The sun., 1919-01-05

prirna donna whose voice and STYLE
lend themselves most readily to forid
music what is she to sing in these
days? One cannot die of pulmonary
adagio In the final scene of La Ira
viata" forever. Therefore, since there
are no new operas for fiorid singers,
let US away to the dead past and Gull
! flowers from the cemetery.
Last Sung Here in 1909.
''Crispino G la Comare" was last
sung in this town at the Manhattan
Opera House on February l. 1909. 1t
yas memorable night, but not be-
cause Louisa Tetrazzini was singing in
the Ricci brothers opera at the temple
OF art reared by the unquenchable
Oscar Hammerstein. The real i'm
| portance OF the night consisted in
the fact that az the Metropolitan
Marcella Sembrich made her farewell
appearance as Mfn,4. 1t was her final
performance of an opera, for at her
farewell on February she sang in
portions of three different works.
"Crispino o la Comare" on that
evening was sturdily aided by the
good old operatio tractor "Cavalleria
Rusicana." The opera buffa had
been revived on March {. 1908. for
precisely the same reason that II will
be revived next week, to provide a
role for florid singer.
Nine. Tetraxzini was Mr.. Hammer
STEMS continual problem and he, too
| had 10 turn to the past for solution
For precisely the same reason
! Cleoconte Campanin, will have to re-
vive II in the course Of time. If the
! Galii-Curci vogue does not die out as
quickly az the Tetrazzini excitement
did "Crispino Ia Comare" will have
! its turn in the repertory OF the
! Chicago Opera Company.
Let us hope that Nine. Hempel will
! find a sufficiently wide field for the
exercise of her vocal powers in the
music of the opera. Nine. Tetrazziri
did not. Those Of US who went 10 the
! first performance wondering how such
a large parsonage as Nine, Tetrazzini
would dispose herself through the
spaces of so small a work discovered
that she was using Il merely as a
prelude to Sir Julius Benedlcts amaz-
ing variations on The Carnival OF
Venice"
The tiresome ancients will inevita-
bly, recall Adelina Patti in the role Of
Annette. All old men are nTisances.
They remember things that happened
before we were born. whereas FOR Us
the world began only when we frst
took notice OF It. And there is a gen.
eral belief among us that things were
not better fifty years ago than they
are now.
So be Il. Let the young cherish
their faith and their delight, God bless
them. Let them be certain that CALI
Curci IL a greater queen Of f1orldity
than Patti; that Rosa Raisa Is a more
imposing dramatic singer than Lilli
Lehman: that Sophie Braslau Is IN
fnitely superior to Scalchi. and that
compared with Crimi Italo Campanini
IL brought back to earth, would prove
to be pale shadow.
sembrich's Tribnte to Patti.
But the tiresome ancients who have
sorrow'ully watched the descent OF
public taste AZ the opera and who have
felt almost stunned at times at the
attitude toward unutterahly bad sing
ing are not guessing when they speak
OF Adelna Patti A. Marcella Sem
brich said TO this writer upon n GER
tain occasion, when you speak OF
Patti. you speak OF something that
was only once"
! "Crispino la Comare" was just
the sort OF opera she could glorfy
It's performance calls for ebullient
spirit infectious gayety and scintil-
lating song. Patti, as Frangcon
Davies used to say. was witch
She was ravishiny in comedy. Hcr
wicked eyes. filled with thousand
lights, and her knocking smile, which
in spite of its mockery made you
smile too, and her exquisite beauty
coupled with her marvellous silver
flute of a voice and her gushing out
pour of tone All. well, as Mr.
werrenrath sang to us the other day
Ring out the old. ring in the new"
Welcome F'rieda Hempel as An