New-York tribune., 1908-02-27
MUSIC.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
Veteran Novices in II Trovatore. =

Nerdi.s ""rrovatore" which used TO be q matter
Of course rom half dozen to dozen tunes
every season. has reached the singular diGni-
ty at the Metropolitan Opera House of being re-
served for occasions when singers tried and true
wish 10 add a role to their Tepertories- That-
least, the purpose to which II was Put
last night. the record of which might De SET
down the books by the double entry system
hero and heroine of the opera though seasoned
in the post-Trovatorian repertory OF The composer
made their first essay in the old work Ihey
we're Nine Eames and Signor Caruso Inc
circumstance is worthy OF special note as an IN
dication either of how completely at sea are an
the operate standards this =~ason or nov mar
vellously catholic is the taste Of New Yorks
opera singers and opera patrons. At the Manhat-
Louise and Lucia" "DinOrah' and Pelieas
et MAisande" acclaimed with equal rapture: at
the Metropolitan CsrEso and Eames I'm "Tosca
and Eames and CarusO In "TroVatore sTes'eu
vith uproarious gladness- On the one hand sing
complaining Of the pubIic's want OF taste ana
the other the public overwhelming the same
singers With tempests and torrents and tumUits
Of applause. Plainly II is no time no" lor
aesthetic stocktaking. but only Tor ooSefN aa''H-
record and enjoyment.
But though put to uses the opera did not
seem in the estimation OF the Metropolitan man
agement 10 call for any refurbishins In any OF us
elements unless the use OF the ruined castle pro
vfded by Mr.. Conrfed for his memorable production
Of The Gypsy Baron be set down as sJcn
Last night II furnished picturesque camp for the
gypsv blacksmiths whose ladies. after then
charms had been hymned and punctuated by anvil
blows must have departed their wanderings
through the broken arches of the second story; al
any rate they went upstairs when they left the
scene. The hiEt thrown our recently Dy SlsnoF
Gatti-Casazza's IaUdator touching fifteenth century
costumes was left unheeded. and We shall have 10
possess souls in patience for another year
before this great luminous beam falls into the
gloom Of this mystfyng tale.
is easy understand why SignOr CarusO had
added Manrfco his list Of characters The part
has its sensational climax, which when effectively
old fashioned and every oid-fashioned tenor
sdmirer For that climax SignOT CaTuso reserved
mis- powers last night. and ne sang All: 81 ben
mio and "Di quella pira" il not 70
''charm the souls in purgatory" at least so as 10
turn loose a vhirwind of applause and shouts
in the upper regions Of the house and the out
skirts of the lower stalls and stir 10 hearty
enthusiasm every lover OF his superb voice Nine
Eames's tardy assumption OF the part Of LeOnOra
recalls the time when voices of all qualities and
Caibres were heard in this music, which. with It's
asthmatic gasps alternating with sweeping can
tIlena. seems have been conceived for singer
of the tragic type But such different singers a.
BosO Grisi. Patti and Nilsson nave been heard
in it, and fragrant tributes garnered by them
all. Nine Eames approached her task tintdIy
and was never quite convincing really moving.
though she too. took on larger dramatic stature
as the opera neared its end Nine Homer dOmt-
mated the early scene in spite OF Signor CarusO.
throwing herself into work heart and soul
Signor Stracciar's di Luna alternately spluttered
and choked with emotion, and therein vas more
or less conventional