New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-25
''CYRANO' IN SONG AGAIN
Delayed Repetition of Opera
Draws Large Audience.
AMAT0 WORTHY OF PART
Singer Gives Fine Performance
of Character Made Famous
by Great Actors.

The long delayed second performance
Of "Cyrano" was given lac: night on
the stage Of tho Metropolitan opera
House. Since its production on February
q Mr.. Damrosch has surely tasted of the
bread Of Adversely and slipped Of the
waters Of afIliction the opera having
twice been postponed because Of the i'll
ness OF artsts-frst. because Of Mr..
Amato. and last week because Of Mr..
Martin
But last night tho clouds parted. and
tho operate sun shouc clear from the
heavens and the opera went on as per
schedule. Tho audience. too. wa a
large one, and one that seemed abundant
ly interested in the proceedings.
or the opera itself. Of its music IT'S
construction, its libretto. an abundance
was written after the first production
but time. unfortunately did not permit
of any extended analysis Of tho per
Torrance
Leaving aside for moment tho iudi-
vidual artists. FIRST words of praise must
20 20 Mr. Gatti-Casazza for tho admirable
manner i'm which he staged the work
and for his admirable taste in all details
of costume and scenery. To Mr.. Hertz.
for his uunaEclnG energy. his admirable
musicianshir his sympathetic reading,
must be given credit for a large portion
Of tho spirit animating the Performance.
Good words too. are due 90 Mr. SETH
for his training Of the chorus. which
has rarely sung more effectively, and
TO Mr. SDeck for his management Of the
ensembles,
or the artists themselves first mention
must naturally be made Of the Cyrauo of
Mr.. Amato. II was no easy task 10 which
Mr. Amato set himself when he agree
10 impersonate the figure of Cyrauo de
Bergcrac. Memories Of tho great Coqucliu
clustered thick about IL. and our own
Richard Mansfield made of IL in many
ways one Of his most memorable tri-
umphs. Memories arc hard TO DOWN.
this case particularly hard-as both the
Freuchman and IN some respects tine
American had brought go their compos
tons the fire of AN imaginative genius
not unworthy that Of the pocti" creator.
Yet Mr. Amato proved worthy Of hi7
task
There were difficulties IN tho slow tempo
Of much Of the music. which prccludod
the stimulation Of heroic insouciaucc such
as was possible I'm tho dramatic version.
but Mr.. Amato none the loss succeeded
beyond expectation in propeliinS across
the footlights much OF the poetry. the
pathos and the lyric beauty OF the poet
duel.ist Tho figure Of Cyrano as cN-
pressed In Nj Damrosch music is rather
that OF the soldier and tho lover than
the philosopher. and here Mr. Amato
gave forth q romance of expression such
as he has rarely shown. His swaegerlnr
entrance was finely executed and his i'm
patience In awaiting Roxane a. Raeue-
uoau's was admirably expressed.
But finest Of all. finest beyond COM
pare Of anything in acting that Oh"
italian barytonc has given as. was DIS
death scene AT tho end. Here he rose 90
heights Of tragic poiguancy not unworthy
of tho great creator Of the character.
From tho moment when with a great
sweep ne drew his sword against his
old enemies. fraud ana compromise until
me- dropped Ifcless against tho tree -"
hclI tho audience spellbound. II was act
ing upliftod boy the spark Of genius
Mime. Aida $ RoXanc was charming Boo
face and graceful iu movement while tn"
music she sang with dclicacy and expires
sion. Her diction. too. was usually dis
tinct a virtue not always tho possession
Of Mr. Amato. handicapped as he was by
an unfamiliar tongue. Nj. Martins Chris
tlan was "A stiff portrayal of an migrate
ful figure Mr.. Martin. Ike Nine. Aida.
was singing i'm his native tongue. but.
unlike his fair companion. no one would
have suspected H.
Mr.. Grlswold gave a dlgnihcd portrayal
Of the French noble. De Guiche. and with
Mr.. Hnshaw. Mr.. Murphy and Mr.. Rciss
proved that English. even when sung. can
be made ineligible Good words must
always be said for Mr.. Rciss. ono Of the
frucst artists the Metropolitan possess
and last night he was in much better
voice than AT the premiere.
Tho other artists. including the chorus.
worked hard and faithfully
Mr. Damrosch was called before the
curtain after the second act and bowed
his acknowledgements lie seemed most
happy. and the interest Of the audience
appeared 10 justify it,
ucMCETHEGRTS" PIT ON