The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-07
MeIba and De Reszke Reigned at
Aliens Grand Opera House.
AN IDEAL PERFORMANCE
Romeo and juliet Interpreted by IA
Cast without Peer Among Worlds
Singers-Enthusias without Par
allel In washingt on's Theat RIGA
Htstory-Each Act II Triumph.

| the enthusiasm that did the performance
OF Gunods Romeo and Juliet" last night
1T was an ideal performance. The opera
| Is inspiring, the cast was absolutely in
! comparable, the artists were all on their
| mettle. the vast audience was charged with
! the magnetism of the moment, and every
one mad the contagion. The very atmos-
| phere diffused ecstacy.
The carmen performance was tepid by
| comparison. Cdiye made Il success. a great
| success, and she was given hearty aE-
proval. but MeIba, Plancon, and the De
! ResZkes made a positive palpable triumph.
| IL was the difference between one star and
| four.
| The first night was an occasion, last night
| was an event.
| The audience was worthy of the event,
not alone IN extent. in ra iment, but in char
| acter. No other city OF its own resources
| could have dispa yed such a gathering. There
| were official Representatives of every nation
| and the President of our own. The compli-
Inent or the great cast and the distinguished
audience was reciprocal, it was recognized
and the entente cordfale was apparent aud
| Influenced the success OF the night.
IT BEGAN WITH MELBA
The ovation began at the first entrance
| OF Melba and Plancon, it expanded when
Jean de Reszke took the stage and the
| curtain was raised repeatedly after every
| act Flowers in profusion were heaped upon
| the prima donna and the famous brothers.
| Finally, after the asst act OF all, when the
| two lovers had sealed their troth in death
! after one OF the finest scenes ever given in
| dramatic opera, the audience fairly rose to
Melba and Jean de ResZke. Time and again
| the principals bowed. flowers Were tossed
| from the President s box. the women waved
| their handkerchiefs, the men cried Bravo
and the curtain was raised eight times.
Romeo and Juliet is as fine an opera
| as in dramatic form. Gounod has pre-
| served the situations and sequence and in
| some places, the language almost intact.
| The music with which he has adorned it
| is possibly finer than his ''Faust.' Sung
by the artists of last night II certainly seemed
| so. II was melodic and harmonic master
| piece of unexceptionable character. OF
| particular beauty was the scene in Friar
| LaurentS cell, the balcony scene aud the
| finale in the tomb.
Gounod permeated the performance, there
was consciousness every moment of his
| superb composition, but The so!oisIs dOnIn-
| ated it. Every enc was in perfect voice.
Melba fairly triunphed over herself She
never sang so well, with such evident ease
and such conscious enjoyment.
AN IDEAL ROMEO.
Jean de Reske was an ideal Romeo.
| Physically he is the romantic hero to Line,
and vOcally he is the greatest tenor in the
| world. Notoniy was he in good voice but he
seemed to make every effort to redeem
| himself for the congo OF last year. No
| effort was necessary; he conqnored from
! the first.
| Pol Plancon as CapuIet and Edouard
| de Reszke as the Friar sang as they only
| can. Mile. Bauermeister did full justice to
| the nurse.
The stage pictures were exceptionally
| bea autifui. The ball in the great han of
/ the Capuets with a ballet opened the opera,
| and the moving mass OF color accompanied
| by the brilliant music, made an aUspicious
| prelude to the opera. Again in the street
| scene where the duels are fought, the
| grouping was artisticdIly done and the
| stage was crowded to its capacity. The
| scenery was adequate, the orchestra again
| achieved wonders and il was shown in q
| score of ways the commendabie effort that
| had been made to give grand opera as
| perfectly as possible.
| A word OF credit is due Manager Allen
| for the Skil!ful handling OF the crowds.
| There were two ticket takers at the main
! entrance, and the corps of ushers was in
| creased three fold. For so large an at
| tendance there was little confusion and a
| minimum OF discomfort.
| This afternoon Aida is TO he sung,
| with Nordica in the title part, and this
| evening yerdi's 'FaIstaff'' will receive
1
| Victor Maurel in his original creation o.
| the title role.
OyATIONS OFT REPEATED.
When Lent and grand opera are put in
| the balance there is only one way for the
| 4cales to turn. If you can't guess which
| way ask some one who has put by the
| ,ackcloth temporarily and has been an
| atom in the multitude at the first two
| performances.
1 1o eDumerate the list of social leaders and
I ffciai a nd d diplomatic representatives pres
| rBt last night would be to write cata-
| iogue OF the box holders, the chair holders
| in the orchestra, throughout the dress
| circle and even in the balcony.
| President and Mrs. Cleveland occupied n
| oox with a party of friends, aud at the
| close when the curtain had been raised
| several times Mrs. Cleveland tossed
| bunch of violets at De ResZkes feet. They
| delivered them TO he diva and both bowed
| 20 the fair woman who had SO handsomely
| complimeDted them.
| Sir Julian Pauncefote sat in the orchestra
| and visited about during the eDtr' aCteS.
| Near by was NJ. Patenotre and a party
| from the German Legation. The attaches
| and ladies OF the Spanish Legation were
| present. Resident Washingtonians of prom
| Deuce were everywhere.
| The ladies were particularly Tadia ut
| last night. White shoulders nestled in
| prInre aud tulle, and fashionable Golf
| fures were everywhere in evidence. Rich
| cowns and cloaks Of fine fabrics were
| displayed on all sides.
NEW rrIlI EpEInNI9 mr.