The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-16
carmen" PRODUCED
AT CENTURY OPERA
Kathleen Howard as n StaIwart
Gypsy Central Figure Of
the Performance.
MUSIC TOLERABLY SUNG
Morgan Kingston Heard as Don
Jose: Louis krcidlcr as
EScamillO.

Carmen" was performed at tho Con.
fury opera House last evening, the second
Of the new season. Rizet's work entered
the repertoire OF this theatre OF lyric art
on December 20, 1918. when the chief
members Of the cast were with one cx-
ception those again heard last night Al
that time much was promised for the In
depreciation Of the title role BY Kathleen
Howard II was mistakenly brulted
abroad that she had descended into Spain
and dwelt with the gypslcs In order that
she might learn the truth. the whole truth
and nothing but the truth Old men
wagged their boards. for they had heard
this about SO many Cdrmens
The revelation Of the results az Miss
Towards sociological studies Introduced
not the gypsy OF Merimee nor that OF
Me.lhac and ITalovy. /, was all her own
The audience saw a brawny. aggressive
Carmen, swarthy and cruel OF face. rude
and harsh OF movement and accent, who
seemed able toseize an inofrnsive Don jesse
seemed able to seize an inoffensivc Dow
Jose by the scyuff of the neck and drag
him TO her lair. where blcached the bones
OF previous victims
Tho leopard cannot change his spots
II was the same Carmen last evening
why did Don Jose do It? Perhaps Nor
gan Kingston Is the answer At any rate.
his gentlemanlike and plant brgadler
seemed perfectly ripe for destruction at
the hands Of this determined cigarette
maker. unsteady, there was also a great
gulf between the two. Miss Howard has
portentous tones and inkings of rhythm.
There were moments when she almost. as
the great authors say. "g!lmpsed" Bizet
and hardened operaEocrs sat up and pre-
pared 10 be moved But like a true primA
donna she soon dropped the heavy curtain
Of her own personality before the char
actcr and left Blzet to his fate
That Nj Kingston has not changed
vocally to any appreclah!c degree Is some
thing for which Century patrons viii be
grateful. Mr.. Kriedler was picturesque
az the Torcddor and Myrna Snarlow, a
newcomer. found scope IN the music OF
Mcdcla for pretty voice and an In
nocuous style.
The Improvement in the ensemble va
quite az noticeable as on the opening
ri.ht Mr. Coinis cortro, was everywhere
Uanifest In the stage pictures and the &C
ton. While certain sma items showed a
beside to push details to perfection. For
instance. trumpeter on the stage In the
first act played the music instead OF a
trumpetcr in the orchestra and Two
.
cesson and ballots spoke well for the ac-
tivity OF Mr.. Albert.eri. and the mus cal
excellence of the performance was to the
I credit Of Josiah Euro. who conducted with
authority and uncommon taste Tile treat
ment of the orchestral part ~ the opera
was as far from that Of last season as
sunlight from gloom
These first two representations AZ the
Century opera House have been on a scale
which ought 10 be sustained In such an
institution. The English lyric temple is.
as II were. the Stadt ThoI'er Of this town.
There one should expect 70 hear operate
/ performances In which merit but not
/ world dazzling brirancy Of individual
impersonaton discloscs itself and In
which there is a commeudah'e general
level Of effort among the principals, sup
ported by n good presentation of the
Cho~al and instrumental portions Of n
score In Monday evenings production
Of Romeo and Juliet and last nights
Of Carmen" these requirements were
1 fairly met.