The Washington herald., 1906-11-29
BEFORE CURTAIN SEVEN TIMES
Metropolitan Opera House Jammed
with AppIauding Admirers of
Tenor When He Makes His First
Appearance alter Police Court
TriaI-Mrs. Graham Is Found.

arrest, and If his popularity as a singer
has been impaired by the occurrence Of
the last two weeks. 1t wasa't apparent
tonight
There were a few Kisses when he first
appeared on the stage, but they were COM
plctely drowned out in the storm of ap-
plause. Long before the curtain went up.
and until the close Of the first act. New
York's society folk who occupied the
stockholders boxes, joined heartily in the
handclapping.
All through the course Of the opera the
big audience showed plainly enough that
it was pleased with Caruso's singing,
whatever its attitude might be toward
him personally. At the raising Of the
curtain the tenor broke down and wept
while the big auditorium rang with
''vivas" from the lips of his countrymen
and the applause of many Americans.
1t was typical opening week audience
that crowded the opera house, except that
In the galleries there were more Italians
than ordinarily. For several days Caru-
SOS friends and others who sympathized
with him had been swapping up the seats
in the gallery and they went TO The opera
bent upon giving him a royal welcome
and opposing any effort that might be
made 20 humiliate him professionally
While they contributed their full share
10 the general greeting, the favor shown
by the American element in the house
was unmistabable
Guarded by Emergency Police.
The crowd began to arrive at the opera
house as early as O'Clock. At 7.31
O'Clock, almost an hour before il was
time for the opera to begin. two lines had
been formed from the box Office, which
ran through Thirty-ninth and Fortieth
streets. almost 10 Seventh avenue. An
extra force Of policemen had been Ge-
tailed on the outside Of the building, and
seven plain clothes men had been sta
toned inside 90 interfere in the event Of
any interruption.
Herr Conried, manager of the MetropOli-
tan Opera House. had made arrange
ments 10 have Pinkerton men stationed
in the building, instead Of Central Office
detectives.
The manager had done this because
under the present circumstance. he isn't
inclined to ask favors from the depart
mcnt Commissioner Bingham. however,
insisted upon Mr.. Conried availing him
self Of the facilities Of the police depart
mcut
Only - ISLANDERS were admitted. and
when the doors were closed there We're
fully l,10 persons ia the lines. Almost
every box in the parterre was occupied
by $50 O'Clock This was unusual. Ordi-
narily the stockholders enter their boxes
about half an hour after the opera begins.
BY o'clock there was not box vacant.
or seat left in the house. Nobody men
toned the Caruso incident bat 10 was
apparent enough from the air Of expec-
fancy that pervaded the place that every
body was thinking about it.
There was intense silence as the or
chestra struck up the opening notes Of
the opera. A second later the heavy
satin curtains were pulled back and dis
closed SchOtu as Marcell0 and Caruso as
Rod0lfo. Ihc scene was d garret in Paris.
the living place of Rodolfo. the poet.
Marcello. the painter and one or two
other artists. CaTusO was standing with
his back TO the audience, looking out
Of the garnet window. He Wore a tight
fitting coat. and every movement Of his
body was visible.
Hailed When Curtain Arises.
The silence after the curtain had gone
up seemed to grow for a few seconds in
intensity. Caruso was plainly nervous.
He moved up and down on his toes and
twiched. But the curiosity Of the audi
ence was quickly satisfied. and then the
storm Of applause began. ''Vive Carusor'
Vive ItaHa," shouted the throng in the
galleries. and the people in the orchestra
cIapped their hands
TOrk's society people in the boxes did
not join IN the demonstration. The ap-
plause was plainly a personal tribute 10
the man. and reflected sentiment in re-
gard to his Police Court ,se. The peo-
pie in the boxes had nothing to Go with
that They waited until Il was time to
applaud the mans art
The orchestra had played about five
bars of the opera and the house was still
in an uproar when Caruso turned slowly
around and walked to the center of the
stage. The director Of the orchestra told
the musicians 10 stop. The tenor bowed
low, and the demonstration was taken
up again with renewed energy.
A huge bouquet Of roses came tumbling
down from one of the galleries. but Ca
ruso left it where it had fallen and walk
ed quickly back to the window. The or
chestra began the opera anew. but the
tenor was weeping. He pulled out a
white handkerchief and. with his face
still turned from the audience. wiped the
tears from his eyes.
In Excellent Voice
Many who had refrained from Joining
I'm the applause at first were moved by
his tears and gave him hand. Scottias
ing lines of the opera, and when. finally
Caruso faced the audience. the noise had
ceased. The tenors throat was choked
when he began to sing, but 1t soon
cleared, and during the rest of the per-
f0rmance he was in excellent voice.
The few Kisses at the appearance Of
Caruso came from the crowd of ISLANDERS
in the vestibule, but it Is doubtful whether
the tenor heard any of them.
Nine. Sembrich appeared as Mimi. and
it was apparent that she was doing
everything possible to make it easy for
the tenor CarusO, at the conclusion Of
his solo in the first act. got another rous-
ing reception. and at the end of the act
the entire house broke out in the demon
stratiOn which resulted I'm his appearance
before the curtain seven times. Five
times he led Mime. Sembrich with him
before the applauding throng. After the
second time she hung back and urged him
10 go alone, but he insisted. and almost
pulled her out.
When CarusO retired behind the curtain
after his seventh call he broke down
again, and fell into the arms Of the stage
manager. The applause continued, but
he refused to come out again.
At the conclusion of the last act Caruso
was called before the curtain twice The
applause was hearty, but by no means
boisterous. The audience then filed out
of the theater in much the same manner