The herald., 1897-10-21
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E AT THE THEATERS !
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to US next week-with a veritable tri-
umph. What a feast of superb and
thrilling music it was, the memory OF
which will surely long remain with the
grand audience that filled the house.
Our people have been lamentably slow
in realizing the rare opportunity that
this splendid organization of artists
provides, but nevertheless the laudable
enterprise of the management that ovcs'
three months ago commenced negotia-
tions with Signor Del Conte for sea-
son of Italian opera has not been disap-
pointed. The audience last night was d
brilliant one, and from the first bar OF
the overture to "Cavalleria Rusticana'
to the intensely dramatic finale of
"PPagliacci'' responded enthusiastical-
| ly to the magnificent merits of the two
productions.
Mascagni and Leoncavallo are both
young Italians, whose fame will be re-
corded in the musical history of the last
decade of the nineteenth century. Each
has already produced a masterpiece that
will earn the tributes of posterity Both
operas so abound with delicious melo-
dies, superb orchestration and soul
stirring effects that at single and short
writing it is an impossible task to at
tempt to do any sort of justice to their
worth. and the same must apply to q
brief review of the mastery manner in
which they were given last night.
Mascagnis musical gem has for sew
eral years maintained generous popu-
| larity. chiefly through the tender beauty
| of the intermeZzo, which has been
played in every quarter of the globe
where two or three stringed instruments
are gathered together. That there was
such a wealth of melody throughout the
whole opera probably not one half Of
last nights audience had previously ap-
preciated. The music is such as pulls at
the heart strings, because its creator has
conceived the anguish Of souls. The
passionate yearning of stricken heart
| is the keynote of the work, and this is'
the constantly recurring and dominating
motif in the opera. The music Is in :.
spired throughout with passion and
anguish, and yet the restraining influ-
ences of religious devotion are also in
troduced and are the inspiration Of one
Of the most beautiful chants ever writ
ten
The work of the principals was almost
| fiawless. Montonari as Santuzza was in
splendid voice, and imbued her singing
with the utmost feeling. The sweet
tenor of Agostini, who impersonated
Turiddu, once more charmed his hear
ers. The great contralto, Fanton, has
little to do as Lola but her brief ap-
pearance was extremely brilliant Alto
was sung by Francesconi, who sings in
finitely better than he acts. Calcagni
sang the part of Lucia very acceptably
1t was a finely balanced cast and every
number sung would have been greeted
with enthusiastic applause had tn:
progress Of the opera permitted. AS il
was, the intermezzo, which was a reve.
lation was vigorously redemanded, ano
the drinking song and chorus, viva e
| Vino" had also to be repeated. TIL;
overture, which reveals the melodies o
the opera and introduces delightful
tenor solo, sung behind the scenes. de-
serves every whit as much popr "ity
as the intermezzo. The passonatt auei
between the young soldier and his second
love is another of the gems with which
the opera abounds. For once the maestro
Vallini, whose mastery direction has
been throughout feature of the en-
gagement, received a thoroughly de-
served ovation.
The great tenor, Colenz, achieved an
other triumph in II Pagliacci" The
grandeur of his voice had not before had
such an opportunity as in the role of
Canio. The house simply rose to him
after the great solo at the end of the first
act, in which is described the frantic
] Of hic he 10
must portray covering heart torn
with anguish. 1t Is magnificent solo,
and was superbly sung.
Cleopatra Vicins voice is hardly equal
to the part of Media and to such COM
pany as Collenz, but otherwise her
charming vivacity and sprightly grace
are admirably adapted to the role.
Cioni as he always does, both played
and sung his part with success. His
Tonic was a very clever characterize
ton, and not too obtrusive. Frances
conf again had light part, but his sing
ing was delightful These two BARI
tones have as different voices and as
distinctive styles as have the tenors,
Collenz and Agostini and, indeed, the
sopranos, Mazzi and Montonari The
diverse advantages of all these artists
have afforded a liberal and enjoyable
study to the opera habitue.
There is vast amount of vi
rile strength in Leoncavallo's COM
position, and the consummate art
with which he has combined the
outward comedy and the inward tragedy
of the conception is, at the first hear
ing, the prevailing impression. AS in
"Cavalleria Rusticana," this opera is
rich in lovely harmonies, and again the
orchestra and it's rendition were ex-
tremely delightful.
The good news that we are to have the
privilege of another week of opera has
already been hailed with delight by
music lovers, few of whom could have
kept away from last nights perform
ance. 1t is sincerely hoped that the re-
turn engagement may be worthily ap-
preciated by the general public, and
since the operas selected for next week
are pre- eminently of popular charac-
ter, the hope has good chances of fulfill