New-York tribune., 1918-01-24
BY Grenville Vernon

Inc four weeks season of the Chi
cago Opera Association opened last
night IN the Lexington Theatre with a
performance Of Fevrier's "Monna Van
na'' and for the first time since the
days of the Manhattan Opera Company
New York is again the scene of an
operate battle.
Inc Old question as to whether New
YORK will support two first class opera
companies is once more opened and
Will once more ne answered. What
that answer is to be lies yet in the lap
OF the gods--a first night audience an
swers nothing.
Slgnor Campanni. like young Loch-
lnvar, has como out Of the West, but,
unlike that gallant. he comes not alone.
IN his train has arrived a pussant
army, in which the names Of Mary Car
den, Hector Dufranne and Charles Dal.
mores bring back vivid memories
others less known here will be better
known before the four weeks are out
and one may judge for himself whether
Amalita Galli-Curci, Rosa Raisa, Ric-
cardo Stracciari. Lucien Muratore and
Genevleve Vix deserve the praise that
has been lavished on them.
Competition in art. as in everything
else, is always welcome, and the COM
ing of the Chicago company has al
ready produced certain vibratory emo
tlons which, if continued, may serious
~ disturb the eight years calm of the
local operatic life. Every opera lover
welcomes the invasion from the West.
Slgnor Campanini has entered the lists
and thrown down the gage Of battle.
He fights with no golden horseshoe
nor stupendous subscription. If he
wins, it will be because he has pre-
sented performances and artists at
least the equals of those at the rival
theatre in Broadway. but whether he
both pleasure and profit into the
operate world.
Signor Campanini chose Fevrier's
"Monna Wanna" for the opening of the
season, exactly why, one may ask, and
echo only will answer. Mysterious are
the ways Of prima donnas and i'm
"Monna Wanna" had re-
ceivcd one previous performance in
New York, at the Metropolitan Opera
House, February II. 1914, when the
Chicago company gave it with Miss
Garden, Mr. Muratore and Mr.. Mar
coux in the chief parts. Its presenta-
ton caused no ripple of excitement,
despite the fact that Miss Garden
whose close relations with Mother Eve
had been established in "Thais."
"salome" and "sapho," was billed to
appear with cloak in place of
fig leaf
The only vivid remembrance of the
performance left was the acting of Mr.
Muratore and Mr. Marcoux, whose fierv
and romantic lmpersonations lifted the
poetic llbretto through its heavy n1usi-
cal blanket and allowed the audience
to r.alize that. whatever the shortcom-
ings Of Fevrier, Maeterlinck was a
dramatist of genius.
A second hearing Of the opera added
nothing and subtracted nothing. The
hrst act is an unmitigated bore, the
third act little better. The second act
possesses considerable dramatic inter
est and two or three moments of lyric
beauty. From this act alone can the
useless to dwell upon the music. It is
enough to state that the score is we'll
made, but with the exception of the
few rare moments in the tent scene
lacks any melodic inspiration. The
appeal Of the opera depends entirely
upon the representations of the pro-
tagonists.
Of the performance last night one
figure stands out prominent--the Prin
zivalle of Lucien Muratore. NJ. Mura-
tore possesses a voice of great power
and one charged with tremendous pas
sion. He is, moreover, in face. figure
and manner sp endidly fitted for the
portrayal of romantic r0les---in short.
just such a tenor as New York had
begun to think had vanished from the
earth. His Prinzivallc is creation
formed in the grand style, poetic, pas
sionate, graceful. 1t will not soon be
forgotten.
Miss Gardens Monna Wanna is not
the Monna Wanna of Maeterlinck. 1t
lacks all the tenderness, the wistful
poetry of the play; it is daring, defiant.
a combination of That's and the Spinx
But. taking it for what it S, it is an tx-
tlaordinarily powerful creation, and
Miss Garden, more slender than of
yore, gave it with all the gusto of her
superabundant vitality. Incidentally
Miss Garden sang Those who had
heard her in years gone by were not
astonished.
Mr.. Baklanoff made a fine figure as
Guido, and except in his upper regis
ter sang the music we'll. Mr.. Charlier
conducted acceptably enough. The
audience las warm in its applause and
toward Mr.. Muratore tumultuous.