The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-15
DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.
MELBA,


Madame Melba sang the leading role in 'La
| Taaviata' last night in the presence OF more
than 5000 people. at the Exposition building.
! in Minneapolis. The production will not De
reckoned great in the musical annals Of the
| Northwest, for. although the opera is an ex-
| cellent medium for the exhibition of the pow
! ers of Madame Melba. it could not well be
| satisfactorily rendered with the aid OF a
| chorus that had not been drilled with the
principals.
! Madame Melba was in marvellous good voice,
| and the impression that she left on her audi
! tors was that if she had not been a great
| singer she might have readily become a great
| actress. She sang the role of Violetta with
| exquisite pathos, but the great charm of
her voice could not efface the fact that she
was made up exactly as Nine. Bernhard
would be if she were acting Camille, and her
stage business identical with that of the
great French tragedienne. The excellence of
the portrayal of the role in some measure de-
tracted from the musical feature of the per-
formance, for 1t is not generally expected Of
the diva that she must act. Nine. Melbl
acted the part that she sang.
The tragic music depressed Melba. She feels
too much what she is playing. There were
more tears in the notes she sang than were
ever written by Verdi. and the beautifully
sympathetic possibilities Of the human voice
were never exqusiteiy demonstrated as
they were in the great barn-like structure
| which Melba filled even with her murmurs
last night. Her voice is of the quality that
| flows. rather than pierces, but the musical
| murmurings of her good-bys in the death
scene were echoed in a sob that filled the
! great building in which she sang
The singing of the role was at once a de-
| light and disappointment. The delight at
the wonderful portrayal of human feeling in
! song was somewhat overshadowed by disap-
| pointment because the prima donna was not
AFFORDED the opportunity to show the beautiful
color of her tones in vigorous outpourings
| There are but three arias in the opera where
opportunity is afforded for the exhibition Of
a voice like Melba's. and the effect in each
OF them is lost to a great extent by the en-
vronment.
The brilliancy of her singing in the first
act was qualified to a very great extent
by the necessity for keeping up a semblance
of being in touch with the other singers.
In the last act, which she had very much
to herself with the single exception of the
duet with Campanari, there is sort of re-
preston, of forced bending to the conditions.
that does away with brlliancy and affords
no chance for anything but tears. Melba was
exquisite Violetta-she would have been
divine in role that would have given great
er opportunity for the display of her voice
in lyrics.
The essentially SYM athletic quality of her
voice might have been better shown in the
grander lines of vocal effort. The result was
that there was no greater demonstration of
enthusiasm on the part of the audience than
was afforded at the close of the first act
when. in the vigor OF her strength and tho
enjoyment of her love, Voletta is permitted
to exhale an odor of joyous existence
Sig. Campanari is a great singer. but his
voice is scientifically. not feelingy expressive.
He sang perfectly; his tones were absolute
in a musical sense, but there was not the
least evidence that he was en- rapport with
the feeling expressed in the singing and act
ing of Melba. Without the slightest evidence
that he was not in musical accord with the
theme that he sang, there was an utter lack
OF feeling in his vocal expression. He is
a show singer and was distinct disappoint-
ment in the role of Germont.
Sig. Vivian took many of the honors of
the evening. He sings evenly, has a beauti-
full voice and the necessary presence to make
| his voice effective.
Sig Carbone was effective in his work
The tmbre of his voice is of a quality to
fit him particularly for display in a great
auditorium, and he might easily have had q
share in the honors but for the great emn-
ence of the star over the rest of the cast.
Nine. Van Cauteren had but single oppor-
tunity for the display Of her powers, and
! at once showed that sac is a singer OF great
gifts. She has the manner of the Italian
school to a degree-ard that helps much in
the Interpretation of Italian opera. She was
accorded a distinctly flattering reception.
The other principals were NJ. Sslignsc,
Nine hatfield. Mr.. Van Hose ard Mr..
Rains.
The opera put on with but little at
tempt at elaboration and the chorus wis
| furnished by the Minneapolis Dramatic club.
1t was effective so far as was needed for the
| filling in Of the blanks, but there was an
| utter lack of any other than rhythmic quality
! to the contribution. This reduce the neces-
sty for much effort on the part of the most
excellent conductor, Sig. Bimbcni, but Gid
not materially help the ensemble.
| The audience was magnificent testimonial
! to the estimation in which Nine. Meba is held
/ in these cities. OF the five thousand and odd
people present about one-fourth were $
! st. Paul. The audience was not enthu l. ,ti.,,
| but justly appreciative. and, at the close of
| the first act, the diva was presented with some
! beautiful floral pieces.
Financially the performance was such a
success to insure attention from the
! grand opera managers for this part OF the
country in the future. 1t was stated that
| the house counted about Sc, 800