Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-18

The grand opera season at the
Auditorium Is now 'entering upon its
third week. and is so far advanced that
an intelligent and comprehensive Sur
vey Of its achievements is for the first
time possible.
In the early days of the Inaugural
tion Of so great project as a months
series of operatic performances by a
new company in a new theater, It was
nehher just nor feasible to pass judg-
ment. but to defer it until all was
working smoothly and well, and up
to the last few days this was not the
case. However, IT is now right to pre-
sumo that the singers have become not
only acclimated but somewhat accus-
toned to one another; that lost,
strayed or stolen properties, costumes
and effects have been recovered and
that M. Lambardis aggregation Is
ready to stand wholly and unapolo-
getically upon It's merits alone.
And, judging upon that basis entire
ly, Los Angeles must, both musically
and popularity, admit that 1t is good.
The Lambardi company is not by
dby ulSduS the DeSL I1OT Ine InOSL ub-
lightful that was ever presented here
that is only fair to say. Neither does
1t stand comparison, on a truly critical
plane, with other notable operate or
ganizations of the United States, past
or present. In some respects IL Is their
superior; I'm many II Is sadly lacking
1t were folly to claim vociferously. as
some do, that 1t is the Finest ever;
that It's soloists are the peer of the
nr11 Pc 80, "a.
investiture is above cavil. That is
sheer nonsense.
The simple fact is that the Lambardi
company, good as 1t is, yet is decidedly
lacking in many of the features that
go to make grand opera truly grand"
Some Of these features are excusable,
others are not; they are essential and
their omission is cause for serious
blame.
OF course, if one has only heard the
article of opera that Herr Conried has
inflicted upon Los Angeles In recent
years, the Lambardis shine brilliantly.
But the Conried offerings here are not
true basis of comparison. He has
sent out on a whirlwind tour a portion
Of his home company to do few spe-
cial operas and has not always sent the
best. 1t would hardly be just to ex-
the same music, costumes or scenic
effects in a stay of several weeks, as
at it's home theater
During it's lengthy visit in San Fran
cisco, now nearly two years ago, the
Conrieds more nearly approximated
their own standard of supreme ex
cellence to which they have arisen at
home in the Metropolitan opera house,
New York. And on the basis of the
COnrin6 n r1fI
where time, quarters and surroundings
were adequate, must the herr direk-
tors aggregation be considered, and
not upon the meager presumptions
given here in an old barn of an amphi-
theater utterly unfit for decent the
atricals, in an engagement of a night
or two only. Little was possible there.
Give Conried, with his superb organi-
zation, a four weeks season in the
most up to date and modern theater
in America, if not the most sumptious,
and see what a difference there
would be!
Approximately, the Lambardi forces
are now playing under conditions
parallel with those hedging about Con-
ried in the Metropolitan, New York.
True, Los Angeles prices are lower;
SO are the singers salaries; the orches-
ira is only one-half as strong as is
the New York band; the chorus
is only a fraction of the same size
Admitting all this, does the reduced
cost of ticket counterbalance the re-
duced style in which the operas are
produced?
1t hardly seems so.
On the other hand, take the other
one grand opera company that has bid
for American patronage in the last
decade in the east-the Savage organi- |
cation. Here was a troupe-and is, for
1t still exists--that played engagements
closely comparable with the Lambardi
series; often not so long. It's prices
were just one-half what the Auditor |
ium charges. Its principals were just !
as fine; often better. Lambardi has
no tenor at all in the class with Joseph |
Sheehan; no soprano better than Ade- |
laide Norwood or Yvonne de Treyille. |