New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-05
SPIRIT OF FRANCE
SWEEPS BENEFIT
Neutrality Scorned at the
metropolitan Performance
for Ambulance Fleet.
VICTOR MAUREL SINGS
AFTER LONG ABSENCE
Americas Greatest Artist Plays
Old Role-More than $4,000
Received for Fund.

IL was night for France ut the
Metropolitan Opera House. II thero
were any neutrals in the great audi
ence they kept wisely out of sight
When James NJ. Beck. president OF the
French Flotilla Committee, under
whose auspices tho benefit was given,
declared in resonant tone, 81 am not
neutral; I have failed to see any
result from neutrality. save in the
strewing Of the waters Of the deep
with the bodies Of women and chill
drenl" the audience applauded and
cheered the speaker to the echo. De-
cidedly it was an unneutral evening,
and the tricolor OF France not only
served in the decorations, but IL was
yended in the Hobbies by a score Of
pretty young society women and was
enshrined in the hearts of all.
The benefit was for the purpose Of
buying automobile ambulances for the
/ French army. II was announced that
the receipts, including subscriptions,
were more than $4,000.
Among the artists who appeared were
two of the greatest operate singers
America has ever known-NictOr
Maurel and Emma Calve. Another
artist, in her way equally as great, was
10 have appeared. but did not Yvette
Guilbert spent last night in n hospital
under the surgeons knife. OF Victor
Maurel Verdi once said to Signor GATH
Casazza: "Of all the artists have ever
known Maurel has been without
peer, both ar:istically and int, lectual-
ly.' And last night, after nearly
twenty years absence from the New
York stage. Maurel came back for a
few short minutes TO give q too brief
glimpse Of Nerdi's own immortal "Fal-
staff
When, in 1898. NJ. Maurel created
the part his voice was no longer In
a. prime Yet. twenty-five years after,
he is able p present an Interpretation
such as no living singer could hope 10
equal. The short scene he gave-the
scene where Falstatf sings of the days
when he wac a page 10 the Duke Of
NorfO!k-was a lesson in acting and
indeed in singing j b was inimitable.
Haoitues of the opera, lovers Of the
CLASSIC drama, may well long for an
other Victor Naurel. lie showed 20
them last night what heights The opera
and the Shakespearlan drama can at
tain.
And then there was LA Marseillaise,"
sung by Nine. Calye. q chorus and the
whole audience. Gowned in black a
cockade upon her head and carrying be-
hind her and around her huge Tri-
color, she advanced TO the footlights
amid storm of applause and cheers.
The audience rose and then she broke
int the first words, "Allons, enfants &C
la Patrie' There was q tense silence
until the opening bar of the chorus,
and then, as one voice, the whole house
took up, amid the crash of the brass
and the roll Of the drums, Aux armes,
oitoyens!"
Three verses were sung, the final,
Amour sacr6 de Ia Patrie," being given
by Nine. Calve on her knees, the flag
pressed closely about her, her eyes
upon its folds. And when the curtain
fell there was little applause, but it
was not because hearts were not full
it was because they we're too full and
they let the music within speak for
themselves.
The other artists who appeared were
Carlos Salzedo, :he harpist; Reinhold
de Warlich. barytone; Nine. Gina Ga
perelN Niafora, Kathleen Parlow and
i NtS -NNls MISS 44b4 tlllt " y man HI-
peared in Nine Guilbert's place and
gave charmncly several French songs.
In his address Mr. Beck alluded TO
the debt the United States owes to
France, and urged that it be paid.
THE French soldiers are fighting, not
only for France. but also as the ban
ner-bearers of civilization and, indeed,
for the future security of the United
states" said Mr. Beck. "If the American
nation is faithless to the debt it owes
to France the stones Of the streets will
cry out against US.
'Is it not time for 80 to remember
this debt of R.-titude? I am not
neutral ! fail to see any result from
neutrality save in strcwing the waters
of the deep with the bodies of women
and children. If the Allies should fail
the civilized world would fall into
ruin"
Truly, last nigL.'s French Flotilla
Benefit was not a Neutral affair!