The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-12
AIDA" AT THE MANHATTAN
. PERFORMANCE or THE VIG-
OROUS KIND.

Mime. NOrdlca and MIR. 8enntell0 a. the TIM
happy LOVePs-IREme. do CisneFos Sno
ceuNTul 40 the EgypalAn Princess-Nar.
CAmpAmAHH CsnductR and shows .
Complete Mastery SG the Score.
Aida" was brought forward at the Man.
haitian Opera House last night 10 begin the
second week Of tho season. The opera
was one OF the popular works Of the first
season at the new Operatic institution,
although il was then presented with q less
pretentious cast than that OF last evening.
1t was a ~forsgone conclusion that with suoh
aingera as Mime. Noridca and Mr.. Zenatello
in the company IL would play a copspicu-
GUS part in the current series OF perform
ances. The temper Of last nights audi
ence was such as to make numerous repe-
titions seem certain,
Ineffective performances Of Aida" so
far as the general public in concerned, are
not frequent. Given fOur singers with
sOnorous voices. a competent orchestra,
an industrious brass band, a hard working
chorus. a sportive ballet. an energetic cOn-
ductOr and a we'll stocked property room.
and results pleasing to the audience are
sure. The few passages in which h
refnements OF high vocal art are demanded
will easily pass with gentle criticism II the
crashing ensembles. the pealing climaxes
in the solo parts and the spectacular fea-
lures are we'll presented,
Let tt he recorded that all the refinements
were mot missing from last nights per-
Torrance. though Some Of them were.
The general key was high and the move
ment brisk. IL was q nervous. energetic
version of "a work. which not unreadily
lends itself to that manner Of Interpretation.
Doubtless the character Of the performance
was largely decided by the needs OF MIR.
ZenatellO's style and Mime. Nordica's vocal
condition.
The prima donna was not in good voice.
she was spIendidly effective in the en-
ssmbles. hut in passages calling for delicate
~uuancing her tones lacked the essential
fiexibility. Otherwise her Aitd had it's
familiar traits of dramatic excellence.
MIR. Zenatello at his first appearance rouse
the suspicion that in music calling for
tenderness and grace Of style he wOuld be
found wanting and this suspicion went
far toward becoming a certainty last night.
He disclosed no command of mezza vOce
and his delivery Of Celeste Aida was
hard and palatal in tone and quite devoid
vi NONOl WI NAO ObAADA AAAANp AA u.s. @HoN8O
Gavoring his robust emission Of ton he was
admirable and the great natural beauty Of
his voice carried him over some question
spots
Nine. Ge CisneTCs was an unconmOnly
good Amneris. She gave the varied ex-
preston Of the music of the second act
with much vocal color and with strong
dramatic accent. Her acting was excellent
in pose, gesture and facial expression.
She was always in the picture n always
doing something with meaning. Mr..
Anconai's Am0Hasro was what IL has been
before. vocally good and generally con-
vcntional. Mr.. ATimOndi reappearcd sing
ing RGnlfs. and the Egyptian monarch.
whose throne audibly shook On its fOUnds-
tions. was Mr.. MuRnOz.
Mr.. Campanni conducted and again
demonstrated his complete command Of
the content Of the score The CsgeaDtry
was not Of the description that is beggared,
neither was IL of a kind To pale the glories
cf Solomon's court H. was good. every
day opera spectacle. The Ballet was sin
gularIy ineffective. However, a. already
indicated, the performance was vigorous,
and that counts for much with an audience.