The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-28
MARY GARDEN SINGS
ROLE OF GISMONDA
Campanini Begins Chicago
Company's Engagement
With Fevrier's Opera.
SOCIETY Is REPRESENTED
Presentation Of New Work Is
Given Under Most Fa-
vorable Auspices.


C1eofonte Campanini and the Chicago
Opera Company have descended upon
the town. Their season began last
evening at the remote Lexington Thea
tire amid surrounding indicating public
emotion. The house was occupied by q
numerous and brilliant assemblage. Ar
opera which was recently heard In Chi
cago for the first time on any stage wat
introduced to New York Its composer
Henri Fevrier, already known hero as
the creator of "Monna Wanna" received
tho benson OF the distinguished audi
once. Clsofonte Campanini personally
conducted the performance.
And Mary Garden impersonated the
heroine.
Hence the beginning of this dins
opera company's activities assumed the
proportions OF an event" The title OF
the opera disclosed to the expeotant
listeners Is "Gismonda" For tho sake
OF the record It may te noted that II had
Its first performance on any stage at
the Auditorium Theatre on Tuesday
January IL
Political plotting, with incidental at
tempts at murder. and politely yelled
princely immortality, is again brought
before us in this work. The heroine is
Duchess Of Athens, a widow with q
son. francesca The plotter Is ono
zoccdrIa. who causes the boy to be
propelled into the den Of tiger-a
beast Of the Jungle, not OF the card
table. The frantic mother offers any
price, even to her hand. for a rescue
A ltrerto. a falconer. saves the boy and
Gismordo tries to escape the promised
marriage.
Wedding Ends Machinations.
Being wayward lady of slnsularly
interesting originality she endeavors by
passing a nisht with the young man TO
persuade him to relinquish his claims.
The next day she has quite changed her
views, and when she finds that the
plotters are seeking to compass the
death OF Almerio she cicaniy despatched
Zdccd'id with her own princely hand
confesses the deed in church. proclsimn
her love for the falconer and brings the
series OF Vaccinations and slaughters to
an end with her wedding TO the flight
commander.
Fevrier has evidently penchant for
ladies who visit gentlemen In their
cabins or tents. one recalls with pro-
found melancholy Mary Gardens dis
appointing Monnu Fannd, who. robed In
chaste demeanor and a brown frock.
indefinitely postponed the promised dis
closure Of beauty unadorned. Again II
was the unapproachable Mary Garden
who impersor ated the heroine and who
left Us in a maze OF terpsichorean sug.
gest,on as to the conJectural facts about
her nocturne.
Tho composer has syinbolized the
mutt damour' hv a ballet, IN which
Nessrs Pavlev aud Oukrainsky are the
principals. Wn hesitate to assert that
It Is the best feature OF the opera, but
certainly the public dotted on 1t. a
lovely pastoral Il was, we'll planned.
well costumed and well lighted. AS
for the music, that cannot be properly
discussed to-day. Operas are not &C.
corded long and analytical criticisms
after one hearing-at least not in New
York.
Score Requires Careful study.
The chroniclors OF musical doings In
this town are accustomed to prepare
themselves by protrac ted and careful
study of the score By attendance at
dress private performance, before be-
ginning 10 put comments on paper. Mr..
Campanini and his forces came sweep
Ing into New York too late To ofYer
even a private view Of "Gismonda. "
Hence only fleeing first Impressions
can be noted to-day.
Generally the scheme is continued
orche stral del!nea:ion. into which from
time to time IS intcrjccted melodic
outpour Of vocal expression. There is
more OF this than there was In "Morna
wanna There are some incisive
rhythms and some sonorous climaxeS
The second act which contains q soIilo-
guy fog Gismondu and the love scene for
her and Almerto, Is perhaps the most
satisfying section OF tho score There
IL prelude to the opera, and OF course
an intermezzo.
We do not know whether the opera
was made for Miss Garden, but she IL
II. We're she absent from the proceed
ings on the stage they might betray
fatal triteness. but with her to transform
them they become truly vital. She
dramatzed her part brilliantly and pic
turesquely and her singing had intelll-
gent purpose. IL not always musical sue
cess.
Charles Fontaine, the new French
tenor. sang and acted 4 Imer{o with fer
vor and dramatic intelligence. HIS voice
and style were those of the typical
French robust tenor Alfred Maguenat
as Zdccdrin and Marcel Gourmet as the
Bishop were commendable. The per
forriance as a whole WAS effective. but
II cannot be discussed In detail to-day
any more than the opera can.
In the Audience.
In the box with Mrs, Hamilton Wilkes
Cary were Mr. and Mrs. oliver Harri'
man. Miss Miriam Hartman, Harry =
Black, William II. Sands and Henry r.
Eldridge. Mrs. Hamilton Mex. Twombly
was with Mrs A. Harvey Tiers.
With Mr.. and Mrs, Courtlandt Field
Bishop were Mr.. and Mrs Orme Wilson
Mrs. Newbold Morris and Albert T.. Gal.
latin.
Mrs, John Wood Blodgett's guests
were Mr.. and Mrs Percy Rockefeller
Miss Grace Cumnock. DR.. Norman Dit.
man. Arthur Williams. Worthingtor
Whitehouse and Frederic Potts Moore.
Clarence II. Mackay's guests were
Miss Katherine Mackay. Miss Renee
| Whitney Warren. Jr., of the French
army. Lieut. Cornelius Vanderbilt. Jr.
and Oliver 8. Jennings Jr.
There were also In tho audience Mrs
| Benjamin Guinness. Lady Colebrook
Mrs Frederic Nelson, Mrs. Hollis Hun.
newell, Mrs, Reginald C. Vanderbilt Mr.
and Mrs Alfred Graham Miles. Mrs. C
Templeton Croker. Mr. and Mrs Otto
| II. Kahn, Mr., and Mrs. August Heck
| scher. Mr.. and Mrs. Franklin l.. Gun.
Their. Baron and Baroness de Meyer Mr.
and Mrs. William Guggenheim. Mrs Mel
win A. Bronson, Mr.. and Mrs. Condo
| Mast Mr. aud Mrp Ihcnh III SrhIfk Mira