Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-27
In the Spotlight

IN HE opening Of the grand opera sea-
son in Los Angeles is of unusual
II interest. The Lambardi company
offers a repertoire made up of works
of exceptional merit and the subscrip-
ton for boxes and season seats is
large.
Three new stars will be presented in
''Rigoletto" the opening opera. Nine
Tamanti Zavanslzi, colorature soprano,
win appear as Gilda. Eugenio Bat
tain, the lyric tenor. is declared by
Impresario Lambardi to be the equal
of the great Caruso. The third Of the
new artists, Alessandro Modest. a Rus
sian dramatic baritone, also is declared
to be one of the greatest singers who
ever came out of the czar's domain.
PauIo Wulman, the basso, is an old IA
vorite in Los Angeles. The cast Will
be supported by splendid artists in the
minor parts, aided by chorus OF more
than forty persons.
The orchestra will be under the d.
rection Of Agide Jacchia. The man
agement promises that the production
will be complete in every detail and the
scenery and costumes are new. The
acoustics of the Mason opera house
are excellent.
The cast includes many singers
known for years to the American pub
lie. Signor Modesti has appeared
more than one thousand times In Rig
oletto" in ninety of which Nine. Ia
vansh also has sung. Signor Eugento
Battain has been heralded as one of
the greatest living tenors. Signor
Lambardi has been on a still hunt for
just such a singer for several years,
and he now declares that he has found
the one man for which he has been
seeking.
Elvira Campoli is a dramatic So
prano said to be equal to Adaberto
as an artist. Alessandro Scalabri has
won his laurels as a dramatic tenor. He
is said to have a greater range of
voice than any other tenor now on the
operate stage. Dolores Frau comes
from the La Scala. She is the pos
SCISSOR of a contralto voice of beauty
and quality. Giuseppe Pimazzoni and
Artidoro Mauceri both are well known
to Los Angeles audiences.
Wednesday evening will introduce
the faVOrite of last season, Ester Fer
rabini, with four new European artists,
Tosi-Arrizoni lyric soprano; Gerald
Graziant, lyric tenor; Giovanni Mar
tino, basso, and Natalie Cervi, buffo-
basso. The opera for the evening will
be La Boheme." Signor Graziani is
an artist of exceptional power. Tosi-
Ardizoni win appear as Musetta,
Ester Ferrabini will present Mimi.
Natalie Cervi is said to be fully the
equal of Bergami
Giovanni MARITIME is said to be the
most notable addition to the company
since its last appearance in Los An
geles. He has a voice Of great range
and power. Later he will interpret
.'Ndephistopheles," when Modesti, the
baritone, will again appear.
Angelica AntOla will be seen again
after an absence of two years. He will
appear as the Toreodro in Carmen
Angelo Antola shared the honors the
first season with Esther Adaberto. In
all Impresario Lambardi win intro
duce seventeen European celebrities
and will present nine different opera
companies In as many different nights.
The repertoire for the remainder of the
season is as follows: Friday, New
Years matinee, la Boheme"; Satur-
day night, Faust; Monday evening.
January 4, the double bill; Tuesday,
January 5, la Tosca": Wednesday,
January 6, "Rigoletto": for the final
evening. Wednesday, January 6, an all
star cast in selections from the differ
ent operas win appear.
Los Angeles playgoers who already
have seen three different "Ziras,"
among them Margaret Anglin and
Florence Roberts. will this week see
a fourth at the Burbank theater, where
Miss Mary Hall viii play the unfortu-
nate heroine Of Wilkie Collins story.
The play, adapted and constructed by
II Hartley Manners and Henry Miller,
is q powerful drama. and in It Miss
Hall viii have the best opportunity Of
her local career for emotional work.
Zira will be the second Margaret An
Gin part Miss Hall has played. She
was engaged by Henry Miller last