Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-08
'"AIDA" BRILLIANTLY
SUNG BY METROPOLITAN
Well.Balanced Cast Gives Spleen.
did Performance Of the Verdi
Masterpiece

That forty-sevcn years is a mere bagatelie
In the life of an opera was proved by the
large and enthusiastic crowd that greeted
Aida at tho Metropolitan opera House
last evening. Perhaps the outstanding fea-
ture Of the performance was the perfect bal
ance OF the cast, so perfect. In fact, that 1t
IS ulf1lcult to say exactly to whom the
greatest honors of the performance are due.
Naturally Muzio as Aida. Homer as Anne
rs and Crimi as Radames had the leading
roles, but Henri Scott as the high priest. De
1uca az Amonasro and Rossi as the king
played and sang their parts with a sincerity
and discretion that must by no means be
overlooked In the total results OF the work.
The inclination to oyer-sing and over-act these
somewhat lesser parts In the opera. due to Its
intense emotional character. is not often re-
sisted, but at last evenings performance
these parts were, without exception. held to
their proper place in the work as a whole.
with the result that the artistic balance was
perfectly maintained throughout.
Claudia Muzio as Aida and Louise Homer
as Amneris were little short of perfect In their
respective parts. both yocally and histrioni-
cally. Both showed Nocalization of the high
est order, especially in power and voice con-
trol. Nine. Muzio was perhaps at her hes,
in her scena in the first act, Ritorna incitor.
the passionate defamation of which was
finely done. as was also the flowing cantabilc
in the pure italian style. "Nu NJ Pieta.'
winch CLOSES tnp NUMBER. Inc patHOS OF DOlu
voice and action at the end of this scene
has never been surpassed in this city. OF
equal merit in both respects was her romanza,
go Ciell Azzurri." in the third act.
Nine. Homer rose to her greatest heights
in the despairing song, ''Ohime. Morir Mi
Sento," at the close of the first scene OF the
last act, although it Is difficult to pick out
any one or two scenes from a part so beau
tifully sung and sincerely acted as was her
Amneris last evening.
Nor should the stage presence of both
Mesdames Muzio and Homer be forgotten.
The former presented a beautiful delineation
of the passionate, spirited Ethiopian
slave girl, while Nine. Homer was equally
Charming as the first jealous, then vindictive
and then repentant Egyptian princess.
Of the male parts. of course, the princi-
pal one was that of Radames. excellently
sung and acted by Crimi. lie has the great
advantage of having not only the voice hut
also the youthful and slender personal APP
pearance for the part. His principal song
was the romanza, Celeste Aida" in the first
act. which was delivered with fine vocal e.
feet and conviction. and he sustained the part
in the many duets in that and the following
acts with sincerity and effective vocal and
dramatic art.
Henri Scott as the high priest showed a fine
vocal and histrionic appreciation OF the pos
sibilities of the part. besides a commanding
stage presence, while DE Luca was a discreet
and effective Amonasro and Rossi revealed a
resonant voice of excellent quality ana a dig
nitied appearance as the king.
In an opera so we'll known as Aida II liz
useless to mention the leading numbers. but
the tremendous ensemble of the scene before
the gates of Thebes. which was ALMOST over
powering in it's immensely, must not be over
looked. The opera was 'artisticaly staged
throughout, all the scenes being of great
beauty and of apparent truth historically.
Roberto Moranzoni conducted, and his intel
ligent and sympathetic reading had much to
do with the success of the work.