The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-18
AT THE THEATERS.

Nine. Sofia Scalchi and her company of
operatic artists" delighted an appreciative
audience at the Metropolitan opera house
last night. 1t was the operate portion of
the programme that achieved the victory.
More convincing testimony that a concert
is tedious in comparison with an opera could
not be afforded. The concert, which COM
prised the first half Of the programme pleased
the people; the third act of Gounod's Faust
aroused them. Music and the Drama are
welded.
THE cursed critical habit, that Charles
Lamb wished he could be delivered of seizes
the musical critic at a concert in the most
virulent manner. The opera singer, who
longs for the footlghts, the costumes. the
scenery, and somebody besides the audience
to sing to, is obliged to don full evening
dress, face the audience squarely, keep his
hands at his side, or fold her hands in a
real lady-like manner across her diaphragm,
and sing. Meanwhile the captious critic
scrutinizes the singer, watches his or her
breathing" notes his or her laryngeal move
ments, studies the tone productions, observes
the shape of the mouth that accompanies
each note-and then records some distinctly
disagreeabe Impressions
Not so in opera. IL the singers can sing
When music is allied with the drama when
human sympathy with the story is inter-
twined inseparably with deep and abiding adj
miration for the music, the cautious fault
Under is disarmed. If not he ought to be.
IL was noticeable last night that the men,
perS of Nine. Scalchi's company appeared
generally to greater advantage in the act
from Faust than in the concert. Nine.
Scalchi herself certainly did-but that ia
because she is an actress as we'll as a singer
True, in the concert, she sang the pages
matchless style. True, she thrilled her au
dience with her rich, powerful, feeling in
depreciation of Sullivan's triumphant har-
mony. The Lost Chord" but when. as
Siebel, the boy lover, she tripped into Mar
guerite's garden. plucked a bouquet of
roses and dedicated them to Marguerite in
that outburst of melody 1t was then that
the genius of this great artist was most
completely exemplifed. If Father Time has
touched her wonderful voice he has laid
gentle hand upon it alone. Her artistic soul
is beyond the old mans reach
Signor Pasquali, who appeared in the role
OF Faust was an exception to the others
in that he was not heard to better advantage
In the opera. He possesses pure even,
musical tenor voice of unexpected volume. 1t
is essentially a lyric organ, but occasionally
it discloses the strength of robusto. Signor
Pasquali would look better If he wore a
dark wig to contrast with Marguerite. No
wig at all would be an improvement upon
the profuson Of blonde curls that almost
concealed his features. He sang the ''Salve
di Mora" acceptably, although he addressed
it to the audience. His singing in the final
duet with Marguerite was far better. In his
concert number-Lohengrin' farewell song
Signor Pasquali scored a distinct triumph
Nine. Pasquali was the Marguerite She
sang the score sweetly and sympatheticaJly,
being heard to far better advantage than In
her concert numbers
Signor Albert has a resonant baritone
which he displayed effectively in the Toreador
song and in III Balen." His Mephistopheles