The New York herald., 1921-03-06
Singers Sometimes Conquered,
Although They Showed Eff
fects Of 0verwork.
By w. J. HENDERSON,.

singers OF the Chicago Cr@ra
Company. They came, they were
heard. and sometimes they conquered
They have fled into the past and their
names are memories. Their deeds will
be discussed to-day, and tomorrow the
Athenians will seek something new,
Those who make records will write
learnedly of "Edipo Re" and "Jac-
querie" and of the mighty triumphs
OF Miss Mary Garden. Mime. CALI
Curci. Lucien Muratore and Titta
Ruffo.
Some of the proflles which were so
sharp against the Eastern sky year
ago have become slightly blurred.
Voices have begun to reveal the re-
suits of III usage Singers cannot in
cessantly violate nature without pay
ing the penalty Earnest efforts were
made by the faithful TO maintain the
fervor OF the previous season. but
when certain celebrated stars sang the
standing room was not crowded and
there were many empty seats.
The dominating figure of the COM
pany was the general director, the
woman Of infinite diversity, whose art
is whimsical, whose personality is
captivating. But without doubt the
general public found its chief Joy IN
listening to the stentorian proclama-
tions of Ruffo. When he sang Tonic
in "Pagliacci' the theatre and the
streets surrounding 1t We're jammed.
Lucten Muratore in Romeo eft JUL
ette." with the placid Galli-Curci as
the daughter OF the Capulets. was a
powerful magnet. The most brilliant
audiences of the season in respect of
social prominence attended these rep
resentations. There might be a sug-
gestion in this. but no attention need
be called to 1t. We shall hear the
Polish Jew" II is a novelty. Why
should we yearn for a perfect Metro
politan production of Gounod's senti-
mental tragedy?
An Unexpected Pleasure.
Miss Garden gave us the opportunity
to hear the opera composed by one OF
her conductors, Gino Marinuzzi. "Jac-
Querie" was an unexpected pleasure 1t
is not masterpiece, to be sure. but
equally 1t is not mere conductors 8
opera. The composer had something of
his own to give us. and. despite the for
bidding character of the book, presented
TO us some well conceived and really
emotional music.
The opera was only tolerably per
formed The singers were quite equal
to their tasks particularly Mr.. Galefii
who made truly dramatic figure of the
peasant leader. But the work had been
insufficiently rehearsed. Everything was
uncertain. Every one was overanxious
The opera might we'll be given again
next season after adequate preparation.
This public has been invited to be pros
ent at the productions of many much
worse operas.
"Edipo Re" has been sufficiently dis
cussed. 1t Is pretty safe to say that
after its one performance X went to it's
long rest. 1t is not likely that even Mr..
Ruffo Will clamor for chance to sting
n 1t again.
Mr.. Ruffo himself leaves again con-
fusing impressions. Few singers rival
him in freedom of tone, In brilliancy CT
defamation. or in volume. But his wan:
of refinement of detail, his habit of carv-
ing unfinished images his reliance upon
overwhelming physical power and his
lack of respect for style continued to
arouse regret as they did In previous
seasons. The man has native force.
which cannot bS ignored. and doubtless
ii IL this which makes the irresistible
appeal to the mass Of operagoers.
Mr.. Muratore was In better condition
throughout the series of representations
than when he was last heard here.
Here Is another singer who conquers
largely by personal force. But Mr..
Muratore has accents of passion, sudden
and not infrequent outbursts of vocal
splendor, and at all times a virility
which combine TO make him a most In
teresting impersonator of heroic parts.
The patrons Of the Chicago Opera Com
pany will be glad 70 know that he will
be heard with the organization again
when II visits us next winter.
All Do Too Much Work.
Mr.. Baklanoff was not IN good vocal
condition during the season. But this
is not matter to cause any astonish-
ment One wonders that any OF the
singers of the Chicago company are ever
in good voice. They all do entirely too
much work. The human throat IS not
made OF brass. even when It produces
sounds similar to those of trumpet II
IS subject TO the influence OF weather
and to the various ills OF the flesh not
directly connected with 1t.
II Mr.. Baklanoff was not always able
to produce tones of pure quality, he
was at any rate master Of the phrase
and showed himself always to be an
artist of taste and intelligence. The
CniCagO company needs MIN ana would
find it difficult TO replace him.
In regard to the women, not much
need be said. The general director has
already discovered that It Is not one
woman's task to conduct an opera COM
pany and sing her own roles also The
day OF the actor-manager seems to be
past. The day OF the singer-composer
ended long ago, and that or singer i'm
presario seems likely to be short. But
here we come to the border Of the realm
of speculation about the future OF the
Chicago company and instantly discover
that the most important dimension OF
that realm reaches upward into infinite
space.
Mime. ealli-Curci becomes an element
I'm the uncertainties Of this future.
Chicago says that she will sing eight
times at the Metropolitan. New York
laughs ,scornfully ond intlmates that
eight will be literally multiplied. IL
concerns the reviewer not ut ali, but
he suspects that eight multiplied by two
would be @ safe conservatism. Mime.
Galli-Curci is not the same cause ot
public excitement that she was two or
three years ago and the more often she
is heard the less will be the general ap-
petite for her dulcet tones. This prina
donna has enjoyed great glory FAR
greater than her moderate gifts de-
serve. but singers or fiorld music are