The Washington times., 1904-03-09
ROSSINYS BARBER
BRILLIANTLY SUNG
Opera Performed Practical
" Without a Flaw
A TRIUMPH FOR SEMBRICH
CamPanau Shares in Success Of the
Evening-Magnifcent Audience
Crowds Theater.

The most brilliant performance OF
''The Barber OF Seville" ever set before
q Washington audience, or probably be
fore any other city In the United States.
was given at the New National Theator
last night by the forces of the Metro
pOlitan opera House of New York. The
magnificent gathering Of Washington's
music loving people which crowded
every portion of the theater. and which
in its constituent parts was a repetition
of the one of the night before, was
aroused to the very topmost heights of
enthusiasm and gave vent 20 1t In fire.
quent and prolonged bursts SI applause.
So well rounded was the performance
that there was not a flaw IN either the
vocal or instrumental elements of H.
Principals. orchestra, and chorus are
each entitled TO a share Of the success.
The opera was sung in Italian, which
circumstance in the case CT a comic
opera might ordinarily detract from the
thorough understanding and enjoyment
Of the action, bat the acting Of the prin-
cipals was so thoroughly expressive rs
to convey at all times perfect under
standing OF the ideas presented.
Sembrich an Ideal Rosina.
Where all did so well it's difficult to
make a distinction as to relative merit.
and yet It must be said that Nine. Sem
brich as Rosina and Campanari as
Figaro carried of the honOrs of the
evening. When Rossini wrote the music
of this opera he must have had in his
mind for the prima donna role Of Rosina
just such a voice as that with which
Sembrich is gifted-liquid. full smooth.
ike velvet, of marvellous compass ana
volume, trained to the very farthest re-
fnement OF the vocal art and under alb
solute command at all tiracs: q voice
which il is not given even 10 the regular
freQuenter OF theaters TO listen to more
than once ia a generation
Sembrich has been called the greatest
Torture singer OF the day OF thu
there can be no doubt One may ever
go step further. and say that she Fl.
the greatest fioriture within a genera-
ton Last night her singing was super
lativeIy brilliant From her first area
the famous Una voce POGO IA" to tn
very last note she uttered. her audi
tors We're treated TO a serios Of delight
ful surprises for she seemed TO surpas
eFenry effort with each succeeding num-
Der. She achieved her greatest triumoh
ln the third act. when IL the singing
lesson some she sang the Primaver9
known aria All non giUnge. from .-Ia
SonDamDula.' and as q second encore q
pretty little Polish ballad, 20 which Sd
played her own accompaniment al tfC
piano II was several minutes before th-
audience exhausted itself in applause
and permitted the ope-a 10 proceed.
CampanaEi and the Others.
A better figure than that OF Cam
panaria has rarely, if ever. been seen
He is an ideal exponent Of the part. both
vocally and IN acting. His is a great
baritone, resonant yet mellow. and hi
method of singing is so perfect that nc
at no time violates the canons Of arr
Dippel as Count Almayiva sang art
acted delightfully."- in fact in such 3.
manner as light have been expected
from an artist Of his reputation. tn.
Bacilio Of JOurnet was IN keeping with
the excellence that distinguished ths
other principals. and ROssi's DR.. BartOI,
was a worthy companion piece. Nine
Bauermeister. an old favCrite iu Wash
ington. came in for her share OF the APP
plause. and sang the only aria given {.
the contralto.
The engagement closes tonight viii
Carmen, with Calve in the ute role
Campanaria as EscamillO, and Naval "a
Don Jose.