The sun., 1917-09-09
MISS CRAFT GIVES
LIFE TO 'TRAYIATA''
Theatrical Artistry Proved in
Score Of Verdi Master
piece.
VOICE SOMETIMES HARD
San Carlo Company Reaches
High Level Of Merit by
Her Gifts.

The SaHd Carlo Opera Company at
aimed its highest level OF merit in the
rendition Of Ia Traviats." given yes
Srday afternoon at the Forty fourth
street. Theatre. The presentation Of
vercrs familiar opera served to show
what can be done by one person toward
WALKING a work that too frequently
proves cold and dispiriting through the
domination Of conventions. The one per-
con was Marcslla Craft. an American
anser whose operatio career was made
entirely In Germany TIL the war drove
her back, unknown and without pros.
pscts. to her native land. She has been
heard here in song Fecitsls, which II not
her field. anG despite serious shortcom-
ings she deserves . better fate than the
san carlo Opera Company seems likely
70 bring to her.
Miss Craft 10 net singer OF important
gifts. Her voice IL hard and yields It.
self reluctantly to demands for fluent or
good and II has q certain character, but
not one suited to the proclamation Of
such emotions ~ those Of vtoIstta. Mias
Crafts most celebrated success was the
ssIoms Of Richard straus. and her chief
arena Of activity was Munich. There.
a. II II were somewhere east Of the mu.
sical Suez where there are no ten COM
mandmsnts. the best vocal Art 10 like the
worst.
Histrionic ABILITY Marked.
theatrical skill. A small, dslicately fash.
t~aAA v0nnan aha VrthraHAs ~wSHh c>,v~,,a
temperament and discloses an artistic
ssnsitivensss At times almost poignant
6hs was suffering from anxiety yestsr.
day. and her acting was lacking In re-
pose. In the hrst act. however, this
vas not especially noticeable since she
denoted the hectic eAgeYness Of the fail.
iaS VtoIstto In = striking manner. with
veil planned points, with a wealth Of
admirable detail and with genuine feel
ins She even sang "Ah. fors . lur'
effectively. but not ''Sempre liberia"
In the succeedinG scenes she was at
times feverish rather than passionate,
but her dramatic force made itself felt
and there were some beautifully con-
esivsd. II not perfectly executed. pas-
sasss In her singing. There was pathos,
but 1t fell short Of adequate expression
Sy reason Of the inability Of the voice to
In thie too. but she made one forget Il.
- Aslba used to with the ravishing
6sauty Of pure tone.
Belongs e the Opera.
Marcella Craft belongs 10 the opera.
ohe nseds the freedom OF delinsativs
action. Of facial expression, Of that
subtler uttersnce which conveys itBslf
through bodily pose and movement. II
vas easy TO imagine this artist depict
ing the Willy consciousness and cruel cum
ming Of S0loms She u to sing Ner-
SSerJte in Faust" tomorrow night.
Mary Garden once excited interest In
This role. Miss Craft may disclose
originality also.
The performance yesterday was gen
Gally smooth. though without distinc.
tion except In 20 far a. the soprano was
concerned. Giroiamo Ingar was quite
submerged under the pallId woes OF
weeping Alfvedo Joseph Roger was Q
stalwart Gsrmont and celebrated Prov.
snce In a buriy style which commanded
an encore for the dear old tune. Tie
chorus sang fairly we'll and the orches-
ira had far less trouble than It did on
the previous evening In LA Gioconda.' u