Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-07
METROPOLITAN PRESENTS
~ OUISE" WITH FINE CAST
.,,,, earrar In Title Role In Striking
n.,,ormance Of Great French Opera
onora by Gustave Charpent'er
TIE CAST

r. ,.,.. Geraldine Farrar
LOUISE ''.,,..........A .Aureliano Fertile
Tns TTns Mother .......''.'''''''bo 'bouiSe oera'
"1ouisc," perhaps the opera in which
a.. modern French school game the
Wv ,.,os, 10 a realization Of its ideal,
.svcbologtcally and musically, was given
,tr,t,ng performance by the Metro
utor Opera Company last evening at
~. Academy of Music. Miss Farrar
~, M IN the title role and Mr.. Gatti gave
rsuodelphians the opportuptty of hear
now tenor, Aureliano Fertile,
ins,ia ins which the roles of the Father
pes,u tbe Mother were taken by Mr..
qNthior anu and Miss Berat, respectively,
W." NV areat artists who have made these
,mS ,nRonIt narts almost impossible for any
u, nn olse 70 take satisfactorily.
'o"S Mics Farrar was in good voice and,
,-,.h her fine stage presence, which has
var.r Wrr. been better than last evening In
Ie .Hi. citv. she gave a fine Interpretation
a Ihs role. Always dramatically strong,
" ~ wos at her best in this respect in
~ ~ last net, during the quarrel with her
aarents and gave this intense scene, a
ppowerful presentation. The vocal de-
p~ords of the role are not exacting eA.
csnt in the third act. beginning with
tSp tSpt most beautiful of modern French
sriss. "Depuis le jour- and Miss Far
sor was. of course, equal to them.
Mr.. Fertile was on the whole disap-
,ointinp as Julien. His voice has
poitbor the dramatic force nor quality
which Is demanded by the part and his
acting was only moderately good.
Rut Miss Berat and Mr.. Rothier in
.he tragic figures Of the Mother and the
Father of the wayward Louise. were
srnerb. both vocally and dramatically.
TbeIr performances left absolutely moth
inc TO be desired in any respect. With
voices admirably adapted to the roles
they sang them to perfection. although
tbey scored even more heavily in the
difficult dramatic parts. The roles were
acted to the limit of their possibilities,
and yet neither was in any manner
oyerdrawn. Even the smallest gesture
and stage attitude seemed to have been
carefully considered and fitted exactly
the dramatic situation Of the moment.
Louise" is an opera which can only
be given by company like the Metro
DOUIHU, "lJu IL
number of artists of the first rank.
There are no fewer than thirty-fout
singing parts in the score and many of
these cali for vocalzation of the highest
character, even If it be for only few
measures at time. These minor roles
were filed by some of the best artists
Of the great company, and to narrate
their successes would be simply to give
the roster of most of the company. But
George Meader, as the Night Walker
and the King of Fools, showed beau
tiful voice. and Paolo Ananian, in the
somber role of the Rag Picker, did his
part splendldly. Other conspicuous
characters were taken by Mary Ellis,
Giordano Paltrinieri, Flora Perini,
Ellen Daossy and Itaymonde Delaunois.
Mr.. Wolff in conducting allowed his
fondness for orchestral tone to get the
better Of his Judgment a great many
times, as the solo voices were frequently
drowned by the massive orchestration.
The stage settings were remarkably fine.
especially the night scene on the hill
overlooking the city.