All things considered, the Emma Jucf
company makes the best attempt at grant
opera performances of any troupe now or
the road. We know better than tt
expect anything more than q creditablt
attempt at the impossible task o.
giving grand opera on wheels, especially al
| prices ranging downward from 81 or 81 90
In the orchestra, before all else, is the
superiority of Manager Locke's company to
be found. He carries better players and
more of them than have accompanied any
troupe since his all too costly exper1men,
with the National Opera Company OF
blessed memory. Under the baton of Mr..
Bevignani, the famous Covent Garden con-
ductor and a composer of repute, this body
interpreted the scores in q refined and
| effective fashion that was truly delightful.
The chorus, also, while not nearly so flaw
less in its work as'the orchestra (choruses
never are) was superior in tone-volume and
in spirit and precision of singing to the ira
| ditional grand opera chorus.
For his attention to these generally neg
lected departments upon which such large
proportion of the really artistic effect de-
| pends, Mr. Locke deserves warm praise
The mounting of the operas last week, how
ever, was mesger and shabby to degree
Age has stalled and the baggage smasher's s
customs have withered the beauty and
variety of the scenery that started out
blithely with the National Opera Company
SIX years ago. If new scenery and proper
ties cannot be bought, at least let the ad-
vance agent preserve prudent silence on
this point; the broken promises of spectacu-
lar magnifcence reacted strongly at the
box Office.
Among the principals, Miss Juch shines
brilliantly. She has been at her best all
week; the two roles she assumed for the
first time here considerably extended her
well-earned hold upon Pittsburg's favor
As Elizabeth her noble bearing in the hall of
song, her tender, womanly solicitude for
her misguided minstrel knight and her rapt
devotion as she plead for him at the shrine,
were upon the highest histrionio level,
and she used her rich, pure So
prano (Which keeps its freshness amazing.
ly) with an artistic skill and a musical
feeling that were altogether delightful. 1t
was an lmpersonation worthy to rank with
the best. Miss Juch's Sant,izza was upon
the same high plane. Her conception of
the character presented a pure-minded
maiden, whose great love had been her un-
doing, now feeling keenly her disgrace
and distracted by the conflict of
loyal love and just indignation
toward her craven lover 1t was
a more lovable and higher type than the
sensuous, vengeful girl portrayed by Minnie
Hauk, and type, too, that supplied the
needed contrast to the coquetries of the
faithless wife, Lola, who had enticed
Santuzzd's lover from her. Miss Juch's con-
ception was admirably wrought out, both in
action and in song.
Mr.. Albert Guille's exceptionally fine
tenor was heard to great advantage in such
roles as 7aridder and Faust. His acting,
too, was marked by greater freedom and
force than tenors commonly display. Miss
Amanda Fabris deserves recognition for her
pure and plant soprano and artistic use of
it; her impersonation of Sant,zza on Satur-
day afternoon was distinctly creditable
from all points of view. Miss Lizzie
MacNichol's luscious, melting contralto was
again heard with much pleasure, as also
was the sonorous bass of Mr.. Franz Vetta;
these two are sterling pair of young Amer
lean singers welded to their art as to each
other. Mr.. Mertens is useful baritone,
with many strong points, of which his Eng
lish pronunciation is not one. His associate,
Mr.. Kaminski, sang Valentine with consid.
cradle effect, (according to reliable report)
but in pure Russian! This question of Ian
guage, by the way, is a tremendous stum-
bling block under present conditions; when
will America produce her own male sing
ers? The minor roles were fairy filled.
~
A New Tenor Engaged.
What the Juch troupe seems to need most
is another tenor. That need may now be
filled, however, bv the engagement yester-
day afternoon of Mr.. Joseph C. Briel, of this
city, who will join the company next week
at Washington, d. c., and make his debut
as Turiddu in ''Cavalleria Rusticana." He
will also sing Nan in "Der Freischuetz,"
Lionel, in Bohemian Girl" Naarico in 'iIl
Trovatore," ETC.
Mr.. Breil is son of the well known local
attorney and was born in Pittsburg in 1870
He was intended for the law, but took to
music to such a degree that at 1S he was
writing an operetta "Orlando," which was
W,
From that time until the past summer, Mr..
Breil has been in Leipsig, studying theory
and vocal music. While there he sang Mar
and Famine ("Magic Flute'') in the Con-
servatory's annual opera productions.
Since his return Mr. Breil has taught sing
ing and has organized and conducted the
Orphens Society, of East End.
He goes with a six weeks leave of absence
from his conductors stand, which will be-
come resignation if he decides to remain
with the Juch troupe. The
best wishes of many friends 60 with the
lad
Some Good Points, Some Bad.
It is scarcely necessary to 60 into details |
with reference to the operatic performances
last week. At the Duquesne the mixed pro- |
yramme was an experiment that hardly ius- |
tilted itself A piece of the frivolous,
though bright and pleasing style
Of 'The Jolly Students" by Supple,
is not good curtain-raiser for |
Mascagni's fiery, somber little tragedy
opera, and the well-known Casino methods
we're also out of place in ''Cavalleria Rusti-
cana" The orchestra was simply laughable;
it proudly possessed the oft missed harp, but
lacked single cello, bassoon or horn! The
Hau Woie use Aor LIS piano than
sor his baton.
Nevertheless, there were good points.
Miss Pauline L'Allemand developed unex-
oected vocal qualities as Sdatalzza and acted
with much intensity. The Lola of Miss
Villa Knox was altogether admirable, per-
laps the best yet heard here, and that made
great difference in the opera The chorus
'ang quite well, and the stage management
md mounting were exceedingly effective
md beautiful.
"Wang," at the Bijou, served as a good
Medium for the display of DeWolf Hopper.
Della Fox and the rest in the species of en-