Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-23
MIME. GALLI-CURCI in
FINE VOCAL RECITAL
Great Coloratura Singer Displays
Wonderful Art and Voice in
Exacting Program

The marvellous appeal OF the human voice
through the emotions and the box-of1ce alike,
was illustrated last evening by Nine Amelita
Galli-Curc who gave song recital to a |
capacity audience at the Metropolitan opera |
House Not only was every seat in the huge
building occupied. but there were about 500
persons seated on the stage, and almost an
equal number stood behind the rail back OF
the orchestra circle.
While 1t was the second appearance in this
city of tho widely heraided coloratura singer,
curiosity regarding both her art and her
unique personality seemed TO reach as great
height as 1t did last year prior TO her
Philadelphia debut. The dispute. which has
RACED in certain large music centers other
than Philadelphia, regarding her proper po-
sition IN the world OF song, naturally aug
mented this curiosity.
Nine. Galli-Curci must unquestonably be
regarded of the leading coloratura
singers Of the present day Her volume OF
tone is not large nor is the voice so brill
liant as that OF Marcella Sembrich. but in
nexibility range, and especially in the uni
formity OF color in all registers IT will COM
| pare favorably with any voice withir the
memory of present-day concertgoers Her
| voice especially has not that thin, hard quail
| ty, known among singers as a white tone,
in the middle register. but maintains there
| the same agreeable character of the upper
| tones, which, IT must be confessed Ia some
| what unusual in clear coloratura singers
| Tho tone, after all the chief asset OF a
| singer, Is warm and full OF color, except in
| the highest notes. where it is clear, but never
| shril
Her method of singing is of the same high
| character as her natural voice. She has
wonderful control both OF tone and of breath,
a fine enunciaton In three languages. with
perfect attack and release of notes, a
crescendo and diminuendo that bring me
voice TO it's legitimate natural limits In oo'h
| directions without forcing 1t in the loud
| tones or losing color in the soft ones. Her
| "skips," important feature OF coloratura
| work, were taken easily and with astonish
| ing accuracy, without wavering or feeling
| for the tone. The one fault she showed ihS
evening in her vocalization was an occasiona
| note slightly fiat and this, strange 10 say
| did not occur in long skips or awkward IN
| tervals but in perfectly natural intervals
such az the fifth the third and once
the close of perfect cadence.
The program selected by Nine. Gallt-CurC
was a varied one and contained two number
of the kind generally known as stunts IN
| famous Carnival of Venice OF Benedic
| frequently used In the Lesson scene IN 'n
| opera THE Barber of Seville ana IN
| equally wel-known Mad Scene from Ran
let" by Ambrose Thoma" ln these wv
: | selections Nine. Galli-Curci displayed all IN
/ | technical resources known to the singer an
| mastered their enormous difficulties with al
I | parent ease. The vocal range requreu
r these songs is very large, being from tne
3 fiat above high down approximately
$ middle c. The extreme high note wa
r beautifully taken. held. increased ana the
e diminished in tone before the voice shnt
? smoothly to the closing chord. The stacoa
runs. the trlls, the arpeggios which go
| make up the difficulties of these nunlper
were all equally well done.
Y The rest of the program was of le
ambitious character technically. 1t open'
with Care Selve," of Haendel, in which u
5 soloist appeared somewhat self-consciol
with q resultant inaccuracy of intonation
places This disappeared in the second nui
a her of the group. an old English song, i
q Been Roaming" which was gracefully a
v delcately sung. Then came the ARIA 'bep'
l. Ie Jour" from Louise" and two groups
y shorter songs, one in English and one
N French The first group included MY TT
'e Love Lies Asleep" study in Nocal n'o'
| tome: The Brownies when emo
"a s,eens" an excellent song composed
II Homer Sanuels the accompanlst OF tne
cital and a Norwegian echo song. enectl
hut dificult The French group was ma
nm of four songs of the eighteenth centu
"Ab Mon Berger" Belle Manon, 20
randre Musette" and CONNIE Cn 'hle
Mr,e GaIli-Curci was generous with encor
lr. singino "Drink to Me Only with IN
Eves," "Iullaby," Robin Adair ana i
20 | Brook