New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-21
MADAME CILVE'S RE-EN1RINCE

The performance which took place the opera
last night that mist frequently have &C.
cupied the ant!cpatory fancy OF NewYorks opera
lovers in the OF tie .asi twelvemonth.
Madame Calve returned to stage. and returned
in the character with which she Is most 9sey
identified in the popular mind the world over. We
and heard her again Carmen she was rot
entirely the old vision. rather she was that
vision and a little more. FOR (aas that the verites
of historical record demand that It be saId9 Nine
Calve IL stoutei than she when she left - two
years But II there were any IN the audience
that crowded the theatre who were inclined 10
bewa that circumstance there can have been none
possessing the faculty of Judgment who could say
that the loss in bodily symmetry had been accom-
panied by loss In artistic skill. owe iress OF
voice. In fact. to place record the most striking
and significant demonstration OF the evening Il
must be said here at the outset that singer
pure and simple Nine. Calve never before ~
peared In New-YorK in bright a light she dit
last night There an Undesirable lusciousness
in her voice. and her phrasing. defamation ard
treatment OF dramatic ruance were such a. TO make
the ordinary terms praise seem like I'M
pertlnence As for her impersonation OF the char
acter from the beginning IT challenged amazement
because OF its freedom from conyeniionality, us
vitality, It's freshness and spontaneiiy. II seems
impossible for this woman. az much born actress
as she a born singer ever initiate repeat her
Torrance is new creation which reflects thoughts.
moods. feelings that are the product OF the moment
To her the character presents itself In all the subtle
pha:es which exist In human nature. and these shs
exhibits IN all their variety but always with
spontanelty which each time carries a new charm
with It. At times she shows the seductive amiapi-
ity OF the character almost 70 the forgetting OF l
essent al vciousness. next its sensua Ism becomes
dominant and anon see It's nora. depravity pre-
sented almost forcib,y "a II Il In the mover from
which the librettists derived their book
The audience last night Tor reason that was
not altogether explcabe seemed chary o. us az.
prevail, but this probably due 10 the TACT tnat
the representation was not high plane OF ex-
ce,lence a whole. NJ Maurel who appeared Lor ,ns
first time here In the character OF Escamhlo, thoukl
enthusla stcally greeted his first entrance. was
exceedingly unsatisfactory vocally as might havc
wofuly lacking In vitality and resonance. the
Toreador song received only a respectful hand ana
scarcely deserved that. a singular incident III
performance OF Carmen but one that can %
looked upon without regret by all who appreciate nv
tawdr.ness of that piece OF musical claptrap, tns
one defect In work that is all aglOw with YOUTH
full genius. In the Don jose OF the evening, new
conner named hubert, the public made the &C.
quantance OF a conventional operate tenor: VINO
earnestly but lacks the things which create
SO he could do nothing to create the gladstone ex"
element upon which II supposed the perforinnss
would float. How different everything woula,
have been had the Don Jose been Jean de ReslNr..
Nine. Saville's Micaela did not reach the ar,isuuc
stature OF her Juliette but clearly demonstrated ns
business OF the pleasant words which were spoAso
OF her In Tuesdays newspapers