The times., 1897-12-17
4 NEW cARAIES.
Camille SevGard Appears With the
Damrusch Company.

ne audiences which came lu near n ellH
in 'Travfata'' and Gadski and Kraus in
'.LohengTiu" at the Lafayette Squa e opera
House, this week. nave been notably COLI
and indifferent. There has been applause
and some recalls. but nothing like the
Jeupestuous enthusiasm which has az other
times swept over audiences for ar less in
spring performances. MeIba must havs
been disappointed with her Monday night
audience. and DamrCSCh and his artists
had reason to be chagrined at the indiffer-
ence of those who listened to the magnifi-
cent production OF "LOhengGn." Last
night another audience OF TashionabIes and
| music lovers came together to enjoy Bizet's
Carmen and look over the new prima
| donna. If anything they We're a colder
| audience than the other two, hut this time
| with reason. The performance was ir-
| ferior to that of the Wagner night, AMI
| below the standard OF the Verdi prodUc-
| ton.
1t seemed to be one of those fnevitabl
off nights with everyone but Cam.
| panari and Salignac. Even Bimhoni didn't
| get out or the orchestra all the music
| deserved. IL there is score that re-
| quires tension, ver-e and inspiration it is
! Carmen" Every fiber of the lead ar's
interest should be alert. The story ami
the music is active and persistent on every
| page, ami demands the feeling and sym
| pathy as we'll as the technique OF The
musicians. The chorus was not even 50
good as the orchestra. In fact, the audi
| ence sat Iistle>SIy until the middle OF the
second act, when Campo mari, as EScamillo
| sang his fist song. Then spontan ao.,s
| applause came out with force. Cam.
panariS performance was through nd
through muSiciauIF and artistic, polished
dramatically and vocaHy, and stood oul
in the bOldest relief, except for tha near
approach OF Salignac, as Jose. His ficSt
act was not inspiring, nut further IN, aud
especially At the end OF the opera, hi,
voice was magnificent and deserved al
ovation, which did not come.
Naturally the central interest of the even
ing was focused upon Madame CamEIe
Scygard, the young French woman who
esSayed the role Of the Seville cigarette
girl. For some time it appears that the
standard OF comparison for this part " ~
be Madame C5Ive, the most original ard
forceful dramatically and NEST SATISFYING
vocally of all the prime dome who ha sc
appeared in the character for a generation.
At the other Pole it would Seem must stand
for some time Nine. Seygard, until nature
cndows her with that first requisite foI
prima donna, voice. II is seldom q
woman is put forward with so little claim
to position. She has few notes IN the
lower register, but her voice is without am
power. There is scarcely enough of it u
recognize any qualifications, ana in the en-
setnbles, when she even sung i'll the part
scored for the role, she could not be heard
at all.
If there Is a redeeming quality in he
assumed accomplishments, an excuse fC
! her appearance at the head Of an am
bilious asst. it must be looked for in lie
acting. Dramaticany she was sonewha
original. Caive was the seviIIian ever.
moment, in every indication of her pei
formaUce, Wild, desperate, passionat Il
determined, irresistible seductress. Sey
gard strikes into new lines. Pei