The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-01

entertainment, in which their curiosity
was satisfied and their aesthetic yearnings
were to certain extent appeased
Eighty-five hundred dollars. was, in
round numbers, the amount which the
music-lovers and curiosity hunters afore-
said were willing to put up for their two
evenings of pleasure and this in spite of
alleged hard times and the threatened
Spanish invasion by way of San Pedro.
But I do not intend to discuss the opera
from an economic point of view, and will
only remark in that connection that had
the ideas of Manager Wyatt prevailed and
limit of five dollars been placed on the
seats, there would not have been so many
empty chairs and the gross receipts would
have been larger.
The superior merits of the great sing
ers voice and power and ability of execu-
ton are very generally admitted, and have
been properly and even ecstatically ex-
tolled by the able and conscientious music
critic of The Herald. There is, however,
one aspect of Melbas assumptions, name
ly, their dramatic value, upon which opin-
ions Wluely ulIleTlHB nave Deeh eAPi esSeo,
not only among critics, but also among the
severest of all censors, the good people
who pay out their money for seats.
Some have contended that Melba could
not act at all; that her motions were ma
chine-like, and that she betrayed the fact
that she had not got beyond the anna
teur stage of training in department, and
was utterly without ability to portray the
characters she assumed; that, in short, she
was cold and even 1ifeless in her persona
lions, although her singing was almost
fiawless. On the other hand, there have
been not few who have gone almost to
the opposite extreme In praise of her evil
dent insight of character, and who have
expressed almost extravagant admiration
of her power in repose and striking charm
of manner.
venture to think that both parties are
in the wrong, and for the simple reason
that they mistake the correct point OF
view.
The criticism that might properly be
applied to the actress who plays the part
of Camille in the drama of that name
would not be just If applied to the repre-
sentative of the same character in the
opera Of la rraviata." In the play the
actress Is expected to be natural above all
things, and the lines she is given to speak
are to assist her in making the stage pic
ture perfect and to affect the audience with
all the tenderness and pathos that the sit
uations will command. In effect, for the
time being. the audience should be i'm
pressed with the reality and the depth of
the emotions thus pictured and be moved
to a sympathetic exhibition of tears. Ev-
cry stage artifice is in favor of the actress,
and how successfully they may be en-
ployed has been shown in numerous in
stances that will easily be recalled.
In the opera, the would-be actress is at
disadvantage on the start She is handi-
capped by the fact that she has to sing her
lines, instead of to speak them. The audi
ence is there to hear her voice, and she may
have to run series of chromatic scales
with variations, while she is supposed to be
plunged in the depths of despair or suf-
fering spasms of joy. Whatever else she
does, she must never forget for single in
slant the technic of her vocal art. 1t is her
unusual ability in this direction that at
tracts the public who pay the high prices,
and the singer who can trill with bird-like
tones in the upper register and soar be-
yond the rest of those who attempt the
same thing, gets honors and reward such
as are not accorded to the finest exponent
of mere dramatic art. The singer who.
as In the character of Vioetta, has to DOR.
tray what is strictly melo-dramatic role
finds is necessary to subordinate the dro-
matte element to that of song. 1t was in
this just subordination that Melba showed
such fine ability. In appearance she re-
sembled Bernhard. and so far as she al.
lowed her acting to be prominent 1t was
evident that she was influenced by the
great French actress. Media showed con-
summate tact and refined taste in her per-
sonation of this character. The evidences
of physical suffering were not made
CHASTITY, as is too often the case with the
stage Camille. Her emotion was evident
but it's exhibition was repressed, allowing
itself to escape more in the music of her
intonations than in violent physical dem
onstrations. AS an operate presentation
of the character 1t was as nearly perfect
as human skill and the divine gift of song
could make it. And the same appreciation
must be extended to the singers render
ing of the mad scene" from Lucia di
Lbammermoor," much severer test of
lower when the surroundings are taken
into account.
Melba is temperamentaly. best fitted for
the display of emotional roles of serious
interest. When the emotion to be dis
played is of a lighter nature she is not SO
fortunate, as was easily seen in her Rosina.
Her managers admit that they made
blunder in putting her before this public
first in 1.-THE Barber of Seville" L think
they made the bigger blunder in presenting
the opera here at all, especially when They
bad such store of better things on hand.