Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-05
ENTHUSIASM RUNS RIOT IN Il
PAGLIACCF
Double Bill Given by the Lambardi
Opera Company Marked by
Initial Appearance of
Another Soprano
"CAvALLERIA RUsTIcANA," opera in
BY FLORENCE BOSARD LAWRENCE


There are many sOloists of great
vocal merit in Signor Lambardps
grand opera company now singing at
the Mason. The singers have all ap-
peared in some specially suitable role,
and each has achieved a fair degree Of
success and appreciation.
Of the women Dolores Frau, and
queenly Ester Ferrabini, undoubtedly
have carried off first honors. Modesti,
Antola and Scalabrini each deserve and
has won a place in the esteem of Los
Angeles theatergoers.
1t remains for Eugene Battain,
however, to carry his listeners liter
ally off their feet with the marvels Of
his vocal and dramatic art.
1t is decidedly questionable whether
Los Angeles has ever before listened
to such a tenor as is this talented
young singer.
His voice has all the sweetness Of a
pure lyric tenor, is of wide range, and
in the lower register is full, deep and
rich. To an exceptional voice has been
added genuine dramatic force. This
combination, unfortunately, is unusual,
especially among tenors. When Signor
Battain came here he was widely her
aided as the new CaruSo. This is
really unfair to the younger singer,
for, while he does possess a magnifi-
cent voice, which may well be COM
pared with the Metropolitan favorite,
he is really a great actor, while Ca
russo is gifted with his voice only, and
is without dramatic ability or force.
In the double bill, Cavalleria Rusti-
cana and 1 Pagliacci, last night at the
Mason, Battain, as CaniO in Pagliacci,
gave one of the greatest performances
ever seen on a local stage. Enthusiasm
ran riot and staid and conventional
Americans followed the example of
CT fo1i oh
bors and shouted their braves in
riotous approval of his magnificent
rendition of the role. His voice fol-
lowed the gradationS of emotion
throughout the part impassioned and
tragic numbers, serving only to bring
out more clearly its wondrOuS beauty.
A voice less perfectly placid is liable
to be torn to shreds and tatters in
these songs, but Battain showed no
sign of wear at the close of his per-
fOrmance
Madame Ardizzoni-Tosi, one of the
much heralded sopranos of the COM
pany, made her initial appearance in
this same bill, singing Media" with
satisfactory voice but rather stilted &C
ton.
Antola scored heavily in the pro-
logue and his rich voice showed to adj
vantage throughout the second part of
the bill, although in the "Cavaleria
Rusticana" he was obviously saving
himself for the heavier work which
was to follow
Allesandro Scalabrini quite outshone
his fellow singers in the earlier bill
and was greeted with enthusiastic APP
prevail by his audience, the drinking
song especially winning favor
The scenic effects in both bills were
satisfactory and the choruses were
we'll sung throughout the evening.
Jaccia conducted the Mascagni opera
and Lebegott directed the Leoncavello
tragedy.
Tonight the Pucinni opera, LA Tos-
ca" will be sung snd the cast includes
Ferrabini, Battain and Modesti a trio
OF principals which promises one of the
best, if not the best, bill of the sea-
son.