The New York herald., 1922-11-21
Chaliapin Thrills
Opera Audience in
the Role of Boris
Second Week Of Season Starts
Brilliantly With Moussorg-
sky's Work Repeated.
by w. j. HENDERSON.


The second week of the season of
opera Mt the Metropolitan Opera House
began last evening with the first repe-
tition of a work already heard. The
first Monday night audience, which
made brilliant the opening of the sea-
son, was permitted to enjoy per-
Jeritza as the heroine. The second
Monday audience, also n brilliant as
sembly. sat last evening under the
spell of Feodor Chaliapin's thrilling
impersonation OF the remorseful usur-
per In Moussorgsky's Boris Godunov."
The adjective thrilling has almost
lost its meaning because of loose en-
ployment. 1t is not quite as far de-
graded from it's original dignity as
that other adjective wonderful" but
1t Is, nevertheless, Almost impossible 70
use it with any hope of projecting
through 1t it's real significance. But
IL Mr.. Chaliapin's intensely tragic
Boris does not give US thrills. what
shall be called thrilling?
There Is no need of reiterating de-
tails which have already been cata-
logued in print many times. Mr.. Chalia-
pins acting-for he acts just as truly
when he sings as when he merely
moves-was again great and moving.
Perhaps he was not in perfect voice,
but when he sang the address in the
first act, he was an opera singer of
the first rank. For the rest he was
once more overwhelming in the ghost
and death scenes.
There was one change in the cast Of
the opera, Edward Johnson replacing
Orville Harold as Dimitri. Mr.. John
son had already made a successful
first appearance with the company as
the love-stricken A1,ito In r"L'Amore
del IRE Re-" In this second appear
ance in very different role he had
a second success. He sang his music
well and clearly outlined the character
of the false claimant for the throne,
rather dimly sketched by the author.
Tne other chief singers were Nine.
Matzenauer as Marina and Mr.. Mar
dones as Brother Pimenn. two capable
artists fully equal to their .sks. The
choruses were again very well sung.
Mr.. Papi conducted.
Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten
added to their American experiences
last night by attending the perform
ance In the Metropolitan Opera House.
They were guests of. Mrs. Cornelius
Vanderbilt in Box g. Representative
and Mrs. Nicholas Longworth also were
of the party. In Box 1 with Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert Goelet were Prince and
Princess Miguel de Braganza and Mrs.
Ernest lselin. The group. in Mr.. Robert
w. Goelet's box. No. "a. included Mrs.
Charles Frederick Hoffman, the Misses
Marian X. Hoffman and Carlotta Have
meyer and Messrs. George r. Preston,
Frederic r.. Coudert, Jr., and Bertram
de N. Cruger. Mrs. Hoffman received
congratulations from the box callers
upon her recovery from the painful in
juries she received two months ago.
Mrs. Reginald de Koven returned 10
the parterre row after an absence of
several seasons, being as previously, in
Box 2. In her party were Mr.. and Mrs.
James Lowell Putnam and Mrs II. Kier-
stede Hudson. daughter of the hostess.
Mrs. Oliver III. +. Belmont was with her
son. Mr.. William K Vanderbilt, in Box
e6. In Box IA with Mr.. and Mrs. Edward
Dudley Kenna were Mr.. and Mrs. Mans
field Ferry. Miss Mary d. Kenna and
Messrs. Robert Ingerson Brown and
George Ledlie. In Box is, with Mr.. and
Mrs. Henry Walters, were Mr.. and Mrs.
Alexander Hamilton Rice and Miss
Evelyn Byrd Burdon The guests of Mr.
Frank A. Munsey of Box 12 were Mr.
and Mrs. Goodhue Livingston. the Misses
Cornelia T. Livingston and Betty Ham
mill and Mr.. Frank Crowninshield.
Mrs. Harry Payne whitney. Just back
from Europe, was accompanied in Box
30 by Mrs. Payne Whitney and Mrs.
Roderick Tower. Mr.. Clarence III.
Mackay's party in Box 80 consisted OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Cole Porter. the Misses Eliz-
abeth Kountze and Ellin Mackey and
Messrs- Murray hoffman and Lawrence
Gilman. Dr. and Mrs. Nicholas Murray
Butler. Mr.. and Mrs. Frederick II. Allen
and Miss Sarah Schuyler Butler were In
Box IL. With Mr. and Mrs. Rufus l.
Patterson in Box 33 were Mr.. and Mrs.
James y. Duke and Mr. and Mrs. Cast
mir de Rham.
Mrs. william Watts Sherman had in
Box Mrs. Richard Gambrill, Mrs. John
Turney Atterbury and Mr.. BENJAMIN S.
Welles. In Box 81 with Brig Gen. and
Mrs. Charles II. Sheriff. were Mrs.
George l.. Rlves. Mir. and Mrs. Lucius X.
Wilmcrding and Messrs. Albert Morris
Bagby and William Rhinelander Stewart
Mr.. and Mrs. T. Sunern Taller were
guests of Mr.. and Mrs. Forsyth wickes
in Box 25.
Others who watched the performance
from the parterre row were Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles II. Marshall In Box z, Mrs.
Whitelaw Reid in Box 20. Mr.. and Mrs.
Tracy Dows. who we're with Mr.. and Mrs.
Oliver G. Jennings in Box 10; Mr.. and
Mrs. Arthur Ryle. who were with Mr.. and
Mrs. William Ross Proctor in Box 26 (;
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Burden. Mr.. and
Mrs. Edward NJ. House Miss Mabel
Gerry. who had a party In Box % +; Mr..
and Mrs. John T. Pratt with a party in
Box 27 Messrs. Craig Wadsworth and
Louis Bruguiere and Mr.. and Mrs. Frank
V. Storrs. whose party In Box in
cluded Mr.. and Mrs. Louis de rAiRle
Muuda Miss Eafciia OfRrieu and Nfaaqro