Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-06
SUPERB CAST
SINGS DIVINELY
CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA GIVE
ADEQUATE SUPPORT
Here-ereatness Of First Night
Augurs Well for Balance
of Engagement

Despite all the handicaps of bad
weather which greeted the company
on its arrival, a much delayed train
and equipment and a building which
by no stretch of Imagination could be
called even adequate or accessible, the
San Carlo opera season opened in the
Angelus rink last night with such mag
nifcent music, so much eclat and prom
ise that one is quite justified in pre-
dieting that the two weeks of the COM
pany's stay here will be an artistic sue
cess of the first magnitude, barring any
doubts one may entertain of its finan-
cial possibilities.
In other times to come, and under
better management, II is to be hoped
that Los Angeles will hear this superb
company in the temple of art erected
Just for such events; perhaps some day
managers will cease from chickering's
and petty quarrels and will work to-
gether for the two ends for which such
organizations are formed-musical per-
fection and monetary gain. AS it. is
now, only in a measure and potentially
is the former possible, and the latter is
more than dubious-which of course
concerns only the managers aforesaid,
unless 1t initiate against a return of
the songbirds
But it is impossible when one re-
views the wonderful perfection of the
troupe itself, not keenly to regret that
more auspicious surroundings were not
made for its debut here.
Singers Are the Best
However, all mourning aside, and
taking the season as it is presented,
with all its i'll advised accompani-
ments, 1t presages well for a remark
ably fine series of operate perform
ances, judging by this initial event of
last night. Though hampered by bad
acoustics, 1T proved that the company
contains singers of the highest merit,
musicians of skill, great ensemble and
settings of average beauty. The opera
as given was derated by few things in
herent in the organization itself, and
the pleasure of the hearers was great
mentally considered, even if their ply
sical discomfort was likewise notice.
able.
Still. grand opera is so seldom an
event here that one should be willing
to put UP with the inaccessibility of
the rink and its complete unftness for
musical affairs to hear SO fine a COM
pany and so pleasing a performance
SO far as could be done, the rink was
made presentable; it is anything but
suitable for its present purpose. The
car service was vile, but the manage
ment of the house under Len Behy-
mer's control all that could be asked.
All Praise to Organization
AS to the organization, all praise
is due it. Considerable of a under
taking in itself to fetch so large an
organization so far, it has been accom-
plisEed with a minimum of wear and
tear on the singers and a considerable
quantity of accessories. While it is
hardly fair to cavil at the obvious
lacks which the limitations of the rink
make necessary, 1t yet is plain that
Los Angeles is afforded the chance to
hear some excellent presentations of
standard grand opera, sung in splen-
did fashion by artists of highest merit
and with an ensemble seldom achieved
by even the most noted companies en-
tour.
And as that is after all the desidera-
tum, let Los Angeles go and enjoy it.
self, comforting it's wounded feelings
If it have any-with the hope that
next time an attack of common sense
will overcome all concerned and a
policy of ''get together" will make i'm
possible the combination of events
which put singing corps of this high
grade into the city under so unfor-
tunate a set of surroundings.