Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-27
COVER SINGER
WITH FLOWERS
GERALDINE FARRAR MAKES
OPERA HIT
Opening Of Season at New York Is
Marked by Twelve Recalls for
American PrIma Donna
as juliet
BY Associated Press

BY Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Nov. 2e.-with Gou-
mods Romeo and Juliet" as the pre-
mler and introducing three singers new
to the lyric stage of America, the grand
opera season was opened tonight at
the Metropolitan.
The audience was, if possible, larger
and the subscription sections of the
house even more brilliant than ever
before.
Decidedly the feature of the opening
night was the first appearance in grand
opera in this country of Miss Geraldine
Farrar, the young American soprano
and prima donna of the Royal Opera
house Of Berlin. Miss Farrar was the
Juliet, a role in which she had won
her laurels in Berlin and elsewhere in
Europe.
Some eight years ago Miss Farrar, a
girl of Is, sang on trial one afternoon
in New York as a novice among as
piring vocalists. Since then she has de-
veloped into the most popular of Amer
ican prima donnas In Europe and
generous Endorsement of that verdict
was voiced in an American audience
tonight.
Charles Rousselierie, for several years
one of the leading tenors of the Paris
opera, was the Romeo, in which part
he has been received with much favor
by the critics in his own country.
Charles Simard, a baritone, also a
Frenchman, took the part of Mercutio.
Both are new to the lyric stage in New
York and both to a more or less extent
shared in the triumph Of Miss Farrar.
Those who reappeared in the cast to-
pight were Plancon as Friar Laurenz,
Journet as Capulet, Muehlmann as the
Due de Verone, Miss Josephine Jacoby
as Stephano the page, and Jacques Bars
as Tybalt. Miss Neundorff as Gertrude
and Boque as Gregorio completed the
cast. Samuel Bovy, French conduc-
tor, held the baton for the first time in
this country.
Blazed with Color
Never perhaps before in the history
of the house has Gounod's tuneful mas
terpiece been sung under auspices more
grateful to the audience and to artists.
New York was there in her full glory
and before the end of the beautiful
balcony scene the old house blazed with
color from orchestra to the topmost
gallery.
But there is one feature essentially
new. Before the first act was over
Miss Farrar had won her play which
brought her back again and again at
the fall of the curtain. 1t was not until
the end Of the balcony scene, however,
returned to her own people was fully
felt.
With every seat filled the audience
waited without a handicap, deeply in
| tent upon solo and duet until the
curtain dropped. Then, indeed. the
young artist had cause to feel that 1t
| was into warm American hearts she
had successfully sung her way.
Recalled Dozen Times
She was recalled fully a dozen times,
and at each recall pages carried upon
the stage great floral pieces and clus-
| ters of American beauty roses. They
came until the prima donna and Mr..
Rousselliere, her Romeo, stood before
| high bank of roses, and still the audi
ence called.
1t was graceful welcome and most
gracefully received.
1t was midnight when the scene of
Romeo and Juliet brought the evenings
play to a close. 1t was perhaps the best
piece of artistic work of the evening
and brought out the wonderful tenn
peramental acting of the prima donna.
| The audience remained almost intact
and after the curtain fell Miss Farrar
and Mr. Rousselliere were given an ova-
ton. Some of the boxes in the parterre
were particularly gracious.
Among the society people of New
York occupying the boxes were ]. Pier
pont Morgan, who held the center of
the parterre, and Mrs. Charles Hitch
cock, Mrs. Charles Steele, Mrs e. r.
Thomas, Mrs. Ogden Goelet, August
Belmont, Mrs. Henry Clews, Levi p.
Morton and Mrs Harry Payne Whit
/ ney.