New-York tribune., 1907-01-12
MUSIC.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
'L'Africaine" in Italian.

AFTER passing through a brief German phase and
a longer French at the Metropolitan Opera House
Meyerbeer's 'LAfricaine' emerged in the Italian
which was familiar in the consuship of Mapleson
at the Academy of Music last night. The occasion
seems to have been arranged to enable several OF
Mr Conried's singers to present themselves in
characters in which they had not yet been seen.
NINE Fremstad was a Selika Nine Rappold g.
new Inez, Signor Caruso a Vasco di Cana, and
Slsnor Stracciar Nelusko. The majority of
the singers employed in the performance were,
therefore, in sense debutants and OF the others,
M Fiancon and M Journet, though familiar IN
Meyerbeer's work, had, believe exchanged roles,
though or this We do not speak with posi-
uveness is the matter of special moment The
characters of Don Pedro. the Grand Inquisitor and
the Chief Brahmin do particularly signify IN
l. Arricafne. whose centre of gravity lies in its
oarbaric pictures of which Selika. Nelusko and the
Vacillatins navigator the central figures.
whether speaking in detail or in general last
hIFht representation cannot be said to have
ehaced the memories of anyfof tho many rep
RESERVATIONS of IL Africaine" which have been
put forward Cor the delectation Of New York
opera lovers in The course Of the last twenty
years or so. Nine. Fremstad's italian predecessor
was Nine. Hauk, at the Academy; her German,
Nine. Moran-O Odin. I'rGuein BettaQue Minnie
Hauk and Nine Mielke, at the Metropolitan Opera
House; her FIRE 1ch Nine. Nofdica, Nine. Iitvinne
and Nine. Breval. All of these succeeded In in
forming the part with poetry, more
dramatic warmth. picturesqueness of
list, who has never yet failed to give Of her
best, no matter what the part she essayed. should
have been hstless and obviously i'll at ease
in her great scene in the second act probably
due in large part to the unpreparedness which the
performance betrayed in all its departments. Had
1t been withheld for dozen more rehearsals not
only would the ensembles, all slipshod. have bene-
hted, but the principals without exception. also.
Signor Caruso had never sung the part of Vasco di
Cana before. 1t lies we'll in his voice and Is ad-
mirably suited to the energetic vocal manner which
he seems desirous to cultivate the expense OF
the suave style with which he first ad-
mratlon. He, too invited comparison with artists
none of whom had his amazing opuence and
beauty Of voice, but most Of whom his supe-
riors as actors and musical interpreters: Campa-
MINI Gianini. Perotti, Grienauer, Dippel. Jean
de Reszke. Tamagno. and the uniucky Cornu-
bert. who II recall the incident Alright like NJ.
Soubcyran this season, ended his activity at our
opera with single performance To Signor
Caruso's impersonation. well singing, there
clung the slack of tentatveness, and though he
might have a recall after his glorious out
pouring OF "O Paradise he preferred not to
peat the air. Nine. Rappold had but a single
Suzanne Adams-but this fact contributed nothing
to the excellence of her performance which was
and in vitality and freshness OF the most
gratifying features of the evening. Sisnor Strac-
ciari. admirable dramatic routinier vocally
dstressful because of the unsteadiness OF tone to
descant upon which IS becoming WEAKNESS to the
flesh. numerous audience than
sembled the theatre could not have held.