Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-19
TROVATORP MAINTAINS STANDARD
SHBYDE FOLCO ON FIRST night
Vergeri and Giovacchlni Get
Warm Welcome on Re-
appearance Here
BY HALLeTT e. AeENo.

ut takes Italians TO really sing Tro
vatore,' is much-worn phrase, ana
in the main it expresses truth, but
last night at the Hawaiian Opera
House Honolulu audience was priyl-
legged TO witness that certain ,excep-
ton which proves the rule, for Mad
anne Emilia Eergeri is Spanish. and
she put into the role that romance
and tragic fervor for which italians
are noted. f.. s-: ~
ANY feeling that perhaps the De
Folco Grand Opera Company had put
its best foot forward at the opening
Monday night with aida" and that
other operas in the repertoire would
be less satisfactorily put on. was dis
PEELED last night Again the scenery
was good, the costuming adequate, and
the general handling of the score sat
isfying.
For a time last evening the perform
ance took on a semblance OF a wei
coming reception for Madame Vergeri
and Michele Giovacchini, both former
fayorites of Honolulu opera patrons
Hearty applause greeted the appear
ance of each artist, and each was load
ed with flowers from friends in the
audience. ."...=.<. l..
Veroeri Has Lost Weight.
Madame yergeri, though far from
slender even now, has lost much
weight since she was last in Homo.
lulu. Her stage, presence is conse.
ouently enhanced, and she also sings
better and has better breath control
than when her breathing was impeded
! by flesh.
Giovacchini, like Vergeri. appears
to better advantage than on his last
visit, when he sang in surroundings
unsuited to grand opera, tried to sing
| to a poor orchestra, and was with a
company which, on the whole, was
much his inferior.
A new tenor was presented last
evening, Luigi Poggi, who won instant
favor with the audience. Poggi's
voice and acting methods blend well
with those OF Madame Vergeri. and
the scenes of Leonora and Manrico
were handled with that passionate
abandon which tradition leads us to
demand from "Trovatore. Poggi has
that supreme excellence of always
singing true to pitch.
Holmes scores Again.
| Bernice Holmes. after her success
as Amneris on Monday. scored again
last evening as Acuzena, her aria after
the anvil chorus, her scene with the
count after her capture. and her prl'
son scene In the last act being especl-
ally notable. Madame Holmes has
Ibeen heard In Honolulu before as the
/ gypsy mother, and last nights per-
| Torrance confirmed Mondays impress
sion that her talents are still develop
ing. II was hard to realize that last
nights terrorized, shambling, pigeon
| toed old bag was the same woman
who made such a regal appearance on
i the opening night as the daughter oil
the Egyptian king.
Mario Marti as Fernando, William
Giuliani as Ruiz, and Matilde Renis as
Inez sing we'll, and show that artists
for the minor roles have been chosen
with that care which enables the com
pany to give well balanced opera.
The combination of inclement wea
lther and the competition of the big
4 army relief ball resulted in small
audience last evening, but the enthu
siasm was great, the Anvil Chorus,
"Misereren and all the well knowl
arias being given reception which
shows that endless repetition has mol
vat served to wear threadbare the
Familiarity of Verdi's most florid ope
ra
No Lonq Waits Last Night.
i Improvement in the orchestra Was
very evident last evening. CheVallel
di Roccia again welding the baton
The long between-the-act waits o
Monday were entirely done away