The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-01-22
Tschaikowsly's Eugene Onegin" Sung


Tschaikowsky's Eugene Onegin" was
given at the Metropolitan Opera House
last evening for the first time this season
The house was packed and there were
some earnest efforts to make things
foam up as Berlioz puts it, but en-
thusiasm persisted in reducing itself to
what Gilbert called modified rapture"
The opera does not make any new i'm
preston. The story continues to be
hopelessly undramatic and uninterest-
ing and the music. though melodious
| and excellently suited to the text, can
not reach any decided point because
there is not any.
Eugene OnegtH himself Is about as
pitiable q specimen Of operate hero as
one could discover In a years travel
through lyric history. Curiously enough
he was the only real singer in last eve
nings performance. He was imperso-
mated as usual by Mr.. de Luca. who
sang his music with confluence of tone,
with quality and with a genuine legato
which admitted of elegance and finish
! OF STYLE
| Miss Claudia Muzio as Tatidna re-
peated herself with emphasis. Her
style differed essentially from Mr.. De
Lucas in that there was almost no
legato and. on the other hand. q great
deal of spasmodic utterance, presume
bly, supposed to express emotion but
apparently Simplifying rather physical
discomfort. Miss Frances Ingram was
the Olga and Miss Flora Perini the
Larino.
Mr.. Martinelf represented Lenski, the
misguided youth who introduced Onegi,t
to IdtianG and caused all the trouble.
Mr.. Martinelli has often sung better
than he did last night. rarely worse.
There is quartet in the first scene, and
Mr.. Martinelli was aided and abetted in
it by Misses Muzio and Ingram and Mr..
de Luca- Ockeghem wrote "Dlissa
cujusvis toni" q mass in every key, but
in only one at a time. This quartet was
in five keys at once. the orchestra hav-
ing the fifth.
There was altogether too much of this
sort of music In the course Of the even
ing, but there were occasional bursts Of
tonal beauty. The choruses in particu-
lar were well sung and the dances went
with spirit And there was Mr.. Didur
with his short lived but well drawn
picture of Prince Grenlkis,. Mr.. Bodan-
zky conducted and got rs much as pos
sible out of q rather discouraging set of
conditions.
Prince Luhomirski. the Polish Min
lster, PTlnceSS lSuDofulrSka, -MrS- Adrian
Iselin. Messrs. Benjamin S. Welles,
Charles T.. Sampson and Frederick ri.
Baldwin were Mrs. Frederick Pearson's
guests.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Lowell Putnam,
Mrs. Richard Mortimer and the Hon.
Alfred Arson were with Mr.. Charles T.
Mathews in box g.
Mr.. Edward j. Bcrwind's guests in box
% were Mr.. and Mrs. It. Gray Griswold.
Mr.. and Mrs. Walter e. Maynard, Mr..
and Mrs Whitney Warren. Mr.. and Mrs.
James e. Duke and Mr.. Robert Perkins.
Mrs Charles De Loosely Oelrlchs, Mrs.
Richard S. Emmett, Miss Roberta Will
lard Messrs. Theodore Crane, Juan
Ccballos and Sidney Dillon Ripley were
with Mr.. Frazier Jelke in box Is.
With Mr.. ana Mrs. Arson Wood
Burchard in box 81 were Miss Louise
Scott Miss Jane Moinson and Mr.. Cyrus
w. Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Gouverneur Nor
ris and Mr. and Mrs. George Low were
with Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Duncan in
box 20.
Among others in the audience were
the Countess de JumiIhac. Miss Valerie
Norrie. Mr.. and Mrs. i. Chauncey Nc
Keever. Mr.. and Mrs. j. #. d. Lanier,