Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-06
OPERA IS RESTORED
WITH "LA TRAVIATA"
Frieda Hempel as the Lyric
Camille Scores Richly War
ranted Triumph

EolO dancer. .tiluStpp'
The opera season and some OF tne
most melinuous strains OF NeruI ~ NJ
simultaneously revitalizea AZ u.v ,ho
ropolftan last night FoloWlnG W"
1iszi's dep,essing saint Eh2lneth'
given here on January \, came poc.o'
Garficld's fuel regulation which ~ ~
porarily tied up the lyric drama atn.n
ule A special exempt on IN taNor VI 'ne
regular Tuesday night subscription Pc
formancos now saves the Situatoh III Us
practical aspects, while such p,l
formance of La Traviata" as was
piyen last evening emphatically inVlg-
crates the seasons artistic elements.
Shelley's poetic Endorsement OF tne
sweetness of "unheard melodies ho'-
wIthstanding, the tuncful airs of yes
teryear need only adequate interpreta-
tion TO be refreshing Inquest onapiy
they have proved Naluaolc s''n.u,an, n.
10 an opera season handicapped at hrst
by some rather unintcrestng presenta-
tions and later by the Federal fiat. the
Netropolitan rcgaincd its pristine atmoS-
phere of prosperity for Nerdts old opera
crowded house manifested hearty en-
ioyment of the lyric proceedings, ana
especially of the exquisite art OF Fri'da
Hempel, whose appealing conception OF
yioletta actually lifted certain moments
Of the score to the plane Oh n".
drama.
Condeecension in regard to ol1-fas7'
ioned operas is familiar pose nova
days. Some times, however the atti-
tude Is both difficult to sustain ana
foolish To raj at la Traviata' be-
cause II doesn't happen to be Louise IS
unfair both to Verdi and Charpentler.
The older work is a gem of its genre.
The younger is masterpiece OF It's
school. A Little artistic tolerance makes
the operatic wheels go round. Ihey re-
volved delightfully."- on one of the cold
est nights OF an Arctic winter, ana not
an aria in the musical version OF
Camille" simple in structure as they
are authoritative in inspiration, seemed
stalled by time.
Mime. Hempel was in superb voice.
While not the most pyrotechn.cai.y brill
liant of Violettas, she is one OF the
tenderest and most 'onrinc.lE -" 3ln-
certify Of her acting, the mastery fluency
of her lyricism. the beauty of her tone,
especially IN the middle register, gave 10
the character a touchin 'ffrctiven" :,
All the old operate "warhorses," "A
fors' lui." "Sempre liberia" and the
others were sung with So -qr ,ng
charm. It is unfortunate that she
dresses the part IN such f. nti tic Brum-
magem style. Her exceedingly orn tte
costumes were decidedly out of keeping
with the quaint hoopsllirt mode of the
Second Empire. to whicpdate the Metro
politician manag, m IaS cor e.,
stored the opera. Tho elimination OF
such tactics would make her deliueation
one the finest on record.
Francesca Carpis Alfredo duly ac-
cents the antqu0. and yet somehow
effective, sentimentalsm of the roe. II s
voice Is light but agr e'blo. and his
dulcet tones blended harply with the
diva's richer notes notably in the still
potent and moving "Parg O Cara"
AS the elder Carmont. Giuseppe De
Iuca easily ju"tified tho prom nerce Mr.
Gatti is according him this year Dur
ing the present lamentable eclipse of
Amato's vocal powers, the younger bari
tone Is assuming high rank IN the Met
ropolitan organization. His rendition of
"Di Provenza" gave new life to that
dulcet air. The minor parts were ex-
cellently handled and the ballet inter-
lude was SO dashingly interpreted that
Mile. Call and Mr. Bonhglio were re-
called five or six times after their tenn
pestuouS Spanish dance.
Tho score was read with discern
Ing consideration for its beauties not
all of which belong to the bcrated "hur-
dy-gurdy' type of opera There Is a
significant hint of the greater Verdi of
Aida" and "Othello" in the lovely pre-
lude to act one. ii, T. c.