New-York tribune., 1921-11-20
Second Week
Ut Season at
The Metropolitan

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No doubt the most extraordinary
thing about the first week of opera at
the Metropolitan Opera House, to the
Monday subscribers at least, was the !
absence Of the lamented Caruso on the
opening night of the season. The cir
cumstance was so unusual that it set
at least one observer and recorder of |
musical incidents in New York to
searching the records of the period in
which Mr.. Caruso was with us. The /
result was the discovery that the magic |
of Caruso's voice was absent only once
since Mr.. Gatti came to the helm at the
Metropolitan, and had been absent only
once since the great tenor made his
debut under the administration OF
Heinrich Conried. In a sense Mr., |
Caruso was legacy to the house from
Mr.. Grau and he made his debut on the
with Nine. Sembrich, of thrice gra-
cious memory, in "Rigoletto." He
helped to inaugurate the seasons 1904
'05 with aida" and the next season
with "La Gioconda." Then he gave
way for one season to enable Miss
Farrar and Signor Roussiliere to make
their American debuts in Gounod's
Romeo ct Juliette" Under Mr.. Con-
ried's management he took part in the
first night Of 1907-'0S when "Adrienne
Lecouvreur" was brought forward for
no discoverable reason save that Miss
Cavalieri had to have a show-piece.
Mr.. Gatti then assumed the. admins !
tration of affairs and for eleven sea
sons, from 190S-'O9 to 191S-19, Mr..
Caruso made the first nights brilliant
by singing in "Aida," LA Gioconda"
and "Armidi" "a new production),
aida" (the debut of Nine Matte
nauer, "Manon Lescaut (Senorita Boris
first appearance), LA Gioconda," "Un
Ballo in Maschera," Samson ct Dalila"
"a successful revivaD, t'Les Pecheurs de
Perles," aida" and Samson ct Dalila."
Then came the only other interruption
aida" was given with Martinelli, and
three singers effected their first New
York appearances, Besanzoni, Zanelli
and Martino. That was the season
1e19'20; last year the privilege which
had become tradition from which the
Metrop olitan subscribers were unwill-
ing to depart was restored and Mr..
Caruso opened it with the opera in
which his voice was last heard at the
Metrop politan-Halevy's LA Juive.' 1t
is an interesting record worthy of
preservation.
There will be no first production at
| the opera this week, but an extra per-
formance on Thursday Thanksgiving
Day. afternoon Of Madame Butter
fly" with Miss Farrar and Messrs. Mar
tinelli and Scotti. The other operas,
as has already been announced, will be
Louise" on Monday, with Miss Farrar,
Nine. Berat, Mr.. Harold and Mr..
Whitehill in the parts with which they
are already identifed la Traviata"
on Wednesday, with Nine. Galli-Curci
and Messrs. Gigli and Danise miss
CALI in the ballet) The opera on
Thursday night will be "Die Tote
Stadt,' with the cast that created it
here yesterday. On Friday Mines.
Aida, Easton and Howard and Messrs.
Gigli and Mardones will be heard in
"Mefstofele." For the second Satur-
day matinee "Rigoletto," with new
scenery, will be the opera, and CALI
Curci, Berat, Chamlee, De Luca and
Rothier will sing. Miss Ponselle will
resume her activities with the company
on Saturday evening in performance
at popular prices of "Aida," her prin-
cipal companions being Nine. Perrin
and Messrs. Martinelli, Danise, Didur,
Gustafson and Audisio. "AIda" will be
performed in Brooklyn on Tuesday
night.
"Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagl-
iacci" will be sung at to-night's opera
concert. the former by Mines. Peralta,
Arden and Perini and Messrs. Kingston
and Chalmers, Mr.. Bamboschek con-
Sucting; the latter by Nine. sunderlius
and Messrs. Crimi, Danise, Meader and
| laurent, Mr.. Moranzoni conducting.
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