The Washington herald., 1908-04-16
GRAND OPERA TONIGHT.
CORried Metropolitan Company Be-
gins Engagement al National.

NShFAcN metropolitan company he
gins Engagement at National.
Tonight begins a brief season of grand
opera at the New National Theater. pre-
sented by the Conried Metropolitan Opera
Company. There will be only three per
formances-to-night, Saturday matinee
and night. The programme includes La
Boheme, ''dignon." "Cavaneria Rusti-
cana" and II PagllaccL"
la Boheme" which VIII be sung this
evening. will serve to introduce two
artists who have never been heard in
Washington. They are Mile Lima Cava-
lisri and Mr.. AIessandro Bonci. Mile
Cavalier viii sing the role OF Mimi. in
which she made her first appearance
in grand opera in Rome several years
ago. Her career has been a romantic
one. Born Of poor parents, she began life
as flower girl IN Rome Joining a
troupe of strolling players she found her
way TO Paris, where she tried the music
hail stage. Suddenly Mile. Cavalieri dis
appeared from her well-knOwn haunts
and began the earnest study Of music.
Her operatic debut in Rome was nothing
short Of sensational. and since then she
1tali9n cities as well as in Russia, Paris,
and London.
Mr.. BOnci is the lyric tenor who has
been dividing the honors with Mr.
Caruso this winter at the Metropolitan
Opera House. He is not a tenor who
looks forward 70 impressing the public
with his tOnal sorority Etelka Gerster,
the celebrated soprano. In speaking of
BOnci Hkened him 10 the famous Rubini.
Another widely-known prima donna,
Lilli Lehman, mentions BOnci in her
book on Singing and Singers" as an
exceptional tenor" In addition to
Nile. Cavalieri and Mr. Bonci. the cast
of La BOheme' will include Mile.
Dereyne and Mn. Scott. Barocchi.
Begue. Dufriche Tecchi Navarini and
DTagoni. The conductor will be Mr.
ROdOlfo FerraTi, who was for six years
the conductor Of the Teatro CONSTANT,
the leading opera house of Rome.
'MignOn" viii be the opera at the Sat
uTday matinee. "Mignon" has proved
by far the most popular of all the light
works in the metropolitan repertoire this
winter. Even BerliOz. who disliked
Thomas, had TO confess that his Mig
non" had merits and to admit the charm
OF "KnoWest thou the land?" The
presence in the cast of Miss Geraldine
FarTar. Miss Bessie AbOtt. Miss Jose
phine JacOby, and NM. Bonci, Plancon,
Lucas, and Begue should itself more
than suffice TO assure a repetition in
Washington of the triumph which has at
tended the "Mgnon" revival in New
York. The conductor on this occasion
viii be Mr.. Samuel Boyy.
The brief engagement of the ConTled
Metropolitan Opera Company at the Ma
tional Theater viii be brought TO a close
on Saturday evening, when a double bill,
consisting OF "Cavalleria RUsticana" and
''Pagliacci," will be given, The cast Of
the Mascagni opera will include Mines.
Fornla. Jacoby. Girerd. and NM. Strac-
CiaTi and Martin. The latter Is a young
American tenor who achieved fame in
Italy before returning to his own eoun-
try
EnrIco Caruso the great Italian tenor
will make his only appearance here as
CaniO in "Pagliacci" 1t is considered
by many TO be his best role and the one
IN which he has achieved his greatest
success. Mr.. Caruso's associates will be
Mr.. SCOtti the distinguished barytOne.
who is inimitable as Tonic; NM Reiss
and Sart0. Mile. DeTeyne a young
French soprano. who halls from the
Grand Opera and the Opera Comique, OF
Paris, will complete an ideal cast in the
role OF Media, Mr.. Ferrari will conduct
both performances