The Washington times., 1920-01-17
D|VA'SNUDE BACK
PUTS OPERA OVER
New York Audience Clasps at
Geraldine Farrar's Realism
In Role OF Zaza.

NEW YORK, Jan. I7.-After twenty
years OF mediocrity, Leoneavalio's
grand opera version OF cara" was
carried TO success last evening on the
back OF Geraldine Farrar at its initial
New York production in the Metro
politan Opera House.
Early in the first act Miss Fsrrar.
impersonating the alluTing French
music hall actress In the title role.
disrobed from her waist upward with
her back to the audience. Thereafter
the operas triumph was assured.
David Belasco. who was In the audi.
ence, said "Zaza" would become Miss
Farrar's greatest role.
Changes without Screen.
Miss Farrar's startling realism
was due TO the fact that Zaza's dress-
ing room. behind the scenes in a Paris
music hall. occupies part OF the stage
during act !. Zaza enters in her
street clothes and changes into her
stage costume. This Is the way Miss
Farrar made the change without us
ing the screen!
First, she droped her dress. reveal
Ing a combined petticoat and bodice
of yellow silk with heavy dark fgures
on lts lHtu EnC
out this stunning garment. There
was some fluffy stun OF silk and lace
underneath. From the waist up there
was a soft little pink "unmention-
able" with pink shoulder straps. Pa
risian music hall actresses like their
things loose. Also they do not wear
corsets.
Miss Farrar stood still long enough
for these observations to be made. She
turned her back to the audience and
raised her hands to the shoulder
straps. A thrill of expectancy swept
through the theater.
Then the Audience Gnsped.
with a dainty movement, Miss Far
rar passed the shoulder straps over
her bare arms. The soft little pink
thing dropped. The audience gasped
But the garment checked Its startling
flight at Miss Farrar's waist. Thence
upward the star of the Metropolitan
Opera House stood revealed in the
altogether.
A maid in the dressing room held
out a one-piece music hall costume,
done in spangles and gay silks. This
sparkling refuge embraced Miss Far
rar, who went into II with a quick
motion. The dress, which was self
corseted, slipped about Miss Farrar
like long-protecting breast plate.
Miss Farrar turned around and faced
the audience.
She was snugly garmented in front.
The maid started hooking the dress
behind.
The thrill was over and the tension
audibly relaxed. 1t was the most dar-
ing delineation of the bold, passionate
music hall favorite any Zaza audience
has even seen.
Belasco Was Enth usiastie.
Leoncavallo's opera has been wait
ing twenty years for an actress like
Miss Farrar to make It a success. The
music, which has never attracted en-
thusiastic critical attention, was writ
ten eight years after Leoncavallo
wrote "Pagliacci." The operas few
APPEARANCES outside New York were
all failures. Until Miss Farrar's
performance last night. no prima
donna has been able to make
Zaza appear real. Giulio Crimi sang
the tenor role Of Dufresne and Amato
sang Cascart. But the honors were
all for Miss Farrar.
The most enthusiastic person in the
audience was David Belasco. Ee
made Zaza success on the dramatic
stage after its failure in Paris TWEEN
~ years ago by training Mrs. Leslie
Carter for the part.