The Detroit times., 1915-10-20
IYcEuM.


apoes OF Carmen" which Detroit
opera lovers have witnessed. per
Laps none will be recorded In the
musical and theatrical history Of
the city as having equalled that Civ.
IN Tuesday evening. In the Lyceum
theater by the Boston Grand Opera
company and The Pavlowa Ballet
Russo. with "a fine cast as ever
interpreted the opera on any stage.
Maria Cav. the Spanish contralto.
and her husband. Giovanni Zenatel
10. the italian tenor. were the Car.
men and the Don Jose. with George
lIaklanotf, the Russian baritone, as
Escamillo. while the other principal
roles were sung by artists worthy OF
the artistic company OF the trio
mentioned.
Brazenly imrudent. frankly AMI
mai. coarsely passionate, fearless
and primsl Maria Gay made the
cigarette girl OF many loves. She
presented the character OF Carmen
as no other singing actress has ever
attempted TO do. There is no re-
hnement. no spbtlety. no tenderness.
not even in her love, In the Gay Car.
men Unlicensed rein to primal In.
st.nct for prey mark this artists
Carmen. A native OF the vicinity OF
Seville, Nine. Gay may be credited
with knowing something Of the
characteristics and the attributes OF
the race to which Carmen belonged.
As an actress, she has evidently
closely the role and developed its
possibilities until she makes II one
IL the most intense. dramatic and
vital OF Characterization. The Gay
Carmen Is wanton and vixen
with temper that brooks no leash
and a Wild spirit that refuses TO be
tamed. II Is a strong picture OF a
voluptuous. hsartless aud defiant
creature.
Nocally. Nine. Gay was superb.
Her voice is A contralto of such rich
ness and fieXibility as 10 cause con-
slant wonder and delight as It's
beauty, color aid vibrancy are re-
vealed. More beautiful singing OF
the music could not be asked.
Zenatcllo. despite the fact that he
had sung the exacting role OF Masan-
ptello N tho The Dumb Girl OF
Portici" Monday evening stepped
into the part Of Don Jose at the
FINAL moment Co help out Ricardo
Martin. who was unable TO appear
because of bad throat Like his
wife, Zenatello presented a new Don
Jose on the acting side and vocal
" perfect oae. He made Don Jose
a man, weak may be in his subjugs-
ton to the INSCRIPTIONS Carmen.
out still man, passion-torn and
bereft % balance and reason In his
mad love for the Syoman who houtcd
him after she had cajoled him, and
enraged him with her brazen
Coquetry with the Toreador The
scenes between Nine. Gay and Zena.
tcllo were remarkable for their vo-
cal perfection and dramatic effec.
tiveness.
In BailanoH the local stage saw
new Escamillo also A fine. big
fellow. with luscious baritone
voice and the same sure dramatic
instinc, possessed 10y Gay and Zena-'
tolio. Guklanoff made the Toreador
uevcrtc.Se.iorsottcu portrait. The
famous Toreadoi number actually
IVA Z a tewuey and ar originality
nat one could scarcely believe pos.
.9ic IN Wow Of the use II has had In
ia ara OF popular life
Mtl Schc ider. an American sing.
or. "a lcacd Z. good soprano as
ila,a and Relic Gottschalk and
l'cit Cirm'n', also American girls.
wee unu5ually GOOD as Mercedes
and Fraseuita. Alfred Kaufman as
Iuniga. Giorgio Paliti, as Morales.
Paoloa Nnanian as III Dapcairo and
Pietro Nudlsio as FL Remendado,
proved excellent artists.
The opera was gorgeously staged
and the big orchestra under Roberto
Mcranzoni gave the score--the orig
inal and complete one-stirring life.
Nile Anna Pavlowa. Alexandra
Volinire. Mile. Stasla Kuhn and
Nile. Stephanie Plaskorietzka and
the Ballet Russo gave the dances OF
Spain with the vim. the sinuousness.
the grace and the gorgeousness OF
dressing that marks all their ef-
forts. Nile. Pavlowa and her asso-
ciates were wildly applauded. the
audience. which packed the theater.
seeming not to bc able to expend IT.
self in enthusiastic tribute TO these
artists who have won so solid and
enduring place In the affections OF
the local public.
The complete ballet, which Bizet