The Washington times., 1904-03-08
Brilliant Assembly Greets
Metropolitan Company.
ACKTE A FINE MARGUERITE
Duets, TriOs, and Quartets Admirably
Sung-M. Plancon's Notable Per
forrrance Of MephistOpele.

Tor many seasons. The work selected
did not represent the best musical art
and the Interpretation did not merit UNI
qualified praise. To these consIdera-
lions. however, washington was happily
Indifferent, and the enterprise of the
resident manager who thus bridged the
accumulated difficulties OF a decade was
correspondingly rewarded by the pres
snce OF an audience extraordinary in
size and particular in frillidnce.
II has not been the custom in any city
graced by the visits of the Metropolitan
Grand opera Company TO regard its per-
Tormances as chiefly musical. Whether
the Orera be the cheapest tInsel or the
Durest gold its presentation is invarla-
by hailed as a shibboleth TO society
For New York and Boston it IS. per-
haps, the most conspicuous event which
assemblies many persons in brilliant
toilettes where the picture is exposed to
the public eye. IN Washington this Is
not quite the case. but as our people are
the more accustomed to such public as
semhlies, SO also are they the more
ready to become factors in them. The
season OF opera, then. is not so much
regarded as Il rich and valuable musical
opportunity as the occasion Of q great
social picture which sladdens the heart
CT nearly everyone included III the frame.
4 Capital City Gathering.
New York has been awakened this
winter to the pose at least of hearing
in an attitude OF reverence an operate
composition. which IS thought to have
been created for reverent minds, the
opera "ParisifaI" Washington was
content with GOunods paraphrase Of
Goethe's noble poem. Faust" It would
probably have been satisfied with
Balfe's Bohemian Girl" But as this
may be, the occasion assembled at the
National Theater representatives Of the
diplomatic service from half the world,
the Secretary Of State, notable members
OF Congress. and approximately the en-
tire membership Of the community's
most brilliant society.
In one box We're the ambassador from
Mexico. Senior de Azpi-oz, and the mem
bers of has family. Opposite them sat
the German ambassador. Baron Speck
Won Sternburg. the Baroness Won Stern
burg, Miss Langham sister to the
baroness. and Commander de Faramond,
10 whom Miss Langham has recently
become engaged. Miss Letter and Rob
ert Adams We're also Of the party, with
The Baron Won Sternburg. The Belgian
minister and the Baroness MOncheur.
together with Senator and Mrs Fora
ker were entertained by Mr. and Mrs
Thomas r. Walsh With Mrs. New
berry and Miss Newberry were Mr. and
Mrs. Henry May. and Mr.. Dering. Of the
British embassy. Ar and Mrs. Mclean
who had taken a box for the season.
were prevented from attending by i'll
ness in the family. and their box was
occupied by Judge and Mrs. Wright.
III q ND
and Mr. and Mrs. Charles c. Glover both
entertained parties Of young people.
Among those VINO occupied seats in
the orchestra We're the Secretary OF
State and Mrs. Hay. the Peruvian min
lister and Nine. Caldcron. Miss Durand.
Senator and Mrs. Algor. Mrs. Hobart,
Senator Mitchell Baron Won dea
Bussche, Mr.. Stroehlin. of the Swiss lego
Tioni Mr.. Bobroff Of the Russian en-
fassy; Messrs. Hanihara and AkatsuIza.
OF The japanese legation; the Countess
Marguerite Cassini. Miss Mcmillan. Mrs
Nicholas Anderson, Mrs. Stanley Mat
thcWs Mr. and Mrs Richard Pairo,
EIiss Olive Risley Seward. Miss Davis.
the Misses ROllings. Mr.. and Mrs. Rock
hill Mrs. Wallach. Mr.. and Mrs. Mo-
gan Hill. Miss Morgan Hin. Mr. PulidC.
OF the legation OF Venezuela; Jerome
Eouaparte. the Misses Patten, Mr.. Car
ION. Miss Carroll, Mr. and ,rs. Thomas
Hyde Mr. Walls = Mcrinc. OF the Span
ish legation, Miss Routh. Mr.. and Ms
e. G. Bennett, Representative and
Mrs. c. 3. Lands. Mr.. and Mrs. Jo-
seph Weller, Mr.. and Airs. r A.
Mitchell. Mrs J. B. Edwards, 8Ir. and
Mrs. Heurich. Robert Keeling. the
Misses Quay, AIr. and mrs. Lee Phillips
Miss McCammon, Miss Carlisle. Mr. and
Mrs Arthur Addison. Miss Woodbury.,
Mrs. Thompson Swan, General Wood
hun and Miss Woodruff. Mr.. and Mrs
Granger. Mrs. a. r. Brown. Miss Cry
der Miss May, Miss Blanch Emery.
Mrs Audenried. Richardson Glover. Mr.
and Mrs Herbert Wadsworth. Miss
Emery, Mr. and Mrs. Charles SpalCIng.
Mrs Richard Townsend and Miss Town
send, Ar- and Mrs Preston Sands, Mrs
Mccartney. Miss kibbey. Mrs. Barney
and Miss Barney. Mr.. and Mrs Ward
ThOrou and Miss Warder Mr. ana Mrs
George Howard. SIR and Mrs. Clarence
Moore Mrs. q. s. Hooker and Miss Null
Ian.
Everywhere the eye fell were bright
touettes and glistening jewels. The
gathering was distinctly brilliant TO the
eye
Many Notable Singers.
However great The social interest IN
this performance. Il would get Doe q
notable injustice not To record that IL
had also much musical merit. The au-
oicncc. gathered f0r whatever purpose.
heard the opera inte1uy. aDrlauded its
set numbers with unrcstrained enthu-
siasm Whatever the melt OK their per
Torrance. and left the tEeater at the
close OF the opera reasonably impressed
by us substance.
Counod is tho musical IDOL Of gold with
feet OF clay he has never been called
GIst rate. and yea no one has had the
heart 20 name him as second rate. lie
was neither a master OF melody nor OF
fecnnique- he vas not really dramatic
His strongest point-exccpting the cvni-
cal consideration that ne was a great
contemporary was his harmony. union
of notes 50 rich and so seusuous that
IN his F'tust. "a representative WORK.
Ee quite oVegpovefs the mind.
-'Taust. which was urst performed
ln Paris IN lS59. requires typical French
voices and temperamonts. Those n the
Cos. last night were Nine. AcIte. 4
TmnIsh soprano trained IN Paris. IS