The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-30

was camor of applause. Mime. Johanna GadslSi as "Elizabeth'' was exquisite. She is not merely great singer, she is also a great thinker, and her impersonations bear the mark of this deep dramatic in- sight and intelligent study. She was thrillngly effective and called forth tre- mendous enthusiasm for her share in the performance. Marie Rappold as "Vensu" made fine impression. She is very hand some,- altogether suited to the role from this standpoint, and her voice was appeal ingly sweet and pure Leo Slezak gave a performance in accordance with tradition, and vocally there were no shortcomings, but those who saw him last year prefer him as "Otello." The role seems peculiar iy suited to the big tenor, and it is to be hoped that he will some day present it again at one of these southern festivals Of opera.
 Response to Encore
 ''Rigoletto" was the most remarkable operatic performance ever given in the south-remarkable in some respects, for any section. Caruso, as the Duke of Mantua," Dnh Gilly as "Rigoletto," Alma Gluck as "Gilda," Andrea de Segurola as "Sparafucile,' Florence Wickham as "Maddalena," Ananan as ''Monterone, Angela Bada as "Borsa," Reschiglian as "Ceprano," Sampieri as .Marulla" and Emma Borniggia as the countess, made a strong cast. The scenery was superb; the orchestration of this most tunefnl of operas was all that could be desired; and in this the great tenor surpassed the high est hopes of his admirers. Caruso has been until recently. singer merely with the confidence what always marks his work, he has set about to become an ac- | tor--and as Il Duca he was not only a singer, but duke. Those who heard him in the role of the Girl of the Golden Vest or who saw him in the early days of his singing, will have difficulty in imagining his achievement in this regard
 It was this night, too, winch made Alma Glucl the queen of all the artists in At lantas regard Those who found her voice as Marguerite lacking in power the night before, realized that its volume was not given full range through a slight uncertainty of a role which she was called upon suddenly to assume. Its charm lies | in it's sweetness and it's liquid purity. It | is voice of remarkable carrying power;
 it's tonal quality suggests the sweet pene- tration of flute, and while its timbre is not robust. it has, instead, as potent a | factor in it's unequalled clarity. Person. ! ally the young singer is adorabe; her very daintness and exquisiteness of man. | ner as much as the beauty of her face. 1 fairly lifting her over the footlights and | into the hearts of her audience
 | So completely were the singers in ac- | cord with the spirit of their audience | that they consented to course almost unprecedented in opera-responding to an
 encore. When the far.iliar quartet was
 sung during the final act the loveliness of | it's melody was almost too much for the
 enthusiasm of the audience. Eager hands
 clapped for more. Caruso,. the duke, sat
 at the little table in Sparafucile's hut l with his companion, the Gypsy. Florence | Wickman, toying with his wine glass; half | hidden in the background by the dark
 ness of the evening and the conferences
 of their attire were Rigoletto and his
 daughter. ''Gilda," Dinh Gilly and Alma | Gluck. The scene was thrillng-the sing | CTS popular favorites. the song a number | beloved of every member of the audience:
 the opera the last one of the Metropolis | tan season; every circumstance cried out ! for continuance of the moment. and the
 audience could not let 1t go. Repeated calls were answered at last by the genial
 chestra to begin his difficult solo again.
 and people who had been tense with sus-
 pense sat back to enjoy the long. thrilling | selection once more.
 And that is the spirit that exists be- tween singer and audience in Atlanta, the singers are beautifully received and their response is as cordial as their re.
 ception. They have never repeated a
 number before. they probably never vii