The San Francisco call., 1901-11-24


fare and I'll Barbiere di Siviglia' in the
evening. Neither suffered, it is unneces-
sary to say, and the merry masterpiece
of Rossini was to the full as much en-
joyed as the beauties of "Lohengrin =
nay, more, for it was a surprising per-
formance. 1t was sung to the last inch
of efficiency last night and it's merry
drollery interpreted in a fashion that set
the whole house shaking to most ungodly.
and un-grand-operatic laughter. 1t was
another red-letter night all through, and
the days to come will be brighter and
merrier until its last mercurial echo shall
have died away. One month the opera
took to write. and 1t sounds that way
gay, spontaneous, arch and unaffected,
and the whole cast and orchestra last
night combined to give to the full it's
sprightly and scintillant grace.
Who shall choose among so many stars
of equal light? Each part was taken just
as it should be, and each as perfectly fit
ted to its neighbor as the suave and con-
genial sardines in their scanty boxes.
However, ladies first, and Sembrich, the
glorious, at your pleasure.
Perhaps Mime. Sembrichs was not, by
the shade of a shade, quite the victorious
note of her Susanna last Tuesday night,
but who cares when 1t was a consuIn-
mately beautiful achievement even so2
From the standpoint of vocalism pure and
simple, Nine Sembrich is unapproachable.
There is no question of this-her absolute
mastery of all technical material. the
phrasing, nuance, color. the Incompatible
voice itself, all stamp her as the most
beautiful singer now before US. Rosina
fits her like the pitcher fits the milk its
gay coquetry and arch dialogue drawing
out the best she has to give. OF course the
lesson scene" was the vocal climax of
her work, and the diva gave the effective
coloratura composition of Johann Strauss,
ofaI 1xy
for her. to begin with.
AS encore she gave an. aria from "San-
nambula," and as encore to that a grace
full little Chopin song, to, her own ac-
compartment on the anachronistic piano
that was cast for a turn in the lesson
scene. Still the entranced audience was
not satisfied, and with the orchestra
Mime. Sembrich then gave a quaint and
tender little lullaby that showed her as
consummately satisfying in simple mel
ody as in all the vocal fireworks she
makes so beautiful, and left the audi
ence. to man. her humble slaves.
Salignac-the tenor follows the lady,
naturally-shone last night in the fiorid
opportunities of Almavfvas part. He
looked very picturesque as the amorous
Count, and acted with irresistible gayety
and ease. The part suited him admira-
bly, too, so far as the voice goes, and he
sang it's horid measures with power,
fiexibility and sweetness. Neither is he
lacking in the necessary humor, and in
the ''tipsy scene showed a rich fund of
it, together with an artistic restraint that
offered a very worthy measure of appre-
citation of the tenor's high capacities.
But De ReszkeI He was the Don Basilio,
and the house laughed till it cried at the
radiantly absurd drollery of the concep-
ton De Reszke's superb proportions add
unspeakably to the fun of it, He is
starched and pompous pedant, a coward
and a busybody, and the scene where
Almaviva has him at swords point,
sneaking around the furniture and behind
the tiny Bertha for protection, is as ire
sistible in the remembrance as it was on
sight. And De Reszke seemed to get as
much fun out of 1T as anybody, all or the
singers appeared to be enjoying them
selves for the matter of that OF course
he was, as usual eminently satisfying
from a vocal standpoint.
Campanari was the Figaro. and a spirit
ed and brilliant figure. The Figaro"
song was &Ven with all it's robust jollity
and waggish suggestion, and Campanaris S
excellent vocal equipment was never more
thoroughly in evidence than in his work
last night. He was thoroughly enjoyed
by the audience. Bartolo, done by Ia
vecchia was another creation of the clev-
crest. Tavecchia shows all the pompous
heavy vanity of the creature, and sings
the droll music in infectious fashion, with
a pleasing and powerful voice.
The orchestra was at its best under Sep
pilli, the few choruses were well sung
and altogether the night is a memorable
one.
The fatal coincidence of the large sal
ary habit and throat trouble has again
been forced unwelcomely upon the public
attention down at the Grand Opera
house. This time it was Eames who dis
appointed her audience. She was billed
for Elsa in '.Lohengrin'' yesterday after
| hrIf ct he 1ocf n
''indisposition. and her place had to be
taken by Nine. Reuss-Belce
At the little Tivoli, with salaries at
well, not $1,000 or $500 performance, the
singers seemed always to have their
throats with them In a twelve weeks
season the bill was never once changed,
and. with the exception of Montanari
every singer sung when billed to appear.
Collamarini sung with 4 face half again
its usual plump proportions from tooth
ache, and small matter of a cold or
such never seemed to prevent the singers
from coming up to time. 1t is of course
different where throats are worth $500
a night, but it is curious contrast just
the same.
Any performance of 'Lohengrin' with
Schumann-Heink in the cast is worth the
price for her work alone. She was in
magnificent trim yesterday afternoon
she always is-singing with all the splen-
did vigor and sweetness that distin-
gush her work. The voice is a perfect
one, vital, golden, thrilling. 1t sounds
every note in the gaAhet of human pas
sion and suits the Wagner moods to the
last necessity. Her Ortrud is her best cp-
portunity and Schumann-Heink in the
role ranks with the most important fig
ures of the season.
Bispham started rather sleepily yester-
day as Teramund. but soon woke up to
his work. His sympathetic voice is al
ways a delight, and his many-sided art
makes of the figure a strong and con-
sistent personality. Van Dyck fatted
painfully in 'Mein lieber Schwan," but
later reused to pitch and power, though
he did not seem to be in as good form as
usual. -
Nine Reuss-Belce, who substituted for
Nine Eames, filled in the part not un-
acceptably and in places with taste and
power. But her voice lacks sweetness
breadth, and in the fortes betrays not a
little harshness. Mr.. Muhlmann was the
Herald. and Mr.. Blass the King. both
with their usual ample success, and Mr..
Damrosch and the orchestra did their
duty nobly-A