New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-10
MUSIC.
Il Day at the Opera.

The first performance this season OF Tristan ind
Isolde which took place at the Metropolitan
opera House yesterday afternoon. brought with it
a sgrleVols disappointment Nine. Ternlna was
seized with hoarseness after rehearsal at which
she sang On Friday afternoon. and yesterday fore
noon notified 10 the management the fact that she
was unable 70 sing. The presence Of Miss Marion
weed in the company helped Mr.. Conried OF
the dilemma Miss Weed had sung the part at her
farewell performance in Hamburg and was better
prepared 10 act substitute for Nine Tornina
than she was when called On to take the part OF
Nine GadsAd IL Die Wakure" early in the season
throughout the first act, indeed, she sang in a
manner that seemed 10 promise a more than credI-
table performance. Her voice was voIuminous and
true IN information, and though her denOtement Of
the wild fury Of the Irish princess was stereotyped
III manner patterned In pose and gesture to some
extent after that OF Nine. Lehman but without
that fine artists spontanety) it was UNNECESSARILY
more inPassOued ana convincing than anything
that she did in either Die WaIkure" 'ParsifaI
Unfortunately she could not maintain herself
upon the plane to which her fresh enthusiasm
had lifted her. and the love music OF the sec
ond act had nothing to commend II except that the
tones which were heard, occasionally in the midst
Of the Transporting utterances Of the orchestra
were generally in tune. Here, too. her memory
seemed unstable and the scene. which for years
has marked the IoveIiest achievement OF Wag-
merriam song at the Metropolitan. was Ineffective
The moments that redeemed IL were those in
which Miss Edyth Walker, singing her warning
song Brangane, flooded the house with her
warm tones Mr.. Kraus also sang tinidly in his
desire 70 create the mood Of emotional eXaltaton
proper TO the scene. For this. however, lie made
ample amends IN the third act, IN which he was
fired by the spirit Of the poetry. and looked. acted
and sang the part or tragic hero shattered
against the rock OF mplsca5le fate. Miss Walker $
ir1persoratior Of Brangaue did not depart from
the rut OF conventonality in either song or action
but It was delightfully."- musical from beginning to
end.
The finest performance Of the afternoon was that
Of Mr.. Van Rooy as Kurwenal-rugged as an
ancient viking. yet tender as a loving woman his
musical speech now 3 vocal avalanche and anon
gentle as the murnurs Of mother Admirably
paired with him was the representative OF KING
Mark Herr KIoepfer. q newcomer. with ar orotund
and agreeable bass voice and a command Of
dramatic defamation like that OF Mr.. Van Rooy
and no one else among M Conred's German
singers. Mr.. Motif cor iucted the performance
and under his direction the orchestra sang the en-
tire tragedy IL manner that sounded It's emotion
al depths and SCARED 10 It's topmost heights Here
was the real happiness OF the afternoons much
could De forgiven the singers with such an or
Chestral performance 10 listen 70.
IN the evening the opera ''Rigoletto." with
an experimental Ci,Ia IN the person Of n singer
with the stage name or Noreli The young woman
was a member OF Nr. Savage's Opera Company for
a short time las, year and sang the part in Eng
Iish with that organization. She IS becomingy
SLIGHT q figure corncIy, and her voice, when not
undergoing strain. has 2 youthful freshness
which ADDS charm 10 Nerd's music Her singing
evinces training though not enough 70 conceal et-
fort as was evident IN caro- nome" which, never
tba,ess won her cordial round % applause. The
audience demanded repetition OF the preceding
duet. but demanded IN vain. The more expensive
seats in the house though reduced prices prevailed
vera sra~ingly occupied, but the gallery was fun
and the srace back Of the rail crowded. signor
Caruso sang. and to him and sigror Scott natur-
ally went the hOnOrs.