New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-02
A NEW FL0R|D SINGER
FrauIein HempeI's Second Ap-
peardnCe.

IL ought 10 be no great matter whether
or not our opera company has within its
lists a great singer of the old school; 1t
would not il the manager restricted him
wrongly. our public has learned to accept
violent expression of emotion for art,
whether the expression be beautiful or
not. But operas of tho old schoo! still
have a charm-some of them very great
charm. Great musical geniuses have come
and gone within the last century. and
some OF the greatest Of them have per-
mItted themselves 10 sneer at Rossni, but
main 10 measure itself with Rossini
! Barber OF Seville" in fifty years from
now Except Wagner's "Meisterslnger'
which Il in German what I'll Barblere'
is in Italian) is a question not To be set
tied out OF hand. though We have heard II
sett,ed over a Scotch hghball by writer
for tho broadway theatres, who confessed
that he would be ashamed Of himself mad
he written the rinale OF the second act OF
the Barber" Heaven help him! IL was
n COURAGEOUS utteIance. but the name OF
the man who made it and all his works
will he forgotten. Il IS safe TO opine. when
tho people OF New York will still be revei-
ling in the beauty of Rosslni's music.
While we have the Barber" we shall
have to have singers of the old schools
for the parts of Rosina. the Count and the
barber Mr.. Gatti put out TWO OF his Dest
neonl. I'm the work last night, and
though he gave his patrons most de-
Iightful entertainment on the whole he
sent many OF them home wondering
| whether the best of the forid singers
wbom he was able 10 find abroad had met
,ha standard to which New York has
hoen accustomed for nearly century.
Traditions are not easily killed, and the
traditions which cluster around the name
| or RossInis Rosina are particularly
,oveiv The names of tho many rep
| rosont,tives must not be mentioned out
., doference to Fr;iulein Hempel, VINO
sarc last night. and who Is a singer with
ho.u,ifuI voice. and with command OF
beautiful art $50 far as It's mere .eo".
rioue Is concerned). but who In spite vi
those fine qualities failed to put any III
d;vidual impress upon the part. The ehec'
:, anateurishness was apparent In every
80. aha did-her acting, her singing
100 - the brilliant variations by Adam
on Nozart's old baby tune Morseh
Lommt der MISUNDERSTANDING, Whlch she
,n,ornolated in the lesson scene. IL was
Mic JIempers second appearance. ohe
! ia. u better impression than when she
anneared in LES Huguenots' when d"
manner of excuses were Que he' oe'".'
| of the conditions Of her appearance o'.'
last night all that was possible was "'o"-
erate admiration for the beautltui thlf'SS
ehe did and disappointment for the Things
I'm which she failed.
| Her companion. Signor Amato' WIN
appeared In the part OF Figaro 1or .',e
first time. delighted everybody by ms
treatment of the dialogue as well as Tue
| mus,caI text. Nobody has thought OF
| ciyror Amato as q comedian HERETOFORE
hrt no knows. like few Of his compan-
| ions. what the proper treatment OF reel
tative means There was another new
conner in the cast-Signor MacneZ-a
tenor of such light weight that more
than n word or two would be oppressive
An artist who deserves special praise
was Mr.. De Segurola, whose impersoha-
ton of Basilio was masterpiece OF
caricature. His singing OF the Calumn'a
air i'm the second act was splendidiv eN-
ecuted. and the pantomime with when
he accompanied il most expressive MT
Pini-Corsi helped along the comedy IN
the part of Bartolo. H. l.. N.