Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-26
HOMER SCORES IN
ROLE OF AZUCENA
Large Audience Gives It's Most
Enthusiastic Approval to
the Company.
ORCHESTRA WINS A HOME
BY HENRIETTA M. REES.

III Trovatore, by Giuseppe Verdi,
with all its beauty of familiar melo-
dies. with all its richness of harmony,
with its many dramatic scenes and
magnificent climaxes, was presented
at the Auditorium for the second and
closing engagement of the Ellis Opera
company Tuesday evening. =.
The audience, while not so large as
that which greeted Carmen" Monday
evening, was of a proportion to fill the
Auditorium except for few balcony
seats, and was even more enthusiastic
than that of the preceding night.
Congratulate the Committee.
The committee of the Retailers as
ISOLATION having in charge the work
of arranging the course has covered
itself with glory in its present attempt
and is receiving hearty congratula-
tons from all because of the excel
lence of the entertainment provided.
That so responsible body of citizens
and business men is behind the gen.
eral movement to provide high-class
music for the public in Omaha is of
immense assistance to the cause Of
the art in general, and this fact is
fully appreciated bv those who are de-
voted to music in any way. Other
numbers in the course are being
eagerly awaited. ~
Although al Trovatore" is one Of
the best known and most popular OF
all grand operas, and unquestionably
one of the greatest of all of the Ital-
ian school, it has not been presented
in Omaha for several years, and never
upon quite SO generous scale.
Triumph for Homer.
The performance of last evening
was remarkable for one outstanding
figure, and the name of III Trovatore"
in the future in Omaha will always
be linked with the overwhelming
triumph of Louise Homer as Azu-
cena. He voice is a contralto of
! great beauty and power, and she
uses it with skill to delight the
most exacting and with an art to
ravish the most aesthetic. Over and
above this, she is consummate
actress, and the character of Azucena
as she portrayed it, was one of the
most magnificent pieces of interpre-
tation it has been the writer's good
fortune to witness. In the first scene
of Act II, while relating to Manrico
the dramatic story of her mothers
death, at the stake, and how in frenzy
she had thrown her own babe into
the flames, she presented the music
with dramatic fire and histrionic
realism that fairly swept the audi
ence off its feet. In the entire act
she was all that could be desired
and was called and recalled before
the curtain as many as eight or nine
times.
Others in the Cast.
Marie Rappold as Leonora sang
the part with sincerity and great
beauty of tone. Her voice is unus-
ually sweet, and of great power, and
was displayed effectively.
Morgan Kingston made an ac-
ceptable Maurice" He is possessor
of rarely beautiful voice, essentially
tenor, yet of immense power and
richness of quality. Although not as
yet great actor, he sang the many
taxing numbers which fell to the
part of the troubadour with splen-
did effect, and was cordially re-
ceived
Giovanni Polese was heard to ex-
| cellent advantage as the Count di
| ,,,, h., &c Gin u;,,o apd ,ct;ro ,,,,f,
ing much out of rather ungrateful
part. Leon Rothier, as Fernando, de-
served especial mention. He sang
the opening aria with such life and
vocal ability as to win him a curtain
call all his own, and his part in the
various ensembles was highly salts
factory. The other parts were also
well presented.
Chorus Work is Great.
OF the concerted numbers, OF
course, the great prison scene stands
out pre-eminent Here the voices of
Leonora and Maurice were most
artistically contrasted and blended,
while the chorus in the distance added
! yet another effective contrast to this
intense scene. In the Anvil Chorus"
in act two the chorus did some ex-
cellent work. ......
The. dramatic intensity of the last
act, with its exquisite duet for Man
rico and Azucena, first with its weight
of woe, and then with the beauty Of
! the we'll known Back to Our Noun
tains," to later develop into the trio
with Leonora, series of wonderful
beauty and exquisite pathos was done
with such artistry as to develop its
every charm and hold its listeners in
enraptured suspense to the end.
Orchestra Wins Friends.
The orchestra, itself most artistic
body, upheld its high standard of per-
Torrance established last night, and
came into its own with the three in
terpolated solos, Overture from
Tannhauser," Wagner; "Barcarolle'
from Tales of Hoffman," Offenbach,