Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-06
BY w. HERBERT BLAKE

Count OF Luna. .................,.. M. Larh
Fernando .....',.....'..''..'' N. uranni ,.,
hulL .,..'.''..''''''.''' '''''''''' M "iu4'''
BY w HERBERT BLAKE
Even that tried business man for
whom inane musical comedies are sup
/ posed to be written cried "Bravo!' for
it was II Trovatore" that was being
sung, and the strains of the rich and
colorful Verdi score have ever won the
popular heart, as we'll as the ear and
mind of the trained musician. Both
artistically and popularly, it was the
climax of the first week of grand opera
by the Italian singers, a climax which
may be sustained but scarcely exceed
ed by tonight's double bill, ana whose
| triumph only the unknown quantities
on next weeks repertoire may be eX-
| pected to rival
Rich in splendid and harmonious re-
! citative and in the brilliant fervor OF
it's choruses, III Trovatore' is yet in
| tensey dramatic in theme and deVel-
Oument, and the artists who interpret
ed it last night embodied its kaleldo-
! sCopic alterations of passion, grlet
and despair with excellent effect, OF
q luxuriant beauty and with a strong,
sympathetic voice of lavish range ana
eXDTeSSlN6nESSg hDits llCl y was N'iN
ideal Leonora, singing her solo num-
hers with vivid vigor which won
storms of applause and arousing the
audience to a crescendo of enthusiasm
by her vocalization of the difficult and
exacting score of act four.
Scarcely second in her solo work and
ca silv first as an actress Miss Strauss
sang the part of the aged gypsy with
a dramatic intensity and strength sell
dom equaled. Her acting alone rlVeted
attention. and to each mood of anger
or anguish she matched vocal quality
which embodied significantly and sym
pathetically the marching action OF the
opera.
M. Samoiloffs majestic and robust
voice was heard to excellent adVan-
tage as Manrico and met every test
satisfactorily He was at once the
rrl ssionate lover and the tragic figure
about which the piteous tragedy or
the opera is unfolded. In the Mis-
erere," especially, did the voices OF
the two principal players blend with
fine effect, and here, If ever, the man
aeement would have been justified in
breaking through its prohibition and
gratifying the crowd with an encore
NJ. Zara sang with that vibrant and
commanding tonal quality which has
been marked in all his local appear
anCes and the work of Mile Zarad, Nj.
GraYina and NJ. Giuliani was of a
high order.
Particularly pleasing last night was
the singing Of the chorus numbers.
Only careful drill and a perfectly
comprehended score could produce
those effects which we obtained from
the voices behind the scenes, both near
and at a distance The familiar strains
of the anvil number were rendered
without a flaw, and throughout the
chorus looked and acted like an inte-
gral part of the production and not,
as is so often the case in grand opera,
as so many wooden lay figures, from
whom at intervals one may expect
detached responses to the recitative
of the principals.
The costumng was excellent, and
the spirit of the thing tremendous.
Perhaps one secret of the latter eX-
ceuence is the fact that the majority
of the International company are
| themselves Italians. Singing a native
opera by one of Italy's most glorious
composers, and in the dear tongue of
! their own land, these artists forgot
themselves and rose to heights Of
| achievement which dwarf out of all
comparison their ensembles in Faust
| of Wednesday afternoon, which the
writer reviewed in these columns yes
/ terday.
| 1t was the genius of Italy singing
| through the score and shining through
the warp and woof of the drama, and
/ it was 4 revelation.
In the three Athletas sisters, who
headline the Orpheum bill this week,
Los Angeles is seeing excellent speci-
mems of the feminine acrobat The
! girls are real sisters, come from France,
and are not only physically perfect in
form, but are handsome in face as
well. They speak little English, but
are proficient in both French and Ger
man. and off the stage would never be
taken for possessors of physical Prov
ess, as they are demure and modest to
+ notable degree.
The girls acquired their strength
through a long period of training, be-
ginning when they were mere babies,
as they come of a family of athletes.
and they retain it by rigid training,
constant exercise and a diet that, while
extensive, is wholesome.
ave believe" said brenda, the
blonde sister, "that almost any woman
could keep in perfect health and splen-
did physical condition if she would eX
ercise. But most women do not eXer-
else, especially not systematically, and
they eat too many sweets, hence they
grow fat and pudgy. Moderate, sys-
leIldIlC pXeIClStg IOl IOO liS5llL ClOhllOo
and especially plenty of walking in
loose garments and sensible shoes will
do much for the sluggish type of fem
mime near-health,"
Owing to the crowds who have Wis
tied the Walker theater to witness the
reproduction of the Ketchel-Papke
fight in San Francisco July ., the man
agement have secured the pictures for
an additional night Sunday, August g..
Four performances will be given, two
in the afternoon and two at night, at
, and 8: 80 p. m, and and $3.50 p. m.
respectively.
David Belasco yesterday wired the
local Belasco theater that owing to the
popular success of the first weeks pro-
duction by the local company Of VIII
liam c. DeMille's great war play, THE
Warrens of Virginia" he would grant
them the rights for second week OF
the play on the condition that the sec
ond would be the last. The box office
reported last night the heaviest sale
since the long run of 1.-THE Dollar
Mark"
Sunday afternoon Frank Frayne, one
of the most popular members of the
old Ulrich stock company which FOR
many years presented high-class melo-
drama at the Grand, will make his first
appearance in Los Angeles for TWO
years in the production of "A Man OF