Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-22
LA GIOCONDA' is
WELL RECEIVED
LAMBARDI OPERA COMPANY
SHOWS IMPROVEMENT
GUERRlERI PROVES WORTH AS
LEADER OF ORCHESTRA
Maggi FulfilIs Promises of Friends and
Displays Fine Dramatic Per-
ception Together with
Magnificent Voice
BY Florence Bosard Lawrence


The Lambardi grand opera company,
prepared for better and more artistic
productions than in previous engage
ments, returned to the Mason opera
house last night. During the year
which has elapsed since the company
sang here last many changes have
been made in the organization. Per-
haps the most important and delight
| full Improvement is in the work of the
orchestra. Under the baton of Guer-
rieri the players have become unified,
brilliant and adaptable to a degree,
which makes their playing one of the
most delightful features of the evening.
| Many new soloists have been added
to the list of singers, and the vocal
! strength Of the company is in the main
considerably increased, although sew
eral of the favorite singers who ap-
peared here last year will probably be
missed. The singing of the chorus is
also vastly bettered. The voices are
! not merely loud, but musical and in
the pitch as well.
Ponchielli's colorful opera, LA Clio
conda," was the bill for the opening
night and served to introduce four of
! the new soloists. OF these Maggi, the
| baritone; Sabellico, bass, and Busetti,
soprano, shared the honors, although
the extraordinarily dramatic and splen-
| did music which is written for the
| two men gave them a predominance in
applause and in opportunity to win it,
which made their every appearance al
most triumph.
| Gifted with fine dramatic percep-
tions, as well as voice of magnificent
quality and wide range, Giuseppe
Maggi realized well those promises
which his friends had made for him.
| His solos were artistically interpreted,
and in concerted work he maintained a
balance which was always satisfying.
SabelIico Well Received
In the bass role, of Alvise, Sabellico
gave a most convincing and we'll tenn
pered picture of the deceived and re-
Vengeful husband. His best work is
in the third act, where he achieves
success and the immediate favor of his
| listeners, as well for his fine vocaliza-
ton and histrionic powers as for his
compelling appearance.
Nine Elvira Bosetti has a high, pow
erful voice, musical and well attnned,
and uses it with discretion. She acted
| last night as a Veritable inspiration
to the less reliant singers in the com
! pany and brought the chorus and lesser
principals alike well up to pitch with
| her inspiriting, dominant personality
| Her role as Gioconda offers no one
great opportunity for distinction, but
makes constant demand for reliable,
! conscientious work. which she was
abundantly able to fulfill. Her appear
| ance, too, is a decided attribute in her
| favor
Bugamelli, a singer whose satisfac-
| tory work was known to us last year
made an excellent impression in the
| role of the blind mother, La Cieca, ano
| Attilio Maurini as EMO and Dolores
I Frau as Laura completed the cast.
Nine Frau will be remembered pleas
antly for her work with this company
! last year, and Signor Maurini, one. OF
| the new tenors, has a good quality in
his voice, but rather limited range,
which prevented the brilliance in his
work that the score of the opera de-
mands.
The opera, which has been heard here
| but seldom, has several beautiful con-
certed numbers and solos, all of which
received full tribute of applause from
| the enthusiastic audience assembled
last night Perhaps in no portion of
the evening was greater delight evinced
| than after the beautiful rendering of
| the intermezzo, in which the orchestra
| presented tonal effects of great beauty
| Encores and curtain calls were fire.
| uuent, and the production met with a
| degree of approval which should bring
satisfaction to every member and also
| to Sparks Berry, who received many
! congratulations last night upon the
| tremendous improvement which this
organization has made in the year he
has been associated with it.
The bill tonight will be "Il Trova-
tore" with Adeberto, Scalabrini and
Maggi in the principal roles. "Gio-
conda" will be repeated for the
Wednesday matinee,