The San Francisco call., 1910-04-24

tola was making a speech of apology
in Italian knew it by the gestures,
for you can always tell italian by the
hands. Somewhat inflated at having
thought of the speech 1 said: Don't
apologize; better there is small house
with a welcome than a little welcome
in big house" Mrs. Antola clapped
her hands Understandings. the inter-
prefer nodded gravely and Antola
bowed. and said something like
"Vino?"
Antoia has a curious book which re-
cords every opera sung by the COM
panies he has been associated with
since the beginning of his career way
back in Como. which is near Milan.
He is 30 years old and has Travelled
and sung all over the world, from Con-
stantinople to Peru, and from St. Pc
tersburg to Pasadena. Against the
names of the operas thus listed for
the last eight years crosses are placed
to indicate the productions in which
Antola appeared and brief memoranda
of the affair.
why do you keep that book?"
asked.
TO look over when I am old" said
he. See. here is what l wrote about
the Press club entertainment l sang
at last Sunday night"
VIII you make a memorandum of
this interview" 1 inquired.
I'VE shall see said he.
Not much training did Antola enjoy.
He had a voice and so he sang. He
took a few lessons from Maria Tessada,
the daughter of the great barytone,
Vita: but mostly he learned what he
knows-and his repertoire comprises
so grand operas, any one of which he
could sing with one rehearsal-from
the directors, and by observation, the
possession of the powers of which An
tola is abundantly provided
II was in Genoa that Antolas proud
est moment was lived. He was in
troduced to Leoncayallo by a certain
agent in charge of an Office where sing
ers were supplied to impresarios When
the company appeared in "Pagliaccf'
Leoncavallo was in the audience to
hear this young barytone sing.
All" said Antola, "he said he liked
me in that part very much. He is
the gentlest and kindest of men. Where
he lives in Brissa go, they made a king
of him, and he speaks to the babies
in the street as he passes them by,
and pats them on the cheek. Later
Leoncavallo engaged Antola to sing the
barytone roles in his La Boheme."
which was written about the time that
Puccini presented his opera of the same
name, and "Zaza" and in Mascagni's
"Cavalleria Rusticana."
The discussion that ensued after An
tola had spoken of Leoneavallo con-
cerned the relative merits of the COM
poser of "Pagliacci' and the composer
of La Tosca-" 1t was hardly fair
discussion, for what italian barytone
who had enjoyed the association and
ol nF Ia I al. ra11 In
properly appraise his work? Naturally,
Leoncavallo was a greater composer
than Puccini and the warm, impulsive
error in judgment was better than an
accurately stated opinion, and infinitely
more to the credit of Antola, who feels
first and thinks afterward.
It seems to me that it is precisely
this quality in the native singers of
Italy which lends their inartistic
artistry so much of naive charm. It is
a quality not to be acquired; it is like
youth and beauty and grace. free
gift of God. Perhaps training and
book study and sophistication, life in
the fashionable hotels and all the other
artifcialities with which public folk
and particularly stage folk, are sur
rounded. would smother and dampen
the ardor of the singers who spring
from the soil and breathe vocal fra
grance unwittingly, like flowers spring
unwatered save by the rain, and un-
touched save by the sun.
The opera repertoire for this week
promises to present the Lambardi COM
pany in its best form and should prove
attractive TO music lovers. Tonight an
all star cast will appear in Verdis
Ma sked Ball" Monday evening will be
devoted to La Boheme" Tuesday even
ing to "Rigoletto.' Wednesday after
noon to ''Cavalleria Rusticana" and
TPagliacci," in which Adaberto, Bo-
setti, Scalabrini and Maggi are billed
to appear; Wednesday evening will wit
ness a presentation of Carmen; /;
Thursday evening, Masked BALI; Fri