The Washington herald., 1922-01-29
Samson and DeliIah" at
The National After
noon of FEB. "a.
By EVELYN C. HUNT.

iWenty ooAes all Hiied. IL was
really the most brilliant house I
ever saw In Neutrality-suspicious.
everybody was there. and such en-
thusiasm.
1t was a real ovation. saw
tears in Mrs. Albion's eyes when
the crowd would not be content I'M
til Mr.. Albion. the founder and gen.
eral director of the company. was
brought before the curtain. I know
just how she felt. It must have
almost paid for all their hard work
to establish this system of opera,
based on American ideals" That Is
their slogan. and II is certainly
coming to pass most glorlously In
spite of all handicaps.
This special matinee will be an
other historic event In the musical
history of the Capital, for II Is not
only the first time this beautiful
opera OF Saint-Saens has been given
here. but Nine. Cisneros. who Is, by
the way, Countess de Cisneros. will
give her famous Interpretation OF the
role OF Delilah. Nine. Cisnerous was
coached In this role by Saint-Saens
himself. and I have seen a letter
written by his own hand inviting
her to sing the role In Paris.
sTUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL
Is NINE. CIsNEROs.
Nine. Cisneros is stunningly
beautiful-tall and stately, with the
most wonderful eyes l ever saw.
They are like great sapphires,
though that is hardly a good com
parison, for they are so changing.
Even in ordinary conversation they
laugh. melt and do all the things
you know the eyes OF great
actress should do. And she has the
most marvellous costumes! Think of
it-they are from the great Paquin.
in Paris. The ono she wears in the
third act Is the most beautiful Gre
alton ! ever saw. II is pale blue
and silver, with q dark blue man
teau, covered with Oriental stones.
Crowned with a mitre of brilliants,
Mime. Cisneros will certainly look
like a queen as painted by the old
masters.
Some of the New York critics
told me that her voice Is more beau
tiful than ever this season, too, so
am waiting breathiessly to sec
her as Delilah. Nine. Media said
she is the greatest Delilah she ever
heard. II she thought that, ! know
we poor Washington folks, who see
so little grand opera, will be given
a treat we will be grateful for all
lives In having our Washington
Opera Company managers let us
have the chance to hear her.
Then Nicola Zerola. dramatic
tenor of the Metropolitan forces, is
coming to sing the role of Samson.
heard such an amusing story while
I was in New York last week about
the night Oscar Hammerstein heard
Zerola for the FIRST time. 1t seems
that Zerola had just come over from
Naples with some little italian COM
pany. and was singing over on the
East Side. Hammerstein was there,
and he went simply wild with eN-
element when he heard him hurt
ling out his high C's and even high
DIS in full voice. He stayed up all
night and paid some enormous fig
ure to get him released, and along
toward s in the morning he rushed
painting into a friends room and
dropped into a chair, mopped hi.
brow and said: Thank God, I got
him first" The friend was. ] sup
pose, sleepy, and. anyway. didn't
know a thing about it. so he yawned
and said. "Who?"
ENTHUSIASM DISPLAYED
BY HAMMERsTEIN.
Hammerstein fairly shouted, re
rola. you fool! The greatest dra-
matte tenor since Togmano. Who
else have been staying up all night
to getv And he rushed out again
without another word.
Well, II seems that Zerola has
lived up to Hammerstein's cNpcc-
tations. When lie returned from
Europe last spring he received an
other ovation in New York. and
was promptly engaged for dramatic
roles at the Metropolitan. Otello
and Samson are, perhaps, his two
greatest.
Hollis Edison Davenny, who is SC
we'll known here, will sing the
High Priest. His Mephisto in
Faust" was one of the best things
| ever saw any artist do.
Then Charles Trowbridge Tit
man will sing the two roles OF
Abimelech and the Old Hebrew.
He is so we'll known in Washing
ton that II Is enough just to men,
ton his name. His concert and
oratorio work and his Bach festl-
val appearances have made him
noted throughout the country, and
his beautiful rendition of Ramphis
in aida" last year, was one of tie
features of that performance.
Herbert Aldrich, who Is a popular
Washington tenor, will sing the
Philistine Messenger.
Albert Shefferman, ,one of the
richest baritone voice I ever heard
will sing the First Philistine.
heard him as soloist at the Friday
Morning Club the other day, and I
know he is an artist who will be
heard from in time to come.
Walter Watson, another Washing
ton singer, will sing the Second
PhiIistine.
The same cast, with the exception
of Delllah, will be given at the
Lyric, in Baltimore. on Monday
evening. February 90. Marguerite
D'A1vsrez, OF the Chicago opera
forces. will sing Delilah there.
From the list of patronesses in
Baltimore that, too, will be bril-
liant social, as well as musical,
event. l hope I can go over there,