The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-15

fNN"O - VIZ
some DlrncuIty Antonio yucca and
the Guest OF Honor Tell what a Great
n Glorious G Ountry Uncle sam Has.
As the Italian conductor Ruggiero Leon
cavallo sails for Europe to-day on the
kronprinz wilhelm, and will therefore be
unable to conduct that spec ial perform
ance Of Il Pagliacci, = which Oscar Hammer
stein was going to arrange for him, a group
OF his compatriots got together and ar
ranged a farewell blowout for him.. IL o
place last night in the vault of the Hotel
Aston.
The composer himself occupied the seat
of honor at the right hand OF ex-Coroner
yucca, with the Conte Aldrovandi on his
own right hand. Bet WI the fish and the
roast duck he told a Sun reporter that he
ntended to return to this country. probably
next year. He would bring with him his
own orchestra and also a complete COM
pany Of singers who would perform two OF
his operas, not merely sing selections from
them, az was the case this year. He de-
clared that he had been delighted with his
reception here and was most grateful to
the great American people. Boise City,
Idaho, he said, had been especially en-
thusiastic.
The most distinguished Of the 100 guests
present was Enrico Csruso. He sat on Mr..
ZucCa's immediate left and was speedily
swamped by the applications Of Italian
autograph fends who wanted him TO sign
their menu cards. He graciously granted
all these requests, but baked when a re-
quest came up from the floor that he should
make a speech.
IL nave TO sing tomorrow night " he said
in that excellent English which he does not
speak, and public speaking is very bad for
a singers voice
There was a band present. II was a
scratch band, it was deliberately stated.
Efforts had been made 10 get va nous orRani-
cations of musicians to play, but most of
them baked when they heard that they
had to play before the great composer.
They we're all fearful than they would not
be able to do themselves justice.
The committee of arrangements made a
special effort to get the Avitable band TO
grace the occasion with sweet haTmonles.
Avitable, it appears, ia the presiding genius
of a group Of Italian musicians who mlti-
gate the table d'hote at a Broadway res
taurant. But Avitable baked like the
others, though for a different reason.
II seems that some years ago when the
editor of A Milanese newspaper offered a
prize for the best musical composition, the
decision lay between LeOnoavallo and
Avitable. The Judges debated long in the
NhNOIN W ~ - Ia'a 80
able is reported to be Of the opinion that
they finally put his name and Le~oncavallo's
in a hat and directed the soEgiest Of their
number to extract one of the names from
the lid. At all events, the prize was awarded
to Leoncavallo.
Wherefore Avitable was Of the opinion
that for him to lead a band at a dinner in
honor of Leoncavallo would too closely
resemble the ancient and pleasing Roman
custom when the conqueror dragged the
conquered in triumph at his chariot wheels.
But the band that was at length acquired
had no such scruples and it played things
from ~Pagliacci" and "Zaza" to wild APP
plause throughout the progress Of the
dinner. Also there we're fiagOns of that
old Antimori, chant. bianco and rosso,
preserved for Just such an occasion as this,
not 70 mention many bottles OF that wine
which no Anglo-Saxon can translate with
out being in a measure shocked, namely,
"laCrima Christi"
There was speechmaking, but only a
little. Antonio yucca was POSTMASTER.
He told what a great man was Leoncavallo
and then introduced the subject OF his
eulogy. The conductor talked about his
tour in this country and how glad no was
to get to know America. Then Angelo
Legniti made a little talk and 1t was all over
but the shouting. Which means that it
wasn't all over by any means.
Late in the evening there was an infuH
of opera singers, including Signor BonCi.
Vigna, the Metropolitan Opera House
conductor, was there TO honor his fellow
artist, as were Signora Ferrabini and
Signor Bellatti Of Leoncavallo's company.
Signor Maccfn, his secretary; Antonio NJ.
Caridi, the Chevalier F~rancolini, the Cheva-
lier Stefani, Cardillo, the singing master
from Caruso's old Italian conservatory:
Stracciari, the Metropolitan oompany's new
baritone; p. Simonelli, V~Lfora, the car
tOonist, and many others.