New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-16
Characteristic but Famil-
lar Features at Metro
poIitan's First Night.
"SAMSON EFT DALlLA"
HAS RECORD HOUSE
CarusO and Matzenauer in Chief
Parts of Saint.SaenS's
Work.

mecca of Amer can society. threw wiio
open its doors last night, and the sea-
son Of lgl5-l6 was on. Within its walls
Enrlco Caruso, of the golden voice. was
pouring forth his vocal soul in the
guise Of a Hebrew champion. without,
from endless motors. Q surge of silk
hats and fair women beat upon its
Hobbies and flowed in continuous
stream through its historic doors. Al
OF New York society and the cream OF
musical ~ hoe Who were there, for
the moment war stocks and war alike
forgotten. Others than New York so
ciety or the elite of the musical world
were also there, p-rched tar up under
the gilded roof or standing four deep
behind the orchestral rail-a happy,
excited, gesticulating crowd. the for-
tunate ones of thousand others VINO
had arrived too late 70 gain admIttance.
Sons of Italia were they, or nearly all.
brothers in blood and spirit TO the
great tenor who was singing for them
as only he can sing Children all ii
Santa Lucia or sun-kissed Sicily. Who
were happiest-the gods OF the gallery
and the rail- or the diamond crowned
occupants Of the boxes? No doubt
each in their separate ways! q,
And so it was that New York, smii.
ing amid its myriad lights, stepped
again proudly into the place It has held
these many years-Queen OF the opera
tic cities of the earth. In Europe the
war was raging, the opera houses there
were either closed or kept open soleiy
by means Of government support to en-
courage a respondent public, but here
on Manhattan Island, unvexed by raciai
hate, a theatre composed or singers
from all the warning nations was CIV,
ing opera in all languages and by all
composers. Truly here was the triumph
of neutrality! That an Italian director
had chosen for his opening opera
work by a sworn enemy OF Germany
was not because of any racial bias, but
only because there is one law In New
York stronger than any OF those OF the
Modes and Persians-the law that En-
rico Caruso must always open the
opera season!
As Mr.. Caruso does not sing German
an Italian or French opera had to be
chosen. Samson ct Dalila' happened
to be the opera, and If VI. Saint-Saens
does not like the Kaiser. the same ltal-
ian director will on Wednesday night
present work whose composer un,
doubtedly would have liked him, had
he had the chance! If France and
Italy had their chance last night, Ger
many will have hers tomorrow.
The crowd began arriving unusually
early. and by 8:l5 the auditorium was
practically full. The standees, OF course,
were in their places long before TINS
Their line had been forming at the box
office ever since 3 o'clock, until at I:3o
il extended half way around the opera
house. Twenty minutes after admls-
sion had begun to be sold the number
allowed by law had been admitted ana
several hundred late corners sent away
in disappointment. There did not, how
ever. appear TO be the interest shown
in some former years, and the disap-
pointed ones did not hang about In the
Hobbies, hoping against hope that some
good angel would touch the iron hearts
of the doorkeepers and prevail upon
them TO allow those waiting to pass
the magic portals.
A squad of police under Captain
Bailey kept the motor cars moving and
saw TO il that spectators should reap
but small harvest. Of course, there
were spectators on the street, though
Superintendent Hugh Brown kept them
clear Of the Hobbies Spectators are
as hard TO kill as the proverblal Irish
mans flea. but. like the flea, they were
kept last night on the jump by the
police. 1t was, all in all, an ususually
orderly and quiet opening of the season,
a quiet that was reflected by the de-
meanor OF the audience during and be-
tween the acts.
When at s:22, Conductor Polacco
stepped into his stand there was
gentle patter Of applause, which was
repeated at the first entrance OF Mr..
Caruso. At the first curtain Mr.. Ca
russo, Nine. Matzenauer, Mr.. Amato, and
Mr.. Rothier were called before tho
curtain number of times, and mo g
often still at the conclusion Of the
second act Yet 1t was in enthusiasm
distinctly Metropolitan first night
audience; decorous, poised, critical,
and far from bubbling over with en-
thusiasm, The standees, OF course,
added their mite, but that mite last
night was not what IL is when MI.
Caruso sings "Ridi Pagliacco." Sam
son ct Dalila" is not, after all, work
Of the young Italian Veritists, and true
Neapolitan enthusiasm needs tenoric
top note TO bring down the house-and
not, as in Samson" merely a strong
pair Of arms assisted by stage mar
ager). However, the house, though
last night il was temple, fell in truly
awe inspiring fashion, and when from
amid the debris Samson, In the smil-
ing person of Mr.. Caruso. emerged be-
fore the curtain, he got his due both
from subscribers and from his more
humble compatriots.
Yet what the evening lacked in en-
thusiasm il more than made up in
social brlliancy. The golden horseshoe
was ablaze with jewels, which answered
each other from box to box, until their
flashing brilliancy dimmed even the
auditorium's thousand lights. Every
one N society or wishing to get in
who could buy. borrow or get invited
was there, and Paquin, Worth and
Poiret were in their glory. The opera
season, In short, opened in more glory
even than its oldtime splendor. War
and its sorrows, which have touched
many of the Metropolitan's patrons,
seemed far distant, indeed. -.
Mr.. Gatti-CasazZa expressed himself
as greatly pleased with the reception
accorded the opera and sent a cable
dispatch to NJ. Saint-Saens, IN whien
he told the composer OF its success.
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