The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-04
'S0NNAMBULA sung
At METROPOLITAN
Bellini Opera Revived After
silence Here Of Six
Years.
BARRIENTOS AS ANNA

Crav hairs were countless In the audi
,orium Of the Metropolitan Opera House
ian night. la sonnambuia" walked in
No, sleep once again and all the dear old
folk who think an opera house ought to
I've a sublimated music box and who
thrill with emotion when they hear
Then you'll remember me- struggled
out to listen TO h lyric tragedy. The
opera had enjoyed . short repose. In
me early spring Of 1910. when an insti-
,uticn joyousiy christened the New The
a,re was in the splendor Of IL youthful
,n,husiasms. ia ~Sonnambula" was
brought forward on March -. Later in
the sane season the poor little work was
aiken down to the Metropolitan and
los, in its vast spaces. II was not
found again till last evening. when
pouerful field glasses and strong sound
reenforcers discovered its presence on
the stage.
In 1910 It was revived In order that
a most delicate echo Of ong called
Elytra de Hidalgo might pipe and whistle
through IL sossamer measures. Miss de
H,dAlgo and the music were too fragile
10 be exposed In company TO the public
case. ono was not strong enough 70
support the other.
Real Bare Feet, Tso.
The soprano essayed to bolster up the
amen,aole tale by going to the chamber
OF the Count in a real night gown n
With real bare feet. But In that era OF
bare footed. bare backed. bare legged
and bare faced dancers this prudish
parody on a disrobing act was disap-
uointng. Miss de Hidalgo's singing was
Also, but this may we'll Do forgotten.
With Maria Barrientos In the company
/, Was almost inevitable that la Son.
nambuia' would be released from it,
confinement IN the rest cure sanitarium
and permitted for a brief time to walk
the night. 1t Is a peaceful opera At any
rate and for this reason 10 perhaps de-
sirable at the moment. The soothing
bromide OF Bellinis melodies allays the
petulance Of the irritated mind. Not
poppy nor madragor2 nor all the
drowsy syrups of the world shall ever
medicine the tired business man to that
sweet sleep which browns his intellect at
performance Of La Sonnambula."
But in good truth this worn and hlmy
hi, Of ancient vocal lace Is 20 thin and
irayed that critical comment should
never approach 1t. must less handle II.
In this day IL Is as much of an a%nachron-
ism as an Elizabethan rune at . low
backed cabaret dance. However. Nine.
Barrientos is with US n We must hear
her sing those tnings which are In the
orbit OF her slender art. II In an Art
which may perhaps not put q girdle
around the earth in forty minutes, but
With that of Bellini II "a 60 through
TIE eye Of a needle. and this. according
to highest authority. Is An achievement
- considerable note.
, Perchance II the past could give back
to US Pasta and Rubini or even GeUter
and Campanini We might reecho the
rhapsodles OF Henry Chorley. and the
Two Richards. Wagner and Grant White,
.'or Il, is singabie music. as Wagner
s;outly declared. ami all that u neces-
sary TO prove 1t Is a company OF singers
/; would be delightful to record this
morning that last evenings cast was
equal TO the demands Of the score. but
truth must be respected.
signs Of Delight Decorous.
Nine. Barientos was . tolerable
Amino. Her s~pecialties in crescendi and
d!minuendi and her carefully prepared
ut,erances Of affecting sentiments had
their usual interest for h audience
though al all times the public expires
SONS OF delight were d~ecorous. The
prima donna acted the part poorly. Mist
Sparkes as Lisa did better acting. bu'
sne was not at home in the style Of the
music. Miss Perrin was acceptable a.
Teresa.
Mr.. Damacco sang the music o.
Ei,tno with nasal and icy tone ant
laborei valiantly with the arabesQuei
provided by Bell!p. He looked the par
and his acting a along the conven
\ ,onal lines. Mr.. Didur as the Comn
held his head very high, wore magnif
Gently brilliant boots n sans will
Judicious repression.
The scenery wa admirable. 1t Away.
Is. This old trusty car always be re
lied upon TO furnish commentator!
paragraph In any review. And tn
chorus. too. was worthy OF praise. Thi
naturally leads to publication once NOR
o. the name of GiuliO Setto. chorus mas
,sr. Mr.. Polacco conducted. 1t was no
Ainicult 70 do so. The orchestra playe,
adequately the accomplishments whicl
the crafty Cherubini sale were precisel!
suited 10 the voice parts. Altogether +!
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