The San Francisco call., 1906-12-27
sUFFEREp BIZ CoMPARIsoN


That is why the Signorina Tromben did
not make as much of q hit last night
as she would have made in any other
opera suited for her vocal equipment
Her performance from beginning to
end was weighed against that Of Te-
trazzini and it suffered by the weighing.
For her voice lacks both the strength
and the sustained velvety smoothness
that made her predecessors singing
such an unforgettabIe thing, and she
also is deficient in that equally import
ant essential to audience winning-the
ineffable charm Of personality-with
which Tetrazzini was so abundantly
laden
Fair and physically fragile is this
Tromben. Her voice is clear. Impid
and evenly balanced and her phrasing
is delightful But her runs and trills
do not possess the volume-the carry
ing ouality-that brought "bravas" to
Tetrazzini from the farthest corners Of
the Tivolfs topmost tier, nor is her voice
as birdy in the higher register In the
ensembles it was pitilessly submerged,
and even in the duos- ii was nigh
smothered although the masculine
party of the other part, whether he
were tenor or barytone, considerably
exercised tone-repression in her be-
half It was almost inaudible in the
full volume of the sextet, which. by the
that compelled an encore.
Why did not the Signor Lambardi
cast custom to the winds and either
introduce the Signorina Tromben in
some other opera last night or reserve
her Iucia-if it had to be produced
until later in the season? I have heard,
and can readily believe after hearing
her sing. that she is excellent as No
rina in Don Pasouale" and Elvira in
..Puritana-" May we be privileged to
hear her in both of them or something
else that will not bring her into COM
parison with an established idol
TENOR WINS APPLAUSE
salvaneschi was the tenor and acquit-
ted himself creditably enough. His
voice is Of even range and would nave
been more sympathetic in tone, per-
haps if the bleaty quality Of the music
allotted him had permitted Like most
tenors of his school he is given to
finale shouting when mezzo notes are
demanded by the score-but shouting
wins handclaps where adherence to the
composers intention might fail to
bring them.
Pacfni, the barytone, was good look
inc and sang his lines with a gusto
that was not always Judicious- But he
IS an artist who will do much to
make the season a success, for his
voice has depth and power and sensu-
rpon from g feminine viewpoint
Signor Canetu exploited a basso that
IS almost equal in every detail Of
charm 10 the big voice of Lambardi,
which contributed so heavily 10 the
success Of Aida The company seems
10 be well supplied with vocal robust
ness.
The staging was again more than
nm to the requirements-and that
night have had something TO do with
the early production OF Lucia" Thus
FAR the pictorial side of the Lambardi
offerfngs has been adequate, which is
aH the more refreshing in view of the
feet that we were warned TO look for
cheap settings and costumery-
SINGS WITH GUsTO.
In the matter Of the chorus, too, we
are AFFORDED agreeable surprise The
least lovely of the feminine contingent
IS artfully backgrounded-unli the
1nouisitive children who are told that
they should be seen but not heard
and the men are not such bad look