Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-29
CARUSO'S THRILL
STILL THE SAME
Great Audience Hears Tenor as
Samson in Revival of
st. Saens's Opera

At the beginning Of review Ia a good
place to mention next weeks opera. II
will be "Lohengrln," with Urlus. RRppold.
Goritz and Ober Even with so popular n
work and such good paper" cast. II IL
doubtful IL the house will be any larger
than last nights, which crowded box and
gallery and deepened the line Of ISLANDERS
to the point OF impassabilty. Caruso and
cash are still synonymous
The bill was ST Saens "Somson ct
Dalla," which was one OF the many fresh
things of interest to the good account OF
Oscar Hammerstein in the days OF his reign.
He gave It with a fine company, headed by
the long-absent DalmOres. the now dead
Gerville. Rcache and tho reliable Dufranne.
Later Dora sang the role of the soduCing
valley.woman of Sorek With that let his
tory stop and Impressions start one Of
these last evening was to the effect that
the mighty Caruso has lost none OF his
cunning. Some Of his vocal resource he
undoubtedly has mIslald, but he knows how
to SOW with the hand as we'll as the full
sack He still can husband those round.
voclferous, yellow tones NJ his, only to pour
them out in prodigal profusion when the
occasion demands. startling dis detractors
and dclighting his admirers. as in the duet
with Dalila In the second act, At the close
of that ecstatic duet he seized n great audi
epce and thrilled II with the old Caruso
fervor
Mime. Homer. the Dalila, got a strangely
apathetio reception. Perhaps that was due
in part to the fact that she has done bet
ter acting though not better singing in
other roles At first she was obviously a
comely and respectable person, becoming,
with the addition OF her purple robe and
the Rrowl of the storm, more or the temp
tress But the malgnance of the spirit
rather than the mallgnance Of the flesh, Is
more in her line She Is more Ortrud
than the Rose of Sharon. To praise her
singing too much, I'm the face OF It's oru'
lence its warmth. its beauty of production
is as impossible as TO praise her impersona-
tion. both highly and Justly
She was in the midst OF some excellent
players. Even Mr. Caruso who is not
famous for his subtlety, made n more sub
dued and suggestive figure of the son OF
Manoah than one would have expected.
An ingenious makeup aided him somewhat,
and he was not wholly incredible, even In
the temple scene, In which he sang with
dramatic power. There were earlier mo
ments when ne was out OF voice. Right
adroitly did he shield that fact.
For real hlstrionsm one had 10 turn TO
Mr. de Luca, who was the high priest
Breaking no tradition, he proved that tradi-
tion may be ennobled as we'll as degraded.
The portrait was authentic, with touch or
biblical severity. which came into sharp
contrast in the ballet. led by the lively and
pretty Roslna Galll--a ballet replete with
bright, hot color but with little design
scenlcalIy The smash-up occurred with
prompt success after the child, Samson's
guide, was fortunately out Of harms path,
Fortunately. because that child was a SYM
pathetic and plausible little actor.
As to Samson" itself, II is still rouslng
and splendiferous opera. II II is not the
Impressive lyric music we once imagined. II
may be because French music Of the seven
ties is not now taken so heavily. There was
no heaviness in Mr.. Polacco's conducting,
He did well, as often, Il, ID.