New-York tribune., 1917-12-02

aces SUN NOUllHhbeN me 10 tuCI extent
that said to myself, much ado about
nothing! Too much tam-tam, two bass
drums, trombones thrilling! o Bee
thovenl 0 Wagner"
But while | am trying TO smother
within me my honest impressions with
this soliloquy worthy Of Beckmesser,
my attention is little by little arrested
by the artist who is impersonating
Iago and who is saying to Rodrigo:
"This foppish captain usurps my rank.
my rank which in a hundred well
fought battles have won"
Victor Maurel-because it is he who
is impersonating Iago-discloses his
handsome, serene, mobile, expressive
features framed in dark hood whose
projecting peak accentuates its lines;
who would not trust that kindly face
and that voice so unaffected, so re-
plete with seductiveness? But when
gradually he reaches the words, Ma
CO. yer che Rodrigo sei,' what
change in color and what q PRESENT.
ment Of calamity you felt in that ex-
preston!
The chorus sang "Fuoco di gioja'
and immediately after Isgo began the
Brindisi, which he delivered with a
freedom, a dash and incredible rich
ness Of nuance. Accustomed as ! was
TO the conventionalism Of the artists
Of that period-good artists, undoubt-
edly, but uniform in style and aca-
demic-I was simply enchanted as by
q revelation. as was the entire audi
ence, and all had eyes and ears for
him alone. In q word he was the
centre of the stsge-even when he was
silent and motionless-a centre Of ira
| diation and of attraction.
The tenor who is the interpreter Of
/ Otello, Oxilia, has a splendid voice and
is an intelligent artist; Borghi Mamo
is a Desdemona Of fine qualities; Faccio
directs admirably, supported by an ex-
cellent orchestra. The scenic appoint
ments are sumptuous. But all these
features pass into the third line, into
the hundredth line! Iago is positively
the handspring of the whole organiza-
tion. He seduces, convinces, holds in
his grip not only tho other characters
of the tragedy, but all the spectators
as well.
Rarely have ] witnessed such
phenomenon OF artistic domination so
powerful and so continuous-so con-
tinuous because it lasted all through
the performance and increased in
power with each succeeding scene.
! It is useless TO attempt to analyze
Maurel's Interpretation of Iago or TO
sneak of the "Credo" and of the
Dream" as executed by him, or of that
terrible "Temete, signor, la gelosis,"
which no one who once heard Z would
Z ever forget. To award him fitting
praise can only find worthy COM
parison outside the lyric stage. Tom
maso Salvini in 1891 at the Teatro
Paganini. OF Genoa, undertook TO play
lago for the love of contrast. The
great Othello was also a superior lago
However, to control himself and main
tain that diplomatic reserve which
characterizes Iago failed TO eFace the
memory of Maurel which / and others
have recorded. With Maurel there was
10 effort, but naturalness, an ease OF
manner which cannot be described.
The many who remember him on
that occasion will confirm my testi-
moIy.
For me that evening az the Comu-
male Theatre Of Bologna was the open
| ing of a new horizon. Maurel made
me realize that the confines of inter-
pretative art in melodrama were much
more ample that l had imagined; he
made me understand this better than
any professor or treatise on aesthetics
could have done.
Maurel. as ali know, has triumphed
in every country, in every theatre. To
achieve such a result he had all the
essential endowments handsome
person, mobile face, expressive eyes.
graceful and elastic body, elegance and
natural distinction. In addition, Mau-
rel had that queen Of qualities: he
was born for the stage. on which at
every moment he felt himself at per-
feet ease. His voice was not one OF
great power, but was beautiful,
throughout even, and with 1t he could
obtain any desired effect. His pianis-
simo. his mezza-voce, which he knew
20 well how TO use, rs, for example, in
the dream of Cassie, furnished ver-
table Lesson in how TO overcome the
greatest difficulties in the art Of sing
ing.
TO all this Maurel added lively a
broad intelligence and intuition most
keen, an extraordinary culture, and
above all, splendid poise. In fact,
this poise was HIS primary great gift;
the second was his versatility.
BY poise mean that balance, that
sense Of proportion which he displayed
in all his effects; never any exaggera-
tion, or bsnslity, or eccentricity. al
ways the greatest respect for the COM
poser. whom he never disregarded,
evan 70 the least degree. Admirable