Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-17
OPERAS FINALE
IS WONDERFUL
TREMENDOUS SCENES AT END
OF SAN CARLO SEASON
Nordica Arouses Audience to Frenzy
Nielsen and Constantine Voelfer-
ousIy AppIauded - Russell
Praises Los Angeles

Never has Los Angeles witnessed
such scenes as marked the close of the
opera season by the San Carlo com
pany in the Auditorium last night. An
audience that filed every nook and
corner literally stood up and yelled
itself wild, while handkerchiefs filled
the air. Shouting thousands grew
hoarse acclaiming their favorites and
time after time the performance was
stopped that the plaudits might ring
through the great building in ever in
creasing waves of sound. The orchestra
could not be heard above the handclap-
ping, and the singers were but dumb
show. Nordica was so tremendously
greeted that her ovation alone lasted
twenty minutes, and Nielsen and Con-
stantino only received less because they
closed the very long bill. 1t was a
night to be remembered as marking
an epoch in enthusiasm in even en-
thusiastic Los Angeles.
This is the greatest city for OPERA
the greatest musical center I ever saw
And 1 have been in every notable one
in the world
So said Impresario Henry Russell of
the company yesterday as he watched
the throngs pour into the Auditorium
for the final performance of his mag
niflcent organization. And he had good
cause for saying 1t.
ut is marvellous" he added. "You
say you have 250O0O population; yet
we give two weeks Of opera, and more
than half the time we are sold out
Doubtless we would have been every
night had we played in this magnificent
theater all the time. 1t is wonderful"
Mr.. Russell was right; this is a Won
derful opera town. Comparison with
some other cities proves it.
The San Carlo played one week in
st. Louis, a city twice this size. 1t
played one week in Chicago, the second
largest city in the United States and
boasted operate town. 1t played
three performances in Kansas City, to
small business, in that city's convention
hall. In none was the income what it
has been here for proportional time.
Not one reported single performance
sold out. Yet Chicago and Kansas
City both had larger buildings, which
were reduced in size so that the people
there would not feel uncomfortably lost
The Chicago and ST. Louis seasons
combined only equaled in length that
of Los Angeles, And not as many per-
sons in either city saw the perform
ances, by one-half, as witnessed them
here.
No wonder, then, that Mr.. Russell is
enthusiastic.
Promises to Return
Twill we come back next year?" he
further said. will we? We certainly
will. We will come back and sing in
this very house; that is assured. My
only regret is that we can't come back
right away; that we have to leave at
| all. 1 believe two weeks more would
be none too much for Los Angeles"
The company goes today to Oakland
and sings three nights. 1t then goes
to San Francisco and sings three
nights. Both the upstate cities togeth-
er get half the Los Angeles season.
| The finale of the company here was
| fittingly brilliant. LA Gioconda," the
opening bill, was given at yesterdays
matinee, and every seat in the house
was sold and hundreds were turned
away. A brilliant performance in
every respect aroused tumults of ap-
plause After the tremendous third
act, with it's dainty ballet, the curtain
calls were so numerous that not only
did the stars have to, respond, but
Maestro Cont, Mr.. Russell and even
the stage manager, were called forth.
The enthusiasm was remarkable, Spon-
taneous and thrilling.
AT night the farewell was composed
of acts from "Traviata," Carmen"
and Lucia" and the "Gioconda" bal
let-Nordica, Constantine, Nielsen, Sc
gurola, Dereyne, Fornari, Galperni and
all the rest appearing. Each received
due need of applause, and the final
curtain was seen with deep regret and
much in the way of demonstration.
Such a scene as the final one in the
Auditorium has rarely been witnessed
here. Nordica got twenty curtain calls
and sang an encore, even. The sextet
was also repeated. 1t will indeed be
pleasing to all the hundreds who were
turned away yesterday, as we'll as to
those who had part in the memorable
affair, to read Mr.. RusselPs assurance
of return.
Singers Like Reception
The singers themselves were scarce
ly less delighted with their Los An
geles reception than were the powers
that be. Nielsen was simply rollick-
ing in her pleasure. She could scarce
ly keep back tears of delight. Nordica,
more used to ovations, still was drawn
out of her usual calm and her ex-
pressions of satisfaction were many
and sincere. The others, speaking lit
tie English, made themselves under
stood with that language of the feel
ings that is universal, and the gem
eral expression was that a happier
time never was had.
Figured right down to dollars and
cents tho engagement has not been
all that was hoped, but this is not Los
Angeles fault; the blame lies with the
execrable conditions which threw the
company into a miserable shack to
start with, and "queered" the early
part of the season. When the warning
managers were brought to terms and
the company finally was let into the
Auditorium, out of which II should
never have been barred. things took
a turn for the better, and from facing
great loss Mr., Russell had the sat
isfaction of playing even. though not
being able to credit this last two weeks
with their pro rata of profit This