Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-19
LUCIA" Is STILL MAD,
BUT NOT HER HACKERS
Intelligence Marks First Pro-
duction by Philadelphia
Opera Company

In tho Academy os Music, long destitute
Of what Is p,mpeusly known aa the lyric
drama the Philadelphia Grand opera
Company last night gave DonlEsttrs lucia
~ t.ammermoor" II was the inaugural ot
a scasou % local opera planned to covCr
much ground and a fairly wide rcpcrtory
And there are three trumps IN the hand
ot imprSsarlo william r. Rosenbach that
must be tabled here before any of tho
weaker cards In HIS gamble are disclosed .
Real popular prices Tho cnatlicst rcai
for the nertea In the Academy W. ~. THO
chcepeet is ntty cents That constitutes
fair deal--if no continues 60 stick 70 his
promtscn-snd shows real sporting blooN
Ills worst enemy could wish him noth'ng
lcEs than decent success on such terms.
Gratifying profssslonalrm tits artists,
at least those who snng last evening. arc
not amatcnrU n cSei M here and there. and
pushed willy .nlliy. into q bewlldered and
bevIlderirS ensemble OF uonent,tlen, Thcy
are ALL even those not the most richly en-
dowed distinctly OF the theatre ana OF
the singing stage They know the dt-
ference between Chcruhluo pnd Chorublnl'
between n footliEht and spot.
rromptneEa aud swIrtncss The curtain
went NY at SIS exactly. md tho perform
ance proceeded with Esai and prosrca-
slvcnoss that permitted the auditors to he
homo aud abSi az g moderately early hour.
All these facta. especially tho last-namcd,
mako Tor comfort, not only tha cFthctc
kind, but tho physical Long ~aite droEseu
tempt. Incompetence ~ detail hhNe hccn inc
curse of to- MAN. uperntlc organizations
before this. The local company may ptlue
itself on having rcsolutrly turned ltS back
on amateur falling and rrpfosaional wh'm'
alike Now II Mt RoScnbaCh Will only en-
courage the ahscnrc ~ evening dress no
vii, gn down IN Philadelphia h story As n
benernctor. at least of those who prefer
RAGS mot "ElRd'O to royal rSlment, when
worn for ostantn;luna sake.
Thorc are other kind and genuine things
thRt may be said for his venture; that no
has an exceedingly painstaklns and scholarly
niNestro In the pHr4pr ~ bitorc Mh'tlNl
that tho chorus works. with alRcritN. good
~ensr uf pitch rnl ,tpph'ltN OF nnuucR-
tlnn: that the orchestra. though II numheri
hut hfty. ls vvAc,ouS Intelligent aud ina
bucd with the team urk spirit The hrnuse"
are sufficiently mellow and full tho other
cholrs capable The strings might, however.
bc strengthened In order to get tho best
effects with Such furld creations ns
Lucia"
Or the cast. II may hC said tina; It was In
several cases OF ENoi. sound, rauahlc. &; not
clcctrlfying quality. Regina VIcarino, n
graduate N oscar uammrrs'c.us company,
sang the mRddeucd Lucy 20 the tuno OF
much applause. She In a properly trained.
quite resonant colorature scp;Uuc. with a
nice sense of vocal dramat'cs, Tails latter
knowledge Eho displayed with considerable
cunning In the dear. old arln OF Insanity.
through the thoroughly legitimate trick ~
saving" her voice often Hhrill, and sonc.
times mechanical. she Us nevcrthclcsE a use
tul and comcly person Slnagrn. who was
said sotto vocc to have Broken hts con-
tract. was replaced aH Edgar hy young
Scottish. American tenor Forrest Lamont,