New-York tribune., 1918-02-01
Opera
Mime. Galli-Curci Wins New
Triumph as Lucia: Thrills
Audience in Mad Scene

Nine. Amlita CALI -Curci made her
second appearance in New York last
night at the Lexington Theatre. sing
ing the title part in Lucia di Lammer-
moor The audience was again of huge
proportions and almost hysteric enthu-
siasm. Nine. Galli-Curci has swept
New York rs she swept Chicago, but
lar more important than this is the
TACT that her triumph is deserved
Aside from two or three slight lapses
from the pitch her singing was as per-
feet as anything can be perfect in this
imperfect world.
There may have been great singers
III the past who gave the mad scene
with more dash in the bravoura pas
sages. but Nine. Galli-Curci's finish of
style was beyond praise. Her trill. her
staccati, her skill in portamcnto. her
disdain of tricks, marked her as a great
singer and sincere artist. The uni
iormltyN OF her scale was again evident,
her lower and middle tones being of
luscious beauty. Moreover. she is an
accomplished actress, and she imparte d
to the part poignancy and reality
"
The rest of the performance. with the
exception Of Vittorio Arimondi. who
knew the style of the music, was mad
equate. Neither Juan Nadal as Ed
gardo nor Giocomo Rimni as Aston
added anything, and Mr.. Sturani helped
XIII the seNtet by his fury of conduct
ing. But after all Lucia" lives or
dies because of its coloraturo soprano.
and such saprano is again among US
III Nine. Amalita Galli-Curci
1T would be manifestly unfair to
pass final judgment on Hippolito La
zar9. the young Spanish tenor, who
MADE his American debut last night
at the Metropolitan, singing the Duke
IN "Rlgoletto.' Mr.. Lazaro is unques-
uonabiy q remarkable singer, the pos
SCISSOR of voice of luscious quality in
It's medium and of upper tones of
great brilliance. By nature it is a
voice which strongly recalls that of a
much greater artist. Enrlco Caruso.
MR. Lazaro opened exceedingly we'll,
singing the "Questa e quclla" with
great beauty of tone and freedom of
emission. This freedom departed in
the following act, probably under the
stress of nervousness. and his voice
sounded throaty and in its upper notes
punched. When he is more used T., his
surroundings he will no doubt sing the
whole opera as we'll as he sang parts
OF 1t Iast night.
After the LA Donna mobile" which
Mr.. Lazaro gave with real effectiveness.
the audience applauded him until he
was forced TO repeat it, and at the final
curtain the tenor and Nine. Barrientos
we're brought before the curtain
fifteen times.
Nine. Maria Barrientos made her re-
appearance. as Gilda, singing with her
accustomed skill, and receiving warm
applause. Mr.. De Luca was the Jester
Mr. Mardones the Sparafucle and Miss
Braslau Maddalcna.
Miss Mary Garden and Mime. Amelita
Galll-Curci shared the day between
them yesterday at the Lexington Thea
tire. The concatenation of two such
lumlnaries ought surely to portend do
lngs in the stellar regions, for Nine.
Galll-Curci is the sensation Of the day
and Miss Garden the sensation Of many
former day. or night. Miss Garden
and Nine. GalliCurci arc the antipodes
of each other; the one the expression
of the new, the other of the old Miss
Garden the realist and the symbolist
5lme. Galli-Curci the romanticist, per-
haps also the classicst. In these two
artists there is food for all tastes.
Miss Garden appeared in the part
which she created and in which she has
never been approached. as Melisande in
Debussy's "Pelleas ct Melisande." This
work, the originality Of which not even
those who dislike it deny, the great
public never has liked and very prob
ably never will. The spirit of Maeter-
llnck's play is aristocratic and de-
cadent, if decadence is a word yet per-
mitted in a world where coterie OF
self~appointed "intellectuals" have Civ.
Ell carte blanche to the emotions. And
the spirit Of Debussy's music is OK
quisitely adjusted to the play. Neve,
has Il poet possessed a more sincere OF
sympathetic. more self-effacing CO.
djutor. The mystic longing, the utter
lack of will, OF definition Of purpose
the subtle odor of corruption, half OF
the grave, half of the boudoir, are ir
the music as they are in the words, anC
through the action the figures wander
like beautiful ghosts in moonlit Gem.
ctery
Miss Garden is in real life ANYTHING
but a ghost, and vitality has been one
of her strong points even in hel
artistic creation. She has given us
That's, and Sapho, and Louise-al
ladies very much alive. Her Salomt
was a panther, her Jongleur instinct
with the naivite of boyhood. Yet ir
Melisande her natural vigor vanishes
into thin air. She is wrath of wist
fulness, her veins are bloodless. Hers
/ is a supreme triumph Of art ovel
nature. II marks Miss Garden as al
! actress o. extraordinary imapinativ,