Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-29
SPECTACULAR AIDA
BY OPERATIC SOCIETY
Sterling Organization of ANA
teurs Gives Production of
Professional Standards

colorful Aida" once familiar south Of
Market street until the center of lyric
dramatic gravity shifted north on Broad
to Poplar. was staged again last evening
at the Academy of Music. where a very
large audience welcomed the inaugural of
the Philadelphia operate Society's twelfth
season. The revival of Nerdis essentially
dramatic and musically resplendent work
represented the forty-frst performance of
this organization of sterling and enterpris.
ing amateurs who have raised il TO a high
degree of excellence by adhesion to ideals
and exercise of energy and enthusiasm
Aida" was given "A double performance as
the second work studied by the society
more than a decade ago. Last evenings
representation shows how enormously the
organization has grown in ease, surety and
musical merit. 1t was a performance that
could not be called amateur except for the
fact that IL is based on a strictly amateur
spirit. The Verdi work has been given
here more than once without tithe of the
distinction of acting and singing that char
acterzed this production. II was given for
the benefit Of the war hospital units orgi-
mating in this city.
The chorus is of course the handspring
and chief asset of the society. 1t now num-
bers $50 trained singers who have been
drilled to vocal efficiency in attack and
business. They sang the ringing choruses
with n great gusto. The Falls of Schuyl-
kill Male Chorus. under the able direction
of Joseph Smith, was heard to advantage of
the sonorous measures of the Egyptian
priests.
Lillian Gingrich. a well-routined singer.
who took the title role at short notice. gave
an excellent Interpretation of the slave
heroine Her voice is more lyric than
dramatic but she scored hit despite some
difficulty with very high notes. Her voice
is fresh and free from tremolo and her
enunciation clear Winfred Gross made
a stately Amneris. and her rich. well-manp
ulated mezzo was luscious to the ear in
the passages of the Pharaonic princess
George Rotherme the Radames, sang in
a pleasing tenor with much purity of die
ton The Ramfs of Rudolph Sternberg
was subst intial both vocally and histrioni-
cally Horace II. Hood. familiar in operate
Society audiences. was dramatic without
being unduly theatrical in the role of
Amonasro, in the best Interpretation he
has yet given here. William Otto Miller
whose excellent version of one of Murger's
Bohemians il well remembered from his
appearance in the society's performance of
the Puccni La Boehme" last season, gave
the distinction of mellow voice and fine
stage presence to- the part of the King.
Wassili LepS conducted the glowing score.
played by a delegation from the Philadel-
phia Orchestra, with keen of its
musco-dramatic values and a stressing of
its melodic poetry. Others concerned in
the success of the occasion were Earle w
Marshall, stage manager; Francis Fitch,
director of the ballet; ii. Il. Webb, assistant
conductor, and Lillian Mayer, prompter.
At the end of the second act principals Is
and chorus gave "A spirited rendition of
The star Sp tngled Banner" with Old Glory
and the society's service flag, bearing thr-
teen stars, the center Of the patriotic
tableau. W. Il. NJ.