The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-27

Her Substitute at the Opera Failed To
Catch Popular Favor.

Catch Popular iaNoi'
The New York World Of yesterday
says:
There was a family character to last
nights performance OF THE iugue-
nots" at the Metropolitan Opera-liouse.
| for the cast included Jean de Reszke
| his brother EdOuard. his sistcr-in-law,
| Felia Litvinne, and his friend Lassaile.
If the great tenor is, as Nine. Nor
| dica asserts, the autocrat OF the COM
pany, it is natural that be sohuid be
| euilty Of nepOtsm-autocrats generally
| are.
Curiosity was the dominant feeling in
| the audience The appearance of Lit
vnne was the first echo OF the Nordica
| squabble Klafsky having been removed
| lev force maieure from the succession,
| this Russian woman was looked upon as
| the substitute for the great American
| prlma donna.
She is a singer Of experience, gained
| in her own countrN-in ST. Petersburg
| and Moscow. in Brussels, at the ola
| Theatre de la MOnuaio. and here also.
! Eleven years ago, almost 20 % day, she
! sung Lconora IN a performance Of 1T
! 1rOydtore." at the Academy OF Music.
| Maplcson was then on top and had Things
| his way. Giannlni, the chiid-oi-nature
| tenor, was the MlnucO. ana both DE
| Anna ana l1Uuti llltlsAtl A'ihAl4h IN-N t.'
/ she does to-day-were i'm the cast
| She is "a massive woman, with the
| physique which may Doe dubbed as the
traditional one for Brunnhilde. Her face
| beams with good nature and jOyialty
| and the lobby-louneers recognized her
| startling likeness IN her brother, the
ubiquitous Willie Schuetz. Even in the
dramatic moments of Valentines Vicissi-
| iudcs, she retained her look oil content
ment.
The impression she produced was IA
vOrahe Her voice is stn fundamental
| ~ fresh, although her manner rs that of
a singer who has given up the cares of
active work and has returned to The
| stage from a feeling of selfilterest
She was most acceptable Valentine
| or at least would have been so if recent
| happenings had not made the memory
| of NOrdiCa erccner than ever The per-
Torrance, as whole, was one OF rc-
Grcts. regrets for Scalchi. for Mantcllis
singing of Urbano's music excellent as
II was. lacked spirit, regrets Tor Media.
for Marie Engle's microscopic voice fail
ed 20 reach The listeners. regrets for
Plancon, for Lassalles san Bris was
without the dignifcd intolerance and
ianaucism the great basso has given TO
the part and regrets for Maurcls elegant
De NeVcrs, the COurtier par excellence.
Well, there was Jean dc RcsZkc's gall
liant Roonc, and that was ample comISn-
sdtion even for the display OF vocal senil-
lily 10y the corps Of musical invahds-lhe
Ndnnis, the Nivianls. the C0rsis. and the
de Naschctts in the minor parts
The audience showed a gain in interest
and disposition TO he apprcciatiye OF
the good moments.
The Herald says of Nine. Litvinnc:
les Huguenots' was given az tho
Metropolitan last night for the purpose Of
/ introducing, or rather rcintrOducng-for
she was here some time sincc-Mme.
Fela Litvinno 10 the local
operate public, as Valentino.
| That she was I'm al respects the ideal
| of the composer cannot be admitte,
| though full realization of this loving
| child of San Bris would NOWADAYS De
| welcomed as the supremcst Jewel OF the
| operate stage.
But this Nine litvnnc is:-She has a
| voice which IS excellent in range. annie
| IN volume and pure throughout lis upper
| register. The lower tones are rich and
| are warm, with expression, but between
these two there are notes which are
| lacking in that charm the presence OF
which would have rounded out the com
| pleteness OF the singers voice and made
ii superb one throughout Her vocal
| style Is broadly dramatic and gives
| promise Of excellent results in Wagner
| ian roles.
Nine. Litvinne was not impressive as
| an actress. Indeed. IL was not until the
| stupcndous power Of the duet with Ra-
oul had reused her that she showed any
dramatic fire, and then there was a flare
| OF passion which was highly effective.
| Her notes rang out grandiy. yet took On
clear. bell-like quality which dominated
( the music OF the scene. and the effect. in
consequence. was superb. Her voice
| seemed 10 bo tireless. There was no
| sparing OF IL. and yet IL seemed as fresh
| at the finale as at the commencement.
! II her work in the final scene is an earn
| est OF what We are 10 expect from her