The Detroit times., 1911-07-25
THE STAGE
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

That Detroit Is eager for grano
opera, when IL can be had at 20 and %
cents, was given proof, Monday even
Ing. In the Detroit opera mousse when
the Joseph Sheehan English Hrahu
Opera company presented II IroNa'
Tore and opened It's second summer
season IN this city TO an audience lnal
filled every seat and some OF the
standing room, In the theater. IL was
gathering to delight the manage
ment OF the house and the members OF
the company, The enthusiastic APP
plause was as frequent and generous
as the audience was large In numbers,
and better opening OF an engagement
could not have been asked.
The Sheehan company this season Is
better all-round organization than IL
was a year ago. The chorus Is bet
ter singing, better dressed and better
schooled adjunct to a roster OF prin-
cipals OF greater average ability than
was the case last summer. Mr.. Shee-
han Is a considerable fayorite In De-
troit, and Il was not little satisfaction
to his friends TO note that he has ad-
yanced yocally, too. He sings Win
much more style than formerly, and
evidently has come To the point In MS
grand opera road where be realizes
the value OF outstanding his voice.
With less prodigaf use Of his tones Is
better artistry, and his singing OF
Manrico, Monday evening, was PROD
ably the best bit OF work he has ever
given Detroit, In the ten years he has
been coming TO this city.
II wall known
to everybody that its score Is the
unfolding Of succession OF familiar
melodies. It's fiorid and highly ornate
solos and trios and other ensemble
numbers were well sung by the vari-
GUS members OF the cast Miss GLADYS
Caldwell, the Leonora, made her mrs.
appearance In Detroit. and created
quite n favorable impression Her
voice is not large, but II Is well-trained
and she accomplished the feats Oh
coloratura with ease. Ehe seems TO
possess good Judgment In the use OF
her voice, and her work was Distinctly
worth while. In musical way.
Miss Elaine de Sellem, who sang
Azucena. was a member OF the com
pany last year and was heard In the
same role. She had improved very
| much In her Interpretation OF II and
gave a thoroughly adequate perform
| ance Of one of the big roles In the ole
italian operas. Her voice Is an excel
lent. mezzo. Charles Swickard sans
the Count di Luna acceptably and Miss
| Marion Dalker was q satisfactory
Inez. The lesser roles OF Fernando and
| Luix were taken by Francis j. Tyler
and William Young. Mr.. Tyler Ii 9
| former Detroiter and at one time 10
his early youth was known as ooy
soprano. His voice has "evoluted
| intoNa bass.
Not a little of the credit for the
rood performance Is due the orchestra
and a very alert and efficient leader
whose name did not appear on the
program. Under the conductors baton
the movement of the rather ponderous
action was greatly accelerated, ano
without sacrificing anything Of the dig
nifty and tragedy OF the story, the
opera moved with spirit. The stagine
was more than any popular priced
audience had right TO expect, ana
j indeed. taking IL all In ALL every mem
Der OF the large audience must have
felt that he got more than his moneys
! worth
/ Mr. Sheehan and his company viii
remain in Detroit four weeks and vii
change their Offering each week. II
Trovatore'' will be repeated Tuesday
and wednesday evenings and Wednes
day afternoon OF this week and on
Thursday evening will give way to
"The Bohemian Girl" which will CON
tinue until Saturday evening. Monday
OF next week an opera entirely new tc
DETROIT will be presented, The Tales
OF Holman" which has been one Of
the chief drawing cards OF the New
York opera season the past two years
ELLA NAE HAWTHORNE.