The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-27
ONE OPERA SEASON BEGUN.
"ROMEO EFT J%ULIETTE" AT THE
METROPOLITAN.


Home ROusseIIere, q French Tenor,
n Pieases rs Romeo Others AIso sang
Tho Audience Not at All Excited.
That air Of feverish expectancy which
used to surround opening nights at the
Metropolitan Opera House was not in evil
dence last evening, when Heinrich Con-
ried began the fourth year Of his admins
~tratiou. The opera was Gounod's Romeo
ct Juliette,' which had its last previous
hearing in February, 1905. On that occa-
sion the representatives OF the unfortunate
lovers were Albert Saleza and Emma
flames, while Mr.. Plsncon oficiated as the
Fridr and Mr.. Gourmet assumed the robes
of Cdpulet Pere.
Last nights audience was of the familiar
first night order. 1t embraced society,
the smart set in all its glory and the fringe
Of society in all it's reflected brilliance. The
boxes were occupied by p~ersonaGes OF
eminence in the domain OF social enter
tainment. many of whom were on exhlbitlon
in a smaller degree at last week s Horse
Show. Many more people OF social proml-
hence sat in orchestra stalls. where were
also persons of modest social position but
excellent taste in both garments and muslo
The absence of the old time futter may
have been due to half a dozen causes, but
ono OF them undoubtedly vas the uncer-
tainty as to the outcome OF the evenings
proceedings. When Nine. Melba and
Messrs. Jean and Edouard de Reszke
we're associated with Mr.. Plancon in the
performances Of Romeo ct Juliette'
there was always the excitement Of de-
lighted expectation. Indeed, it was the
union of these famous artists, with occa-
sional substitions of Nine. Eames for Mme.
Melba, that raised the Gounod opera to a
popularity which it never enjoyed before,
even in the days of Pa ii and Ravelli.
Last night the i-mpersonators of the lovers
were strangers. and the audience exhibited
that reserve which chaacrterizes operatic
assemblies debating the fatefui problem OF
the a~cceptability OF new singers. One OF
the newcomers was an American girl,
Geraldine Farrar, yet in the first half Of her
twenties. She made her debut al Juliette,
staggering under a burden Of reclaimed such
as few geniuses would have risked carrying.
For months before her coming steam
rose from the Atlantic over the bed OF the
superheated table, sizzling with stories OF
her marvellous successes in Berlin, Of a
Crown Princes infatuation for her, OF the
jealousies of other member of the com
pany, OF the eccentricities OF her costumes
md the daring originality Of her stage bust
ness. Finally she arrived and the columns
Of the local papers waxed fat with her
prattle to interviewers and counterfeit
presen .ments OF her with eyes looking up,
down, sidewise and even straight ahead.
She explained away her Marguerite couture
and diamond buckles, the jealousies and
the Crown Prince. Meanwhile all the new
world wondered whether a girl of "a, at
the beginning OF her career, with no artis-
tic past and with little experience, could
be such a lyric prodigy. Miss Farrar had
skepticism to defeat last night.
Charles Rousseliere, the Romeo of the
occasion, had less in his way. True, Mr..
Conried had said that he had found a
successor TO Jean de Reszke, but they
have been ound so often hat no one was
startled by the announcement. Mr.. Rous-
seiAre has sung at the Grand Opera Of Paris,
but so had Alvarez and Lucienne Brev val.
1t was all such an old, old story. The only
thing to do was to wait patiently to see
what would be and meanwhile to take
proper pride in being both a Monday night
and a first night audience.
The performance was generally good,
hut in no way astonishing TO those ac-
quainted with the history Of the house.
Miss Farar's JHtieue was naturally the
central figure, but it by no means threw
Mr.. Roussiliere's Romeo into the gloom.
The young American soprano Is going to
furnish plenty Of food for critical COM
ment. but as a record Of fact IL may be at
once noted that her personality gave her
last night a strong bid for general favor.
The audienoe told her it liked her after the
balcony scene.
With an assurance which never would
- 49, u~.-.fD-aAl hr m eunsnnI rasa-u.
this Juvenile prodigy OF easy Paris and
complacent Berlin faced the most critical
audience in the world with an air Of I'M
bounded confidence and a demeanor OF
authority. Miss Farrar looks a little like
Nine. Homer. She makes up exceilently,
and has eyes, great eyes. h is 1.-the
and sinuops. and she has such a gift for the
plastic pose. the facial picture. the scenic
attire, as would make the fortune OF a
woman even without a singing voice. She
has learned much about the routine OF act
ing. but not all Of IL. She has yet to learn
the o value OF the point OF repose.
But it was by her appearance and her act
ing that Miss Farrar achieved most last
night.
nHer voice is a fullbodied lyric soprano,
with tendencies toward the dramatic. Ir
is a beautiful and characteristic voice, but
and this is the real but-Miss Farrar has
yet thrown but a pebble into the vast sea of
vocal art which still lies unconquered be-
fore her. She has all kinds of registers,
she sings scales badly, she forces many OF
her tones, and nearly all her upper notes
are badly placed. The results are fire.
uuently hard, metallic and disagreeable
tones, and at other times infidelity to the
pitch.
These are the memoranda Of a first hear
ing. Miss Farrar may be better hereafter,
One thing ia certain, and 1t il that If she
will study the methods of the great artists
with whom she is now associated for the
first time she will 20 back to Berlin a less
confident, but a wiser singer.
Mr.. Rousseiliere proved to be a very ac-
ceptabIe tenor Of the characteristic French
school. He has all the routine OF the Grand
OpAra. His voice is the typical French
lyric tenor and his method and style could
belong to no other school. He sang most
of the music OF Romeo with warmth and
dramatic fervor. He wandered from the
pitch occasionally. and he had the usua'
vocal chill in the final phrases of the garden
scene, but we shall probably Like him in
the long run
With the exception of Nine. Neuendorf
the Nurse, and Mr.. Simard, the MercUtiO,
the other singers were old acquaintance
Nine. Jacoby, Messrs. P~lancon, Gourmet
and Bars. Simon Bouvy. the new French
conductor, was at the baton and directed