The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-02


Well. on this occasion, they decline
to move. Almost all that we can re-
member about "Gismonda" is that we.
heard Romeo ct Juliette" the next
night One forgot that Mr.. Fevrier
and his operas had ever troubled
Israel II some one were to give us
the equal of Romeo ct Juliette" to-
day. what should we write? And we
used to think 1t no very great work
either.
"Gismonda" has left nothing in our
memory at the end OF four days ex-
cept the soliloquy OF the Duchess, a
horn OF elfland family blowing DE
pulls Ia Jour-" an intermezzo of tinkling
oarps and signing fiddles. a very pretty
and fancifu ballet scene in which the
music was highly undistinguished. and
a good duet Of conventional operate
type, OF genuine invention there was
little or nothing in the score.
But there was Mary Garden, for
whose histrionic art this writer's ad-
miration has always been great. The
art has grown splendldly and the ad-
!nira:ion has grown with It, where
fore the commentator has been roundly
abused for Inconsistency. Which
troubles him not at all. II Mary Garden
does not know any more than she did
ten or even five years ago. she Is be-
yond the help of the gods
But merely as reminder that Mary
Gardens art and personal power never
escaped the notice OF THE SUNS
chronciler refer to the issue Of No
rember 26, 1907. Miss Garden made
her American debut the previous eve
ming as That's. role in which she has
never been approached and In which
her desert scene still stands as one
or the highest triumphs of acting in
opera. TIE Sun said:
Miss Garden was a Joy to the eve
she Is perhaps not the most beautiful
woman on the operate stage, for there
are others who are feasts Of vision. but
she Is captivating. Her charms are
undeniable, and behind them there Is a
slngularly influential personality. The
woman is alive with magnetic temper.
ament. She can act. too. not with the
elegant skill and far reaching flnesse
or great artist, but with the tempes-
tuous passion and incessant activity o.
an untamed panther"
Every word, except those referrin g
20 the finesse OF Mary Gardens art, is
~ correct to-day as 1t was eleven
Years ago. In psychologist delineation
Miss Garden has advanced far. Her
ccsert scene, already referrd 70, In
which she denotes with unerring skill
the change in the spiritual attitude OF
the courtesan while the physical man.
ner still clings to her. Is one Of he,
new developments.
Good Role for an Actress.
Gtsmondd is a good role for Mis-,
Garden, and whatever success the
opera obtains will be due to her. It af.
lords ample scope for the exercise OF
her plastic art. In the use OF pose and
gesture she eXcels most of the ac-
tresses OF the speaking stage. 1t il
precisely this skill that makes her fal
and away the most interesting Of the
operate stars who have ventured into
the field OF the silent drama. In the
moving picture Miss Gardens actor
is as eloquent as It is on the operate
stage.
In Chicago It Is now the rule to as.
sert that Miss Garden does wonderful
things with her beautiful voice, which
assertion is perhaps a trifie ambigu.
Gus. The fact is that Mary Garder
never had a truly musical voice OF
style. AS singer she cannot be taker
seriously. AS an interpreter OF dra.
matte music by her own peculiar
method she becomes interesting. One
does not call Yvette Guilbert a singer
but one Is captivated by her interpre.
tation OF French chanson, which i.
sung more correctly as to pitch anc
phrase by a dozen dull and fleeing re-
c!talists in Aeo,ian Hall.
No one will accuse THE SUN OBJ
server Of making a plea Of extenua
ton OF bad singing. Opera Is to b,
sung and that is all that Is to be sale
about the matter. But II Is only hu
man to inquire into the secret o
Mary Gardens spell. Brains, Horatio
brains. That is tho name OF it. TIL,
.ocal operagoer Is rarely presente,
with such a finely wrought plan o
solo Interpretation as hers Of the so
llloquy In ''Gismonda."
In a period of poverty in vocal ar
such readings as Miss Gardens as
sumo unnaturally large proportions
She was surrounded In "Gismonda" b.
Inferior singers. The Metropolitan
too. Is uncomfortably crowded witt
them. The cast Of Romeo ct Juliette
at the Lexington was vocally anemic
one rejoiced that Miss Gall, a con
Ventionally good Juliette. had at leas
ono such companion as our old frien'
Gourmet. who still has his voice an
his French art.
The two French tenors who wer
heard for the first time were painful
illustrations of the vocal methods o
this time. Neither one Of them can b
regarded a. q singer Of distinction