Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-13
Nearly Fifty-seveH Varieties of
"Death" in Atlanta Repertoire
Of Metropolitan Songbirds.
SING BETTER WHEN "DYlNG"
Hempei, Bori, Caruso, Amato and
Scott Among Stars Due for
Slaughter" During Week.


Murderous Mexico nor riotous Rus
sia ever gloried in such a saturnalia
of homicide as that to be enjoyed by
Atlanta during opera week. Every
Die villain." Charley Blaney ever
wrote would not furnish the under
takers half the business supplied by
the seven operas chosen for Atlanta
season. if the stage deaths were the
real article.
The seven operas supply a grand
total Of eighteen dying notes, ranging
from the middle G to murder in the
high C's. This includes principals
only, not counting the slaughtered
ueasantry and those slain before the
curtain rises. If the opera stars We're
10 observe Richard Mansfeld's rule
of never appearing after being killed
the Metropolitan would have to i'm
mort a double set Of substitutes
There wouldn't be a tenor left after
the first night.
Critics differ as to the reasons for
the composers affection for all forms
If murder and sudden death. Some
say the Italian temperament finds its
principal delight in watching the
hero insert seven inches of shiny
steel just below the fifth rib of the
villain or vice versa, as the case
may be.
Offer Fine Chances to Sing.
Others hold that the death scenes
furnish the finest Of opportunities for
brilliant coloratura singing. it being
Feu known that soprano voice is at
Is pinnacle Of perfection Just after
is owner has been stabbed, shot,
~mothered with a pillow and thrown
down the Old Well
Particularly is this observed in Ira
tiata where the lovely Violetta,
nassing out from the ravages Of tu-
beUculosis and gasping painfully for
breath. raises herself on her mortuary
couch and triTs forth an aria lasting
eleven minutes and twenty three
seconds and consuming nineteen
horsepower of energy before turning
up her diamond tipped toes.
But certain it is that the compo-
sers or the librettists are strong on
the homicide stuff. One Atlanta
statistician familiar with the operas
to be presented here has prepared for
The Sunday American a schedule Of
the fatalities. giving the details and
grouping them according to method.
Here it is:
BY the Standardization in ICY
rano:" Schlemn in Tales of Hoff-
man."
By the Dagaer-Arthur in Lucia; "
Edgar in Lucia" GiocOnda IN the
opera of that name; Scarpia IN
"TosCa."
BY the Bullet Route-Cyrano in
"Cyrano:" Captain Carbon in the
same work: CavaradOssi in "Iosca'
not To mention a score or more OF
Cadets of Gascony, villagers. etc, etc
BY LOSIS-Nioletta N
-Trsriata" and Antonio in the
Tales"
BY STRANGULATION-La Cieea
On "t,ioCouda.''
BY POTSON-Angellotti in "Tosca.' ~
Ply JUMPING OFF ROOt-Tosca
BY STARvATIoN-AIanon in
Mauon LescauL .rl,J.,
BY SPONTANEOUS DlSLOCA-
TION-Olympia in Tales OF Hon
man"
OTHER CASUALTIEs-Insanity,
Crrspel In Tales" and Lucia IN LII
cia"
Stars on Death List
According TO the casts chosen Lor
he Atlanta season, several OF tH+
stars get il in the neck or between
The ribs more than once in the Week
The death list cast is as follows;
FRIEDA HEMPEL-Tubercu
insanity and fracture of the mann
spring.
LUCREZIA BORI-Starvation and
cARTsO-shot dead by the gov
eminent.
AMATo-BuIIet. love and nasal
trouble
DESTfNN-S Suicide by dagger ana
again by leap of par1pet-
SCOTTI-Bv an unexpected ulrh.
NARTIN-Gunsh0t wound by par
Ties unknown. =.
MARIA DUCHENE-Strangled (off
stagel
Segurola. Bada MaCnez, Rossl ana
others. assorted deaths
Few Atlanta viii Miss.
But it might have been worse
remarked the statis5ician- " e shaii
miss the exquisite touch of 'Rlgelet-
to- where the fair GilGa is sewn up
lu sack. Of aida where loving
-oupie IS walled up iu "a sub-reisar,
whence only their voices can escape
~ Carmen. where dagger fly pro-
ll .euouslv. OF BUTTERFLY. Where the
woman principal slices hers r IN two
H.-l 81 carving kuifr
-Hat-1p- zaIU. daE compose "l-I
-a--a along and write an opera l-IN-
H- f.yr Survivors when t.e la~L
---l. sr-s Egf probably 10 uu.
g. m fat and uninteres ing.