The San Francisco call., 1905-04-11

orchestra basing clothing, rounding
out the rest. Mr.. Vigna took the num-
Der little more slowly than usual,
adding thereby a desirable dignity.
The house rose to it. of course, shout
ed. stamped, clapped its gloved and
ungloved palms into lively vermilion,
until the leader threw up his hands
and repeated it
Better than Sembrich has sung here
since her Violetta In that startling
Traviata" Of three years ago she sang
last night with everything that she has
and is. She sang Lucia TO Tetrazzinl
five feet away from her over the or
chestra- 1t was a challenge and a tri-
umph- One wished at times that Tet-
razzini would toss over a top note to
the diva Hers, alas. have undeniably
lost their dazzle and purity. And say
what you will about the top note fever,
the top note is needed or il would not
be there. One bankers after ii for cli-
max, for the high light, for the full
lyric satisfaction, and without II one
goes hungry.
AS to the rest-Sembrich's voice. it
is still the loveliest Of the day, peerless
in quality, liquid, velvet, bell-like.
There is no art like Sembrich's. It was
at its most precious in the mad scene,
with all the twinkling turns and trills
fitted subtly into the dramatic situa-
tion- Most appealing was Sembrich
here on the dramatic side, charming in
her madness as in Ophelia- OF course
this was where the house came down,
but the aria was not repeated.
Then Caruso. One had been told to
wait for Caruso's Edgardo. Anything
Caruso does is handsomely worth wait
ing for, Of course, but to mention his
Edgardo in the same day with his
Canio is not essential. I'm sure he
thinks SO himself, for he was not par
ticularly happy IN the part. It is so
difficult to humorize Edgardo. Only in
the marriage scene did the singer at
tempt IL. It is much better fun, too,
seeing Caruso kill other folk. He kills
himself as though he had convictions
on the suicide question, and quite with
out enjoyment.
Sing7 OF course, though Caruso sang
last night not so well as either In
"Rigoletto" or "Pagliacci." They gave
the last act-as we always do here
for the purpose OF allowing US to hear
the tenor flights in the scene. In New
York, without Caruso. they cut the act.
But II was one of the priceless mo-
ments OF the opera last night. One
simply sat back and gloated. 1t is
the apex Of song, sovereign, triumph
ant. Oh, but, too, the exquisite con-
certed bits between the soprano and
tenor The art Of ensemble can go no
further. The blend of the voices and
souls was absolute in it's perfection.
Mr.. Parvis. who made so brave a
showing as Mr.. Scotti's substitute as
Rigoletto. showed again notable intel
ligence and -ocal accomplishment as
Henry Ashton. Then Mr.. Journet was
the Raimondo. and distinctive one.
One has heard the "Infelice" more
sympathetically sung, but otherwise
Mr.. Journet proved himself a most
useful member Of the cast. Mr.. Reiss,
with one plaid stocking up and the
other plaid stocking down. sang just
as II he hadn't An accomplished little
tenor this, and with the same con-
science and aplomb in small roles as
the ever-useful Cortesi, with a fine
voice and technique to boot. Mr.. Giac-
cones Arturo furnished an excellent
excuse for Lucia's madness He looked
like a chocolate cream man and sang
that way
The chorus and orchestra were de-
lightful throughout, contributing to
performance that In it's entirety will