New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-02
NJ USlC.
The Return Of Nine. CGIU6.

Nine Calve returned to the Metropolitan Opera
house f<ter an absence OF two years last night.
ana with her Carmen. A stickler for the
curacy OF the historical record might say that
Carmen had not been absent two years since It
was performed last season But IL is a question OF
the character, not the opera. Another might reply
that II Caiva and Carmen are Synonymous terms.
II was the former that reappesred last night and
not the latter What. then. shall be said7 II is too
nice point to be decided orhand. It involves
questions tho discussion Of which might put
something Of a strain galantry. for one
thing When an Ideal has been created ard
maintained for decade. ought that ideal TO be
incdlned 20 suit rcTuO-s eIesSly changing
waistline and a varying contour OF integumental
upholstery or shan present Judgment wait on
grateful memory? Calve was Carmeu-s.eek. artfuL
capricous. beautiful 6.abolica,ly hewitching
chameleon-hued Carmen-and therefore Calve viii
be Carmen in ssecu'a sRcuIorum: Calve without
end Amen. That plainly. is the popular view. as
evidenced by the attendance at the Opera House
last night and also by the conduct Of the audience
ct the outset That conduct underwent change
before the performance had reached its noon. but
the audience remained. and il was phenomenaily
laree-as large as those at the representations
Of "ParsifaI'-the simple description Of when
is becoming a WEAKNESS to the flesh. Under
the circumstances 1t was pity that the
few who could not put aside a disposition
for criticism and comparison. pordered regretfuly
the difference between past and present IL
not al Nine. Calves fault. however. There
to be artists Of a different cah0re in the cast
when the charner first wove her spell about the
opera patrons Of New-York Nine. Eames used to
sing the music OF Mcaela. and after her Suzanne
Adams. the most symna lhetic and winsome I'M
personator OF the part that the American metropo-
is has ever seen and heard: last night Miss Mar
guerite Lemon disclosed what the pretty music
could sound Ike when treated TO q mildly acidu-
lous infusion. Jean de Reszke. Saleza and Alvarez
used 20 sing and act Don jose; last night the ad-
mirabIe D.ppel put forth his always sincere. al
forts. As for the Escam:los Of the part. they
there occasion for dispa raging comparison. for
Signor Scott. last nights representative. Yves
amongst them.
Nine Calve sang ard acted very much as she
used to. but somehow neither song uor action had
the old spontanelty and natura,ness. She always
PRECIOUS. and again last night bur there
was in her froIicscrne coquetTie5 something that
suggested matronly memories OF youthful w1.fdI-
ness. There was the ole compelling charm In her
speaking voice. the Old witchery In her declama-
tion: and she sang the scquedilla Fl the first act
with fire dramstic art. and with more inslnuaung
charm but Il was Calve who sang. not Carmen
She disturbed Mr.. Motifs sense OF rhythm. mere
ard elsev hcre-evervwhere in fact-but that she
always did ard II It used 10 sound more Ike
oft OF her seductive INABILITY. Z was because IL
harrlonized with she waywdrCness that was native
20 her every action ond Utterance More detailed
mention OF nor performance Il scarcely necessary
Into the action Of the comedy Iessrs- Reiss and
Duf-iche Injected some moments Of brightness ana
FriuIen Fcthich, enc OF the two premieres dan
seus,s OF whom We Used to hear Leforo the season
began. dan.ed in the brief ballet