Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-10-22
LARGE AUDIENCE
GIVES OVATION TO
STARS IN OPERA
Frequent Applause Interrupts
Action In ''The Masked
Ball" and Encores Are
Granted Twice.
BY HENRIETTA REFS.

BY HENRIETTA REEFS.
The Chicago grand opera com.
pany closed its engagement in
Omaha last evening with a produc-
ton of "The Masked Ball." by
Verdi The audience was larger
than that which heard Aida" on
Monday night. and it was even more
enthusiastic. Frequent applause in
terruptcd the action and twice the
plaudits were so general and so pro,
1onged that encores were granted
1t was genuine ovation for the sing
ers, orchestra and director, and for
the great master who wrote the mu-
sic so many years ago.
This was the first time "The
Masked Ball" had ever been given
IN, Omaha, and special interest was
attached TO it because it was a nov
city, and because it brought. Emmy
Destinn, Bonci and Baklanoff among
the illustrious members of its cast.
The production was in keeping
with the excellent work of the COM
pany in "Aida," and there was
enough difference in style and con-
tent of the two operas to make de-
cided contrast.
Many Beautiful Numbers.
There are great many won
drously beautiful numbers in this
opera, and the muse flows on in true
Verdian manner, leading from one to
another of them, to the constantly
increasing delight and wonderment
of the listeners.
The very improbablity of the ac-
ton occurring in Boston at the end
OF the seventeenth century lends an
atmosphere of its being real play
to the performance. The story in
brief is that of the governor of Bos-
ton, who makes love to the wife of
his faithful friend. The friend turns
traitor to the governors cause, joins
the conspirators against him and at
masked ball given by the governor
the husband kills him, fulfilling tbs
destiny predicted to him by a gypsy,
and only finding out too late that
his suspicious were greatly exagger-
ated.
Bonci Constant Joy.
There was an all-star cast. Bonci
as Ricardo, count of Warwick and
governor of Boston. lived up to his
reputation as one of the great op-
cratic actors of the present day.
Equipped with a tenor voice of
superior quality and charm, and
with knowledge of music which
gives a clarity and artistic finish to
the vocal requirements, he sings his
role excellently, and, over and above
this. he portrays the character of
the happy-hearted count with histri-
onic charm. His solo in the gypsy
hut was repeated, and, in the lovely
duet with Amelia and in the en-
semble numbers, he was a constant
Joy.
Baklanoff, as Renato, the husband
and secretary TO the count, proved
himself the passessor of ringing
baritone of unusual beauty of quail
ity. Its glorious tones were heard
! to excellent advantage in the aria
IN the first act, and especially in the
dramatic moments of act 3. He
3 enacted his role at all times with an
ease of manner and dramatic skill
which marks him as fine artist.
He won immense favor with the
audience and, had it been permitted,
his aria in act would also have
been repeated,
Destinn's Voice. Marvellous.
The greatest interest was attached
to the appearance of Emmy Des-
tim. This great dramatic soprano
proved herself equal to the most tax
ing vocal demands. Her voice float.
ed with heavenly sweetness to un-
expected lovely high pianssimos or
rang out with a fill resonance in
more intense passages. Both her
solo in act 2 and in her lovely
duet with Bonci. gave her ample
opportunity for displaying her
powers. Personally, l was some
what disappointed in her acting,
which did not measure up to the
great expectations / had for her.
Myrna Sharlow was charming as
Oscar, the page, singing her delight
ful aria in act ! and dainty STAG
cato passages with excellent taste.
Lillian Eubank gave another good
accounting of herself as Ulrica, the
gypsy. Vittorio Arimondi and Con-
stantin Nicolay, as enemies of the
count, were splendid. Both have
vocal riches, and they vitualized the
characters and rose to their great
moment with the laughing chorus
at the climax of the scene in the
graveyard with the utmost skill
and cleverness.
Other members of the cast did
! their part to uphold the balance of
the performance.
There seems to be a star chorus
with TIE Chicago company. The
musicianly work of this body of
singers must not be passed unno-
ticed, although through accident ra-
Their than intent. mention of their
superb work in Aida" was omitted
Monday evening. Their perform