New-York tribune., 1896-12-12
THE RETURN OF CALvE
HER FORMER TRIUMPHs AT THE METRO.
POLITAN RENEWED-MME. EAMEs


Nine. Calves re-entrance on the Metropolitan
Opera House stage last night as Carmen broush.
back the consciousness that the attitude NJ a.
public toward this extraordinary creature Is vho,v
different from that manifested toward any otbe.
contemporary singer actor Our public Il q.
vored above that Of any city in the world ,us.
now with the performances Of artists for whoss
gifts and attainments an admiration Is felt that
spikes all the ordinary guns Of criticism. In ths
presence of some all stand alike In amazemsr.
and wonder; others command a respect border,n.
reverence for the lovely sincerity Of their A..
and the superb Intelligence which they bring I'M.
play in everything they do; but Calve alone cau..
that warming Of the heart which compels forse,-
fulness Of all conventional barriers and knits
bond between artist and spectators which smact.
not In the least Of the playhouse. She Is a mar
Of all those who see and hear her. Their he.,.
are hers. as her heart seems to be theirs II =,
fortunate that she has both the capacity and ~.
willingness to enforce the ethical lesson of B,.rs
opera contained In its tragical denouement M
were not so the duty would seem to lie near IA
question whether the moral well-being Of society
did not require the suppression OF his Carmen !.
puissant is its fascination. But this we are saved
by the horror with which she effectively helm
to fll the second half Of the OPERA and which
throws lurid light upon the cheer and charm
Of its first two acts.
But a truce to moralizings: It is pleasanter "A
live over again the delightful excitement which
attended her temperance by recounting its in.
cidents. The opera house filled by brill.
liant audience-flled 1t has been only twica
before this season, on the opening night and thu
night when "Lohengrin" was first performed Ths
air Of joyous expectation which prevailed before
the opera began promised hearty welcome for
the singer; and that she received albeit the eager.
ness to hear her was too great to allow q long
demonstration. She came upon the stage more
brilliant vision than ever before, and the nrst
phrase that she sang. the first glance that she
threw In the direction Of Don Jose. her first bit
Of byplay. disclosed that all the conditions were
propitious for an evening Of exquisite delight To
describe her performance would be to tell over
again the tale SO often told. with the usual mum.
Der OF variations invited by the hundred-and-one
things which her boundess spontaneity and in.
ventycness led her to inject into the part on tina
spur Of the moment. Her voice fresh full
and flexible and charged with emotional color
Bouquets began to fall at her feet before the end
arms after the first act and rendered them all to
Nine. Eames the audience. promptly Interpreting
the act as n peace-offering, reddered its palms
again and again. and took Micaela into it's heart
along with Carmen. Well deserved, indeed was ths
pretty tribute; lovelier singing than that OF Nine
pathetic character OF the village maiden. Ara
the trumphs went through the evening
marred only by the disappointment at the unsat.
isfactory condition Of NJ. Lassalle's voice and the
who was the Don Jose of the occasion. was too
small in voice and style to fit into the frame Of
the picture compelled by the dimensions of tina
Metropolitan He is singer who has taste tai.
ent and temperament Of higher order than is
likely TO be recognized so long as he sings on so
In every way were NJ. Bars. Morales and NJ
Castemary. as Dancairo.