Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-17

Puccini's Opera Sung at the Ma
tional by Conried's Forces.

Puccini's La Boheme" was sung at
the New National Theater last night to
| fair-sized audience by a cast and cho-
rus from the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany. Miss Bessie ABBOTT was the Mimi
of the opera. in the place Of Nine. Lima
| Cavalier, who had been advertised to
sing the part and whose name was on
| the program. Nine. Cavaiieri. as an
nounced in yesterdays Star, called for
Europe Wednesday morning. printed
slip, however. inserted i'll the program
at the National last night. announced
that on account of the sudden illness of
Nine. Cavalieri Miss Ahott would sing
Mimi. AS 1t was the second day of her
| sea voyage, perhaps Nine. Cavalier was
really Ill.
Another change in the cast. which was
not even called to the attention OF the au-
dience by printed slip. nor so much as
whispered in confidence, was the substltu-
ton Of German singer OF minor Wag-
! merriam roles. Nine Matfield for Nine.
Dereyne. advertised to sing the role Of
Musetta.
The audience was deeply disappointed at
the failure of the management of the
company to provide the cast so loudly
heralded, especially since there was
general desire both to see Nine. Cavalierl
and to hear her as Mimi. d part when
she Is said particularly to adorn.
1t was unfortunate for Miss ABBOTT that
she should have been compelled to face
an audience eager to hear another singer
in her place, for such task is ungrateful
She handl led the role fairly well however
and in the third and fourth acts showed
a firmer grasp Of her part. both vocaliy
and dramatically, than her performance
in the earlier portion of the opera gave
cause to expect
AS with all of Puccini's operas. the or
chestral music is the body of the work,
and the orchestra last night. under the d.
,Nftr I<NS Il Fort nod
function with artistic excellence. the SYM
boism of the composer being IL ented
none too much. while the dramatic action
of the singers moved in unison.
To the men in the cast belong the hon
ors of the performance Bonci sang the
part of Rodolfo. and the ease and beauty
of his singing won him such applause
that several times the orchestra was
forced to wait until the house became
quiet. In his duet with Miss ABBOTT in the
first act he shone especially. and this
success was repeated in the duet OF the
third act. becoming Il quartet when the
quarrel of Marcello and Musetta inter-
rupts. and III the death scene OF the last
act The other chief mems partS-Colline
and Schaunard-were sung by Barocclli
and Begue, the former being loudly APP
plauded in the last act for his artistic
singing of the farewell to his beloved
coat. which he is about to sell for Mimi $
sake.
Musetta was sung by Nine. Mattield.
who gave to the role all the necessary
couuetry and vixenish petulance. The
action of the chorus in the street scene
of the second act was vivacious and arts
tic. with carefully careless grouping.
1t must be confessed. however that the
performance of the opera. as whole,
reused no noticeable enthusiasm.
"Mignon' will be sung Saturday after
noon. and Saturday night the inseparable
"Cavalleria Rusticana" and II Pagliacci'
will be given.
Miss Geraldine Farrar occupied one of
thu boxes at last nights performance.
Among her guests was NJ. Caruso. There
was a number Of distinguished persons in
the boxes and orchestra.