The San Francisco call., 1901-11-24

m was lHOuSll 11Sl year llldI MI.
was overinsistent in his pride in the
fact that only once was the bill
changed. and that in an Insignificant
n detail. during his three weeks season
here. But we have this year had
glimpse of the troubles of an impresario,
and with sympathy for Mr.. Grau comes
appreciation of the reasonableness OF his
joy In last years unchanged programme
Not only the delicately throated Calve,
but FRITZ Scheff, Van Dyck, Sybil san
derson and other singers of lesser Ik
have been indisposed, with the result OF
a general upsetting of programmes and
trouble all along the line. Nothing but
sympathy is expressed for Mr. Grau. who
has behaved in the handSomeSt possible
fashion under the trying circumstances,
or for the singers. who are evidently just
as sorry as we are for the various disap-
pointments. The artists who are in good
form have come to the rescue in noble
fashion. and with their generous assist
ance the season in spite of it's troublouS
course-or because of it-has so far been
even more successful than last years
Probably Mr.. Grau. never before gath
cred together greater company
of artists than he has just now,
and the task of replacing one Dill
by another has therefore been
comparatively light one. But gratitude
and admiration are due both to the i'm
presario and the singers for the splendid
fashion in which this has been done.
These they have In fullest measure, to-
gether with the cordial liking and respect
of all those cognizant OF the circum-
stances. 1t is sincerely hoped that the
seasons programme may now be carried
out without further disaster, for the ben
looks that way.
The week has been chiefly remarkable
for the matchless performance OF lie
Nozze di Figaro the splendid production
of "Die Meistersinger' and the Carmen
of Calve the fair lady who has upset
things so successfully this season. Not
least among the things Calve has upset
is the reigning conception of the part in
which she first found herself famous.
The other evening her audience was evf-
IDENTIFY puzzled, disappointed even, in the
opening scenes of the Interpretation 1t
is pitched in quite another key from that
in which the majority of the audience
had determined that the role should be
played. 1t was therefore long before the
beauty of the Calve Carmen could make
headway against previous conceptions
or misconceptions-of the part. The opera
| is favorite here and Familiarity known
to every opera-goer. The singer had to
contend with an opinion, practically the
size of the audience, that was bounded on
| the one hand by Zelie de Lussan's Car
men and on the other by the Tivolis gyp-
! sy, Coliamarini. The work of both has its
merits, too familiar to need description,
| but 1t is the kind of thing they give
dramatically-only more so, that was ex-
pected from Calve In her Carmen So
much we know. But that is exactly what
| Calves Carmen is not. 1t is everything
| else, and one at last greets it as the only
| Carmen, the Prosper Merimee Carmen
with Calves genius to boot.
! It's subtle artistry is recognized from the
! moment Calve appears, barbaric splash
| of color among the other girls but evi-
| IDENTIFY of them. She makes no passfonats
effort to catch the eye, but magnetizes at.
tention just as she draws the unfortunate r.
Don Jose to her. by the sheer force of he,
| greater beauty and sensuous charm. Sht
| is impertally sure of herself, and exercises
| her attractions with a lazy fnsolence that
is infinitely more realistic than the usu.
busy coquetry of the Carmen interpreter
She is less busy and therefore more Span.
ish, all through the conception. but wher
| the flash of passion comes it's thrtll i.
electric Nothing more powerful upon tn,
stage has been seen than Calves actins
In the scene where she fings down the
cards that prophesy death. Her face ha,
the dim horror of a thousand years of su
Y tperstition in its mobile depths, and ever,