New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-26
CARUSO AGAIN IN CHAPS
"GirI of Golden West" Given at
Metropolitan.
AUDIENCE is NOT LARGE
Polacco Conducts Spirited Per.
Torrance of Puccini's Opera
of California Outlawry.

To most OF us living In the East the
far-off land of romance-the one spot in
the Western Hemisphere where life was
touched with the magician's wand; where
fiction hid itself as too prosaic before real
ity. wilder Gascony tucked away on
the shores OF the Pacific.
How many of us recognized our land
Of dreams through the cacaphony that
enveloped last nights proceedings at tho
Metropolitan Opera House may we'll be
mooted question, even though the voice
of Enrico Caruso was there TO make US
believe that melody existed where there
was none. There might, too, be food for
thought in the fact that though 1t was
Monday night and the great tenor was
singing, the house. beyond the subscrip-
ton seats, was not large one, and the
brass rail behind the orchestra was only
thinly sprinkled with standees. II Is
needless to state that the opera was Inc
Girl OF the Golden West"
When SIgnor Puccini announced that
he had chosen David Belascos play AZ
the basis Of his latest work the American
music world showed marked interest.
The success OF Madame Butterfly was
fresh in It's memory. and though IL Is
true that this opera had japanese set
ting there were in II hints OF an under
standing OF American life that were re-
assuring. The interest excited grew IN
intensity when the composer announced
his intention OF giving its first perform
ance at the Metropolitan. and when Mr..
Gatti-Casazza said that the chief parts
were to be taken by artists OF the rank
OF Miss Destinn, Mr.. Caruso. Mr.. Amato
and Mr.. Gilly; that Arturo Toscanim
would direct the orchestra, and that
David Belasco would superintend the re-
hearsals, II was evident that as lar as
the production went there could be no
doubt OF It's perfection.
The first performance showed that this
promise had been kept Miss Dcstinn as
Minnie, Mr.. Caruso as Johnson, Mr..
Amato as the Sheriff. Mr. Gilly as Sonora,
under Mr. Belasco's skilful training
found themselves transformed into figures
that we're more than passable Americans
and who In the cases OF Mr.. Amato and
Mr.. Gilly might have stepped out OF the
pages OF Bret Harte.
Even the Italian miners forgot largely
TO gestlculate. As for Mr.. Toscaninls
part. II goes without saying that II was
perfect. But II was the composer HIM
self who disappointed. tho very Puccim
who In "Manon Lescaut." In La 30
hane," in "Tosca," in Butterfly" had
shown himself first and always a melo-
n
Italian musical creative artists. to whom
lyric expression was the flower OF the
soul.
The tourney 10 California, however
appeared TO be too much for signor fuc-
cini. Valiantly he strovc TO ABSORB the
American atmosphere, vaiiantly ne intro
duced what he thought was an American
ballad. while in the process melody ana
lyric beauty became IN the condition OF
that interesting bird the dodo. once
only. In the last act, when Johnson sings
what he believes his swan song, did the
Italian burst forth despite himself-a re-
lief that came too late.
Last nights performance was a GOOD
one. even though the chorus had long
forgotten Mr.. Belascos lessons In repres-
sion. Miss Destinn. Mr.. Caruso. Mr..
Amato and Mr.. Gilly were all in excellent
voice. and Mr. Amato, in particular
showed that he knows some things about
dramatic Interpretation That even |-"9
Italian barytones might be ignorant oil.
The orchestra was directed By MI Po-
lacco. whose services in the same WORK
under Mr. Savage stood him IN Sood
stead. He kept the musicians In hand
and gave a spirited reading OF the score.