The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-29
HEARTY GREETING TO CARUSO.
FEW Kisses MARRIED HIS AP-
PEARANCE IN IA BOHEME."
The Tenor Had q Good Cry After the First
Act and Felt Better for It-Occupants
Sf Boxes More Enthusiastic Inan
Usual Fellow Artists IndOrse Him.

AtuSA NtAVW hhhNs
Enrico Caruso's appeal to the opera
going public Of New York was decided
unanimously in his favor last night at tho
Metropolitan Opera House. He was greeted
by an enormous audience.
His compatriots thronged the lobby be-
fore 7 o'clock and swarmed a block down
and up Broadway. Many OF them wers
unable to obtain admission, for the MANAGE
ment strictly enforced the rule which limits
the standees to 500 on the ground floor.
There were 300 more Of the tenor's COM
patriots in the rear Of the gallery. and they
were his friends to a man. There was ths
same harmony on the part OF tho women.
who were unoommonly numerous among
the standees and rested on the steps leading
into the auditorium during the intermission.
while their escorts gathered in groups and
discussed excitedly the triumph Of theirs
compatriot.
There was every kind OF rumor to arouse
the interest Of the audience. A rival i'm
presario was to send his Italian chorus to
indicate their displeasure at any signs Of
cordiality on the part OF the public. An
Italian singing society with one hundred
members was coming to the opera to hiss
down the friends Of the singer. Two hum
dred Pinkerton men were to be present and
arrest any spectator who made the least
disturbance contrary to the manifest SYM
pathies Of the audience.
All these rumors sent the vast audiences
to the theatre on time and in a mood Of
tense curiosity. The beginning Of the
opera was delayed a quarter OF an hour
and it was SIT when Signor Vigna took
his place in the directors chair. The par
terre boxes, which are usually empty until
Q O'Clock, we're nearly half filed when the
overture began. There were less than
twenty vacant seats in the parquet and
every seat in the upper part OF the house
was occupied.
The short prelude ended and the curtain
parted showing Signor Caruso, as usual,
standing at the back OF the stage. He
was obviously nervous and his shoulders
moved up and down az the roar OF APP
plause began. It, spread throughout the
house. Most Of the noise was as usual
made In the upper parts OF the theatre
and downstairs at the rear OF the parquet.
From the aerial heights Of no galleries
there foated down a few stentorian cries
Of -Bravo!" The occupants Of the parterre
and the subscribers boxes sat in silent
reserve.
The clamor continued until Signor Vigns
tapped on his desk and the music ceased.
Before turning TO face the audience Signor
Car,Iso wiped his eyes with his hands. Az
he reached the front OF the stage he bowed.
" a--In,.-A ,AuoAl q. --..u ~,-- I.I.-
and the tenor bowed three times. Then
he vent back to the rear OF the stage. Sig
nor Vigna lifted his baton and the prelude
began again.
Signor Caruso's voice was trembling
when he began to sing. He had recovered
his nerve, however, when he reached his
aria in the scene with Mime. Sembrich,
which is described as the "racoonto.' He
tells OF his experiences as a poor poet Will,
she sits on a chair listening.
1t was when he finished the first half ~
the song that the only Kisses OF the evening
were heard. Some Of his friends tried to
interrupt with applause and the rest Of tbs
audience Kissed them into silence. as they
are often compelled to do on other occa-
sions.
When he finished the aria the applaus,
AlAhh ANNhA IN WIN kANoNNA NAhoA
that he heard when the curtain rose. Now
the occupants of the boxes az well as the
parquet let loose their applause without
reserve. Women in the parterre boxes
their approval with a freedom they
rarely exhibit, handkerchiefs waved in tbs
orchestra and the stsndees gave express
sion to such outbursts as Viva Caruso!'
and viva %Italia!" The tenor acknowl-
edged the applause with a bow and finished
the duet with Nine. Sembrich.
The audience recalled Signor Caruso and
Nine. Senbrich four times. Then tho
prima donna began to rebel and the tenor
dragged her out with a force which mad
the audience vince sympathetically az hs
tugged at her wrists. Three times more
he forced her to appear with him. Then
he came out alone and there was more
racket. Once more he cam before the
curtain alone to satisfy the desire Of the
audience to do him honor.
As he stepped back from the open cur
tain Signor CaruOo was seen TO stagger.
He fell into the arms of Frank Rigo, the
stage manager, and burst into tears. With
Rigo and Signor Paroli the tenor staggered
into his dressing
Il had to lave that relief he said in
French. Il had to cry
Herr Conried came to his dressing room.
tenor fell on his shoulder.
-Itold you so was all that the impresario,
who still walked with a cane, had to cay.
Il want to express my great thanks to
Nine. Sembrich, Signor Caruso said to the
group in the dressing room, rfor her fne
spirit Of cdmdrGderie in sharing this ordeal
me. She showed great courage her
self and she ave me great courage"
Nine. Sembrich's husband then came
to the singers dressing room to inquire
after the tenor's condition. There was a
greater evidence of the loyalty Of his com.
rades in store for the singer. Mr.. Conried
presented a round robin which he had re-
quested the artists to sign. 1t read as fol-
We. the undersigned members Of the
Conried Metropolitan Opera Company. have
with amazement and indignation
the news of your condemnation for an alleged
misdemeanor.
Feeling confident Of your absolute inno-
cence OF the offence imputed to you, we wish
TO assure you OF our mistaken devotion and
esteem.