New-York tribune., 1920-01-25
Illness Overturns
Opera Plans; Bills
Quickly Shifted
Attendance at Performances
May Develop Into Lottery
Like Venture if Sickness
Among Stars Continues

IF the prevalent sickness becomes
much more serious opera going will
develop into sort of lottery or game
OF chance; one viii not know what his
ticket will draw until he reaches the
opera house. After change Of opera
from "Rigole ito" to al Barbiere" at
the Metropolitan Opera House yester-
day afternoon because of the illness Of
Mr.. De Luca there was an eleventh.
hour change in the cast of Ros-
sini's opera because of the i'll
ness of Mr.. Amato. In conse
euence, the audience heard a third
barytone in the part of Figaro
Signor Milo Picco. of whom it may
be said in brief that if ne Cd not con-
tribute briIliancy to the performance
he did not mar it. The ideally light
footed. light hearted, volubie and mis-
chief loving fsctotum Of Seville has
been absent from our lyric stage for
many years. though not missed as much
as he would be if the patrons of the
Metropolitan were more familiar than
they are with traditional operatic types.
Signor Picco held his own in the en-
sembe creditably in action as we'll as
song, and there was not dull moment
in the Afternoon.
Status Shown BY Praise
= That, perhaps. may be set down as
negative praise and fortunately there
is something positive. err sUl. ~ticaly
positive, to associate with it. the op
portunity for warm enconum was pro-
vided by Nine. Mabel Garrison, who ap-
peared in the part of Rosina for the
second time. If there has been as per-
feet singing at the Metropolitan this
season, or lor several seasons, az that
which she exhibited in the lesson scene
Of the opera it can only have been
her own. Her set piece was Strauss's
waltz. "Voce di Primavera," which she
sang with such lusciousness and clarity
of tone, such finish in all that goes
to make up excellence in song, that she
reused an audience naturally depressed
by the weather to great enthusiasm.
A supplemental number being neces-
sary, she sang Lemaire's "Nous Dansez,
Marquise," a charming song Ingenious
~ orchestrated in the modern manner
by Mr.. Pasternack. Nine. Garrison was
not only exquisite vocally, but acted
the comedy with an archness and grace
which were bewitching. Mr.. Papi con-
Quoted. and the other characters were
in familiar hands. Almavina, Mr.. Hack
ett; Dr. Bartolo. Pompilio Maatesta;
Basilio. Jose Mardones; Fiorello,
Vincenzo Reschiglian; Berta, Marie
Mattfeld, and Tn Officiale, Pietro
Audizlo.
Fates Were Kind
Illness again had its hand in the for
tunes Of the evening, but this time
the fates were kind. NJ. Giovanni Mar,
tinelli was to have sung Don Jose in I
Carmen which was given for The |
benefit OF the French Hospital. but. the |
influenza telling him. Mr. Orville Har-
rold was called upon at last moment I
II is not too much to stare that Don |
Jose has been neither sung nor acted |
in New York as it was last night in
many years. Mr.. Harrold's perform
ance vocally was fully equal to that
OF his Rodolfo. while dramatically it
was one Of the most Intensely moving
characterizations that the Metropolitan
has seen in long, long time. His
singing of the "Flower Song" was ex-
quisite in its diction, it's tone, it's
phrasing, its passion. In short. Mr.
Harold placed himself another notch
higher, both in public and critical
esteem.
Don Jose Found
Nine. Farrar having at last found
Don Jose quite 10 her taste, acted with
an abandon. but also with a sincerity,
such as she never before had shown in
the part.
That her voice was not equal to her
acting could therefore be forgiven her.
Mr.. Couzinou was the Escamillo, Nine
Sundelius the Micaela. Mr.. Rothier the
Zuniga and Mines Tiffany and Berat
and NM. Bada and Ananian the bandit
quartet. Mr.. Wolff conducted with ad-
mirable vigor.