The Washington times., 1908-01-14
The Cast in aida"

For years Washington has been com
peeled 10 aepen1 upon occasional visits
from the Metropolitan Opera Company
and Henry W. Savage-the latter only
In later seasons-fG- very brief seasons
Of grant opera Last night, in the Be-
lasco Theater. the san Carlo Grand
Opera Company. under the direction OF
Henry Russell, opened the eyes Of the
local pCbiic as rarely before.
The San Carlo company began q
weeks engagement, using for its oren-
ing bill Nerdrs Aida" Not one name
in TIE cast was known 70 probably
more than half a dozen persons I'm the
audience, and. It might truly be said.
the audience had made up its mind to
accept them and suspend judgment II
took but half dozen bars Of Celeste
Aida,' the romauZa sung by ODeZzO, as
Radames. to convince the audience that
q wonderful singer was before them.
and the remainder of the opera was n
triumph for the company and its
director
Aida has never been done in Wash
in8ton as il was given last night. Every
member OF the small cast was thor
ougily fitted for the cxacting score, and
the Chorus. which is said TO have been
brought direct from the opera schools
OF Italy, was a revelation. Whence they
come. however, IS not the point. The
TACT stands that Mr.. Russell has Sc
cured grand opera chorus with voices;
PEOPLE who know how to sing ard are
not afraid 10 let their notes come out
me male contingent is particularly
noteworthy, and last night its choruses
"a liz a-Fgrr
Through q slight indispositiJn Mime.
NORA, who was TO have sung the title
role IN the opera, was not in the cast.
Mime. DesanO. another star OF the com
change until tina opera was over. and
Dessno, IN spite or the fact that
she went on at an hours notice, reaped
her reward. She sang beautifully, par
ttcularly the aria, 20 CieH AzZuul.' IN
the third act. Her voice is o. delicate
texture. but OF unusual strength, and
both in the lighter and more heroic
treatment Of the role DesauO was
wholly interesting and at ease
OpeZZD. IN the role OF ECdames. vas
the surprise Of the evening. He raS
tenor voice of marvellous beauty and
great possibilities. Ills upper register
IS wonderfully clear ard TesOurcefuls
The romanza in the hrSt act was eX-
quisitely sung. and throughout the per-
Torrance he showed not only the SUI
periOT vocal ability necessary 40 the
part, but fine dramatic worth as well
Nine. Maria ClaessenS scored q de-
cided success Ia the role of Amneris.
Her voice Is q big, mellow meZZO-
soprano that at times rang out over
the fun volume Of the auEms 1tcd or
cheStTa TO a marvellous degree. The IN
trtc6 cicS OF NcrdIs score had no pit
falls for her. and she gave 20 the role a
ors matte reading that presented the
character and her work even more
prominently than otherwise would have
been done. In the role OF AmOnasrO,
Aida father, Ramon BLANCHARD, was
conspicuous IL the cast. His singing was
thorough and his voice beautiful at all
times. The trio, in the third act. OF
DesanO. OpeZZ0. and BLANCHARD. was one
OF the gems OF the performance, and
the three singers were recalled again
and again.
CONT was the director He had both
singers and orchestra well in hand, and
read the score with enthusiasm. He
kept the big chorus moving at spirited
gait and gave a beautiful and dis
tiuctiye Interpretation of Nerdfs score
IN spite OF the illness Of Nine. Noria
and the accident 20 Constantine, which
necessitated = change OF bill from
"C}ioconda" last night, the audience had
sell in the splendid performance given
by his compary- Every member pitched
into the work and sang as though he
meant individually that the performance
should be q success Washington has
been dOsed With many travelling grand
opera companies IN the past, although
the ones ncreOfore mentioned are the
IL has never listened 20 performance
with greater interest than that OF
Aida last nj ght by the Italian com
pany, which Is here for the first time.