The sun., 1919-01-19

man opera had triumphantly ousted
Italian from the Metropolitan after
the nrst season of the house lSS3-A
ana was proceeding gforiousiy on its
way when at the conclusion OF its
series of performances In the spring
or 1890 an italian company under the
direction of Abbey & Grau marched
into the theatre
The Opera Snna in 1890.
The first performance took place nm
March "a Opera, "Otello." PRINCIPALS
Iamagno as -Otel'o, Albani as BESIDE
mona, Del Puente as Id0o Conductor.
Arditi. The second representation on
March rs, brought Rossini's Semi
ramide.' with Patti in the title role
Faobri as Arsdce. Vicini as Idrcno.
Customary as Oroe and Marcassa as
Assur. The next night Nordica and
Iamagno sang I'm al Trovatore"
Patti was heard afterward in "I.2
Tfaviata.' III Barbiere di Siviglia. &"
Lakme, Lucia" and Romeo ct
Juliette."
Inc present writer was moved to re-
cord his impressions of PATHS reentry
and the return of Italian opera of the
Semiramide' type in these words:
There was a sort of buoyancy in
the air. mysterious sense of freedom.
What caused it? An overwhelming
conviction on the part of those present
that they could follow the immortal
suggestion Of Archibald the All Right
when ne read his beautiful poems to
the admiring maidens in Patience
TO understand It It is not necessary
TO think of anything at ALL, No
Morse mythology, no fairy tales OF
medieval romance. no theological sug-
sestions. no Schopenhauer, no lett mo-
tive, no mystery of any kind except
such as clings to that highly respect
able old spook LOmbra di Nino. All
you had to do was to sit still and keen
your ears open that they might drink
IN the delicious. enhancing notes of
the most marvellous of voices and vet
your sense be lul!ed by the most per
feet singing In the world"
Heard Again in 1902.
In March, 1892, Patti was heard
again In the Metropolitan, singing I,
La Traviata" and Marta" The oc-
casion was a supplementary season N
TWO weeks given by Abbey 4 Gral
after their short out of town tour. Be
| sldes Nine. Patti singers heard in those
Two weeks were Emma Eames, Emma
Albani (Sentd), Marie Van Zandt
,OpheItd). Fabbri, Jean and Edouard
ue Reszke, Lassalle, Montariol (who
would be considered great man now
ana Signor Eiviani. who is now one of
the stage managers aids at the Metro
polltan. He sang the Ghost in Ham
let Faust" was given with the IA
nous Ideal" cast. except that ScaIchi
was Ill and her place had TO be taken
by Jean de Nigne. The others were:
marguerite. Emma Eames; Faust.
Jean de Reszke; Mephtstopheles. Ed
GUARD de Reszke, and VaIentin, Jean
LassaIle.
but the scenery, the costumes. the
chorus, the ballet and the orchestra
are all much better now. The world
do move.
fatu sang Carmen once in the Met
ropolitan, but the writer has been I'M
able to resurrect the date However
ne heard her sing it and it was very
Feeble. Patti could not be n panther
she was just the dearest little g,.psy
pussy cat one could imagine. Also I'm
one OF her numerous farewells she ana
her tenor husband, Nicolini, were
heard in the Nile scene of Aida. :"
But Patti was not a dramatic So
prano. Her Violettd was vocally in
comparable and her Rosfna match
less, 1t was the very sunshine and
champagne of comedy. and she sang
it like a lark
Adelina Is a pretty old lady now
She was born in 1S43 and she began
to be prima donna at the age Of IS.
Much history was made during her
career and she certainly played
noteworthy part in the annals OF the
Metropolitan.
AEUTD OnnY TT NJ nnrSnA ryoyycr