The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-18
Audience That Nearly Filled Tom1in-
son Hall Was Cosmopolitan and
Appreciative.
SOPRANO WITH A STRONG MIND
QUITS COMPANY FOR LOVE OF MAS
CAGNPs UNDERSTUDY.
The Latter Was Dismissed mt Fort
Wayne to Save Expenses-TaIk
with the Manager.

most Italian composer and maestro, with
his orchestra, vocal soloists and chorus
singers has been one of trials, disappoint-
ments and reverses, but the famous mu-
stefan, who sailed but a short time ago
from his own sunny Italy with high hopes
for an enthusiastic welcome in this country
and dreams of triumphant progress and
great financial result, has borne up under
all of the buffeting that an adverse fate
could bestow and still shows himself able
to WELD his baton as of old and bring his
band of instrumentalists and singers under
it's magic spell. His concert last night at
Tomlinson Hall was one of unusual inter-
est from several view points, and it pleased
a large and at times very enthusiastic
audience.
The audience, by the way, probably
the most cosmopolitan and certainly the
most interesting in point of many con-
trasts that Indianapolis has ever turned
OUT at performance devoted exclusively
to music of a classic nature. Everybody
seems to know something about Mascagni;
people in all ranks and stations have long
been interested in the famous Italian, who
but few short years ago was struggling,
unrecogniZed and almost starving COM
poser. Everybody has heard his melodious
"IntermeZzo' played on musical instru-
ments of all descriptions from the piano to
the grind organ, sung in the churches as
an Ave Maria and whistled on the
streets. and all of those that have been
charmed time and again by the seductive
measures or that sweet melody were
curious TO see its creator in person and
hear music performed under his own lead
ership. The audience consequently was
not one of the among those present" kind
but was made up of people from all walks
of life.
OLD WORLD PERFORMANCE.
The concert impressed one from the first
as an old world performance. The swarthy
faces of the instrumentalists, the unpre-
possessing appearance of the chorus a
whole-these features were suggestive of
the musical life of Italy, where 1.-The mu-
sizes the thing rather than its interpret
ers, just as the play was the thing with
Shakespeare instead of the players. Even
the drums were old world drums of the
kind never seen nowadays in an American
orchestra-curious oblong affairs of the sort
that one sees in old paintings. Mascagni,
himself, has not the exaggerated manner
iSmS that characteristic of most Ital-
ian conductors; he directs his orchestra
with grace and without affectation of any
Kind, but he knows how to the ten
derest passages from the strings and reeds
and can summon a burst of soul-stirring
harmony from the ensemble at will. The
opening number of the programme was
the well-known overture to civilian Tell"
and this always-popular concert selection of
RossinIs was given satisfactory, though
not noteworthy, rendition. The rest of the
first half of the programme was given up
to Mascagnis four interludes, which were
composed as incidental music TO the drama,
THE Eternal City" and two vocal num-
bers by Signor Francona and Signorina De
Filipe. The first three interludes are beau
tiful compositions, in which the string in
just has, as they do in
were given with much delicate expression
and their tenderness and sweetness won
the hearts of the audience. The fourth in
terlude is of widely different character
being of a lively movement and seeming
to tell of dancing and revels and human
passions. 1t was gwen with fine effect,
and brought forth an outburst of warm
applause.
Signorina De Filipe was down on the pro-
gramme to sing the Jewell Song from
Faust, but for some reason of her own
decided to render instead 1.-The Maids of
Cadiz," by Delibes, and her hearers had
no cause TO regret the substitution. The
little Italian possesses a soprano voice of
remarkable purity and clearness and she
sang her difficult selection faultlessly. AS
an encore she offered a delightful little
song by Louis Saar called 1.-The Harp Maid
ems Song, and gave Ii a very sweet in
depreciation. Signor Mascagni played her
piano accompaniments himself The bari
tone, Signor Franscona, rendered as his
share of the evenings programme the
aria. "Dio Possente," from Gounods
Faust and while he sang in good taste
| sufficient volume to be heard in the cres-
endo measures above the brass of the or
| chestra.
RENDITION OF OPERA.
The second part of the concert was given
up TO rendition of the greater part of
"Cavalleria Rusticana" in concert form
| and a selection from Mascagni's new opera
| of Iris" Just as the name of Mascagnis
| fellow countryman, Leoncavallo will re-
main in the musical hall of fame as the
| composer of "Pagliacci" and as the Ger
man composer, Humperdinck, will go
| down to posterity as the creator of the
poetic "Hansel and Gretel.' so will Mas
cagni be celebrated first, last and for all
| time the genius who wrote the inspired
| ''Cavalleria kusticana." 1t makes no dif-
| ference to the music-loving public if the
| composer himself may consider his first
work inferior to some of his later com
positions; a Mascagni concert withont
'Cavalleria" would seem TO the people
| who pay to hear 1t, pretty much like
melancholy Dane omitted from the cast.
In the midst of his recent troubles i'm New
| York, the great Italian, wrought up TO a
burst of passion through a misunder-
standing with his managers exclaimed.
| II came TO America to submit new works
not TO trot out 'Cavalleria Rusticana'
| which everybody knows" In other words
! Mascagni objects to being known as the
composer of but one opera just as George
Du Maurier objected to being continually
| pointed out as the man who wrote
/ Trilby," when he considered one of his
| other books of much more Importance
! But the people want "Cavalleria'' and
| So when at the end of the intermission
4 last night, the first melodic strain of the
| beautiful little music drama came forth
| sweet and low, from the string Instruments
| in answer To the baton of the composer
| himself. a lush that betokened rant at
| tention stole over the audience and every
| one present gave himself up COMPLETELY
! TO the fascination of listening to Mas
| cagni's own conception of his world-famous
! work-the romantic listener and the stu
/ dent alike finding this period of the even
1 ing's programme rich in interest The or
/ chestra at its best in the latter half
/ of the concert. and il proceeded from good
/ work 10 better and thence to a close of
/ superlative excellence. The tenor role of
.'Turrido" was sung by Signor Schiavazzi
| boyish Italian. with voice of the rarest
| quality which filled every nook and cor
| ner of the big auditorium. His voice and
| his singing are deserving of the warmesr
| praise that can be bestowed upon them
/ and the audience not only expressed its
| pleasure with loud hand clapping but gave
| the young singer a rousing cheer when at
the climax of the Drinking Song" ne
sustained the high fiat with ease and
| elearness that was marvellous. Signora de
| Filippe sang the soprano role of san
tuzza" with much expression and tender
| ness What can be said of the "Inter-
mezzo'' save that il was rendered as IL
| never has been rendered before in this
| city. There may be better orchestras than
| Mascagnis. but none could play that num-
| Der better than IL was played last night
/ As a fitting climax TO an evening of
thorough enjoyment the composers new
! HYMN to the Sum- from Girls" was