Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-12
Grand Opera Artists.

The brief season of grand opera in
Washington promises to be of unusual
in. crest. Three performances will be
given by the company from the Metropoli-
tan Opera House in New York at the New
National Theater April IL and is. Among
the favorite artists of former seasons
who Will be heard here will be Mines.
Geraldine 'Farrar and Jacoby and MN.
Caruso, Scotti and Plancon. To these
will be added Mines. Lima Cavalieri. Bes-
sic Abott. Dereyne, Fornia and NM.
Bonci, Martin and Lucas, who Will be
newcomers as far as this public Is con-
cerned, but who have already proved
worthy of their European reputation dur
Ing their long engagement in New York.
a few words about the careers OF some
of them may prove of interest.
Bessie Apott was born In Canton y. Y.
and size owes her success largely to the
interest that Jean de ResZka took in
her career The great tenor heard her
sing coon songs" on steamer going to
Europe and he liked her voice SO well
that Inc, advised her to study for serious
work On his return to this country he
induced Miss Abott to pace herself under
the care of Nine. Frida .tsforth. After
four years Of study she made her debut
at the Paris Opera In December. 1901. as
Juliette. She remained ia Paris. singing
both at the Opera and Opera C6rnique.
until two years age, when sile WAS en-
gagged by MIR. Conreid. Her repertory is
an extensive one and inclroes all the most
important coloratUra roles.
Alessandro Bonci. the celebrated Italian
tenor, was born at Cessna, near Bologna,
In 1S,0. His mother was a gifted anna
teur singer. and Bonci like many Italian
boys. commenced TO sing almost as soon
aC he tai a
joined the church choir and at seventeen.
fired by religious enthusiasm, he COM
menced to study singing, with view 10
joining the famous choir of Loreto, a re-
ligiouS sanctuary. much frequented by
pilgrims from all parts of the world. The
choir consists of sixteen picked singers
four tenors, four altos. four baritoaes and
four BASES. Great was BonCis joy when.
after three years study. he was selected
out OF forty applicants 10 become the lead
ing tenor of the choir. He remained thee
years, but was so frequently advised TO
seek wider field for his talents that he
decided to adopt operate career,
making his debut at Parma as Fenton in
'Faistaf- His success was immediate.
ana he was engaged for the Dial Verne
Theater Milan. making his first appear
ance there as Faust Bonoi subsequently
sang in st. Petersburg. and nine years ago
mace his debut at Covent Garden I'M Lon
don as Rodolfo TO the Mimi of Melba.
George Lucas was born in Normandy.
going Oh the stage in Paris. where he
acted in comedy for five years. lie
studied singing with Prof. Marcel and
made his debut aS first tenor in Geneva
in 1898. He has sung at Bordeaux and
at the Paris Opera, where he appear ed in
the first revival of Berlioz's La Prise de
Troie.'' Mr.. Lucas has also been heard
In Lyons, Marseille, Nice, Antwerp and
New Orleans. In Lyons he created the
leading tenor role in Saint Saens' Les
Barbares" and in New Orleans he appear.
ed In the first production in America Of
Giordano's Siberia.
Ricardo Martin Is an American and
pupil of Edward Mcdowell. He hats
Europe the greater part Of his life. HIS
began his career as a singer in Milan and
was so successful tina. lie was promptly
engaged for the opera season at New Or
leans. where he was heard in number
Of important tenor roles.
Rodolfo Fer-aro. the new conductor that
Mr.. Heinrich Conreid has engaged to di-
rect all the Italian operas. RANKS in Italy
with Toscanini and Mugnone. He was
born at Mirandola in 1S6i, and studied
the piano and composition with his father
who was musician. of note He COM
pleted his studies at the Rossini Lyceum
ductor at Ravenna in 1873 From there
the Teatre Comunale at Bologna, and h.
has since conducted at Florence Vienna
Berlin, Frankfort. Naples. Palermo Tri-
este. Madrid. Barcelona and Lisbon. MIR.
Ferrarfs last engagement in Italy was
at the Teatro ConstantZi. where he was
the principal conductor for the past six
years.