The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-04
AT THE GRAND OPERA.

square and thus commanded the atten-
| ton OF the ninety men under his direction,
not more than half the house was filed.
hut grand opera audiences are nothing
NOT iashionable, and when the members
Vi the EMS company had sung the prelude
20 romeo and Juliet the lights were
,1rneu up on what was probably the most
UiiiHsht assemblage OF the year All that
.he capital social. political and intel
ieo.udi circles could give toward eTowding
enedtIe rad been contributed and the
result claimed the admiration OF the eve
almost as much as the rendering given
Gounod's most ambitious effort aid he
pleasure of the ear.
The orchestra at the Lafayette Is not n
large one and nearly every seat was oc-
eupied. the handsome gowns OF the wo-
men contrasting strongly with the dress
SUITS m which the men were attired and
both giving way to the gorgeousness of the
head-dFesSes worn. About these rows OF
chairs came the lower boxes with their
brilliant parties and above them second
| tier OF mezanines. likewise well filed
| There were a great many more of the
iair sex here than on the floor and the
sight presented was superiority attractive
| IN proportion. Silks and satins and Iaces.
diamonds and trirkets and flowers set of
admirably the bare neeks and shoulders.
the Smlilng faces and attentive eyes OF the
girls and matrons who wore them.
standing behind those seated in the boxes
was the masculine element in conventional
| black and white, and back of all the heavy
draperies and marble pillars of Manager
Painters handsome place OF amusement
And over everything shone the lights and
sounded the music until an air OF refine
ment and luxury and mentality blended the
scene and made 1t seem like a page from
a dream book.
The touch OF reality to the whole affair
was the manner in which the audience ap-
peared to enjoy the opera presented Ey-
cry bit Of work deserving OF more
than casual notice was appiauded heart
ny ana every finale was followed by nufu-
Derless curtain calls. After the drop had
descended fer the last time and the oceu-
pants Of seats and boxes were pouring
from their places into the aisles and from
the aisles into the street: after the
warmth and glare OF the playhouse had
been exchanged for the bitter cold of the
open air with the occasional shining OF an
arc lamp; after the chit-clat of the even
ing and the noise of the carriage boys
crying haSf given place TO criticism Of the
onerins just seen emily praise CT the pro-
duction was heard The stream of people
that passed through the broad doors OF the
Lafayette had but ccmmendation to give
manager charles a. Ellis and mis- organ
iZation.
AS has been said above. the version OF
Romec and Juliet" sung last night was
| that OF GCunod. The piece is mis- most
pretentious effort and approaches the
heavier school more nearly than anything
else the composer ever did Scant in its
ensemble opportunities, 1t contains two or
three solos Of rare beauty and at least one
number that holds a position all its oHn
among musicians-the climax of the sec
ond act and the aria preceding it. After
ITS first scene the opera speedily resolves
Itself into scrt Of continuous duet be-
tween the two principal characters, and
nearly all Of the music sung in these pas
sages is OF most superior order. For
delicaey and passion, fer variation and
strength, for color and shading the score
Of Romeo and Juliet is as superior TO
that Of the ordinary product as is Shake
speare's foreeful and dramatic story-a
story to which Gounod has adhered close
Iy in transferring the thoughts Of the
bard to position in which they come
| within range of his own.
The presentation could hardly have been
improved upon. From a spectacular
point of view it exceeded anything OF the
sort ever seen before in this city After
the make-shift settings shown locally by
the Metropolitan Opera Company it was
a positive relief TO notice that the seem
cry brought here by Manager Ellis was
entirely adequate. and, in some cases
sumptuous. The view Of the Capulet's
garden in the second act proved to be a
really fine piece OF construction and wss
| appreciated as such. The costumes too
looked new and were hastily correct as
well as attractive Every member Of the
| chorus was well clothed and ftted-which
is more than can be said Of the ensemble
singers in most such organizations The
ballet showed the effects of careful train
ing, as did indeed the remainder of the
company. Stage Manager Jaxon is a cap
| able labCrer and the results of his crafts
manship probably never were exhibited
more plainly than last night
The orchestra is an excellent one. Con-
ductor Seppilli has his men under remarka-
bic control and they play with a smoothness
and feeling that cannot be too highly com
mended. The accompaniment contributed
throughout the opera was plainly that die
tated by ap artist and carried out by art
lists. The rendering of the overture to
Romeo and Juliet" and OF the brief pre-
lude TO its last act deserved encorss even
il they did not receive them. The work
OF the chorus could not have been exeeiled
II sung with spirit and in perfect unison
often with power and passion that would
seem almost impossible TO one who had not
heard the Offering. No better ensemble has
been noted here in some time
OF the principals in the cast comparative
ly little need De said, most of them being
so well known that praise would be only
repetition. Madame Meiba has lost none
of her power as a cantatrice since she was
last seen in this city and her contributions
to the entertainment were enthusiastically
appauded. The least that might be re-
marked of her portrayal is that it was well
rounded and eXcellenuy smooth Her
phrasing was often new and always nearly
perfect, while her voice exhibited reson-
ance and vibrance that doubled the effect
produced by its clearness and purity. Mad
anne Melba made a splendid effort to give.
1.-THE role its full meaning and Significance
an effort in which she was fully success
full both histrionically and vocally. GOunod
is none too lavish in his treatment of
Juliet but the fact that she is not musical
Iy centralized-that those about her have
arias as rapturous and as appealing as those
she sings-did not diminish the effect OF
| the prima donna's work in the least Ths.
setting in which she was placed enhanced
rather than decreased the feeling she pro-
duced.
u. BOnnard who interpreted the part
OF Romeo, could hardly have been i'm
| proved upcn-even by Jean de Rszka.
| His tenor possesses tone quality and M
bre that are rarely heard. while he sipg;
with expression and feeling. His up-et
| register has few of the distinctive quail
| ties OF the French school, while his lower
| register is full of tenderness and sweet
| ness. These exeellencies were especially
| emphasized in the solo beginning. Amor,
. | I'pSsar mi nd G,afgrf