Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-16
ADJUSTMENTS
FINE SINGING AND ACTING
MARK "AIDA" PERFORMANCE

AS an exponent OF the elaborate and
prodigal staging that is commonly as
sociatcd in thought with grand opera
production, the San Carlo Grand Opera
Company is not to be taken seriously;
as an organization, however. of singers.
actors. musicians and artists all. il is
not only worthy OF profound respect.
but 1t compcls warm and even wonder
ing admiration Fortune Gallo the
managing director of the company has
very apparently not bothered his head
or drawn upon his pocket to provide
heavy settings, handsome costumes
and massive properties. Inspired by
the very Latin idea that operas were
written principally to he heard. and
not for the purpose of exploiting ballet
dancers and scenery painters. he has
evidently devoted his energies 10 Sc
curing men and women with sufficient
skill and art to sing and play tho
scores OF the masters
In other words. the San Carlo Grand
Opera Company presents tho grand
operas in Italian STYLE" as we know it,
which, being interpreted, means that
the men ana women of the company,
led by an accomplished director, who
also has charge of an orchestra pit
filled with IN adequate number OF in
StrumentaliSts who are also musicians
sing whatever opera is programmed
with voices always schooled, always eff
fectivc and often very beautiful, and
always again with the utmost fire and
intensity, while they portray the char
meters assigned to them with COM
plcte subordination of self and n tenn
peramental absorption in their vari-
Gus roles.
All this was known before to those
or us who were SO fortunate as to hear
any or all of the three operas sung
by that remarkable and admirable or
Eanization last season, so that last
n.rfnrnon N nf 1op
only as confirmation of an opinion
already held, or n prediction already
made. But ii must have opened the
eyes and thrilled the ears of tho many
In the large audience who had not
known what was before them. And,
for til" first time. the company was
greeted and. by the way, rapturously
applauded by an audience that fairly
we'll filled the house. Last season, few
realized the great worth of the Or
gani%ation and It's performances: last
night the sheer merit of the company
remembered and talked about drew a
rela lively big house.
AS has been suggested. there was
much 10 be desired-by those .who lay
stress upon the mechanical side OF
opcra--in the way of production; some
of the scenes, indeed, from that stand
! point. we're frankly funny. But, so far
as the music and the acting were con-
If so light a word may be applied to
so dramatic II presentation of Verdi's
most impressive opera
by his singing OF the radiant aria.
celeste Aida" which. 1t Will be re-
inembered, Is set In the first few pages
of the score. Giuseppe Agostini quickly
won the unsrudginE. the enthusiastic.
| approval of the house. and deservcdly.
! For he Is one Of the finest tenors that
richmond has ever heard In opera.
| Strictly speaking, he is doubtless a
| lyric tenor: his voice is not heavy in
us lower register has none of the
! baritone quality that Is frequently
! found in tenori robusti. But he uses
II with such fervor and dramatic force,
sends 1t soaring up above the treble
clef in the many high sustained pass
I ages In which aida" abounds with
, such unrestratned vigor--thOugh with
out the slightest evidence of forcing
that. certainly in this opera. he is n
| dramatic tenor in the most literal sense
| OF the word. And, artist that he is, he
grew more and more effective vocally
as the end OF this extremely trying
opera drew near
owing to the indsposition of Mime.
| Adaberto, the programmed Aida, the
role was sung by Mary Kaestner, one of
the few Americans In the company Miss
Kaes;ner is lyric soprano, and Aida