New-York tribune., 1907-11-05
MUSIC.
THE FIRST NIGHT OF OPERA.

Let the curious inquire why Mr. Hammersteln
MT upon La Gioconda" for the opening night of
.,is second season at the Manhattan Opera House;
tne matter-of-fact observer will probably answer
IIlein that the manager foresaw some such result
as waited on his enterprise last night There were
reasons why the choice Of the opera seemed a bit
S1ahse' also reasons which made II quite
natural as such matters go nowadays. In the
IlsI category were the questionings occasioned by
lhe fact that never has Ia Gioconda" been a
really popular opera in New York II was not
When II was one OF the brilliant features of the
Hrst season at the Metropolitan Opera House,
t"ehty-1our years ago; nor when IT was revived at
'he same establishment twenty-one years after:
at any time between when an appeal something
ike that of last night, though infinitely less sue
cessrul was made to the popular heart two three
times by the singers Of the vernacular under Mr..
savage; nor when, two years ago. It chosen
10 throw its glitter the opening the season
ar the Metropolitan Yet last night it served Its
purpose admirably, and he would not be a bad
prophet who should predict that Ponchellfs mas
terpece, with all its tnsel all it's empty Noise all
Its sStrevagant (and therefore inartistc) parade,
and all its merely pretty tunes and dances.
will be OF the hits OF Mr.. Hammersteins
season, great Aida was last year And for the
same reason. It Is the reversion to the oldtims
ideals OF Italian opera, combined with the charac-
ter Of the Manhattan audiences. which put hot.
pulsng blood into the opera nights at the Manhat-
tan Because the hearts of the performers and the
hearts of the audience equally enlisted in the
representation, old conventions come back into
their rights critical mood is put aside all thought
or dramatic propriety is forgotten-forty people
sing the fall OF the dice on the stones of Venice:
the moon appears all at once in the midheavens
and pitches its obliquely out at the left WINGS
more sailors crowd the deck OF amazing ship
than could move about on 1t in calm; half
hundred fisherfolk lie around amid impossible rocks
on the shore of island In the lagoons OF Venice
in speckless costumes and mend lnfinitesima frag-
nents OF nets then sing barcarolle to kinder
garten caiisthenics-and yet all is well because
singers sing and insrumentalists play if inspired
to great deeds, and get hold of the heartstrings
OF great, mpressionable convocaton Of people
who had gathered themselves together to enjoy the
music, do enjoy it, and are moro than willing to
let the fact be known
All this happened at Mr. Hammerstein's opening
last night. Nine Nordca was joyousy welcomed
because she there and because the music of
La Goconda" is of the kind in which she is at
her best. Signor ZenatelIo was hailed as II all
memories Of Caruso and Bonci had fled; Signor
Ancona swayed his hearers like the hero OF a
Bowery melodrama; new contralto. Nine. Gervile-
Reache, who provided much real and refined delight
was made to feel that her place in the hearts OF
the Manhattan's patrons secure beyond per-
adventure; Mime. de Cisneros won the thanks OF
thousands Of ruddied palms. and emphatic 'Wen
done!' was spoken to the basso. Signor Didur
But this was not all; for over and again.
outbursts OF applause following cnaxes OF song
were summarily suppressed by even more energetic
oItbursts Of Kisses that instrumental postludes
might be enjoyed and tribute paid 10 the conduo-
tor. Cleofonte Campanini, and his band
Under the circumstances many details Of last
nights representation may be left TO the magma
ton of the reader read elsewhere Critical
Judgment of Signor Zenatello the tenor. In the
highest degree favorable He has a voice Of great
beauty. OF singuarly moving vibrancy. Of splendid
power, and style the finish OF which Will win for
him admirers among the friends OF Bonci as well
the friends OF Caruso. In fact. there is
likelihood TO be real rivalry the tenor question
between the factions OF the two houses this year
than there last. The rude virility OF Bass
which conquered many OF the less discriminating
devotees of mere. sheer. voice last season. IS
offset in this with finer art and without loss
OF that elemental quality which always wins its
way. Stature and dramatic pose are not i'm
pressive. but his great earnestness and splendid
defamation are wonderfully moving. Il E K.