The New York herald., 1922-12-05
Opera Audience
Enjoys Gounod's
Romeo ct Juliette'
Bori and Gigli Sing the Title
Roles at Improved Per-
fOrmance.
BY w. ). HENDERSON.

The second performance OF Gounod's
Romeo ct Juiette" took place at tho
Metropolitan Opera House last eve
ming 1t was heard by n large audi
ence. which manifested it's pleasure in
unmistakable manner. The perform
ance was in almost every respect an
Improvement on its predecessor. On
the previous occasion most OF the
principal singers were sadly afflicted
with nervousness. and some of their
best laid plans, like those of Mr.
Burns's mice and men, were prone TO
gang aft aglee." But last evening
they all felt sure Of themselves and
made their points with certainty.
The head of the house of Copulet
had undergone a delightful rejuveno-
ton. He had Knocked off the wrinkles
and feebleness OF thirty-odd winters
and appeared as a hale and hearty
gentleman of some fifty summers, able
to swing a sword or tread a measure.
with the best of them and not TO be
frightened by all the Montdoucs in
Verona. Mr.. Didur, who impersonates
Father CapnIet in this noteworthy re-
vival. has done well to lessen the num-
Der of his gray hairs. The thoughtful
auditor need no longer be harassed
with doubts when Romeo. having dis
covered the identity Of Jaliette, walls
"Cdpuiet est son pere."
Miss Bori was even moro beautiful
and more captivating as the unhappy
young heroine than she was at the
first performance. She was in good
voice last evening and sang admirably.
Mr.. Gigli's Romeo showed progress,
and n progressive lover is doubtless
the kind that is, according to Emerson.
popular with all mankind II is never
easy for an Italian tenor To master
Romeo. but Mr.. Gigii Is making an
effort which is bringing some good re-
suits.
Mr.. de Lucas Mercutio. and Mr..
Rothier's Fridr Laurence were good
last evening, and so was the Tybdlt
of Mr.. Diaz. The program assigned
the part to Mr.. Bada, who had Il at
the first performance, bat the singer
was Mr.. Diaz. The splendid apparel
which Mr.. Gatti- Casczza has provided
for the new production of the opera
again pleased the eye. and the general
merits of the representation were high.
There was a brilliant audience Mrs
w. Watts Shermans guests were Mr..
and Mrs. Alexander S. Webb, Mrs.
Henry S. Redmond and Mrs. George B.
Post
Mrs. John W. Mackay, Miss Ellin
Mackay. Miss Cathleen Vanderbilt,
Messrs. F. Burial Hoffman. Jr.. and
Louis Pooler were with Mr. Clarence
II. Mackay in Box 80.
With Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Goelet were
Mr.. and Mrs. John Clinton Gray ana
Mr.. and Mrs J. Lorimer Warden.
Mrs Cornelius Vanderbilt. Jr, Miss
Grace Vanderbilt and Mr.. Frederic r.
Coudert. Jr, were with Mrs. Cornelius
Vanderbilt.
Mr.. and Mrs Gordon Auchincloss, Mr.
and Mrs. Snowden A. Fahnestock. Mr.
and Mrs. Maxine F'urland and Mr..
Franklin A. Plummer were in Box T.
Mr.. and Mrs Charles Dana Gibson,
Mr.. and Mrs George B. Post. Jr., and
Miss Eugenie' May L.adenburg We're with
Mr.. Frank A. Munsey in Box u.
Mrs. Reginald de Koven's guests In
Box were Mrs. l.. Work Hewitt, Mr..
and Mrs. II. Kierstedt Hudson, Mr.
Francis II. Balfour Byrne and Mr..
Charles Moran.
Brig. Gen. and Mrs. Charles II. Sher-
rill's guests were Mrs. Francis II. Pen
dleton. Mr.. and Mrs. Frederick II. Allen.
Mr.. Charles T. Mathews and Mr. Beck
man Hoppin.
With Mrs. Richard Stevens in Mrs.
Vanderbits box were Miss Dorothy
Stevens Miss Sylvia Lathrop Messrs.
Theodosius Stevens Dudley Tooth and
James Warren.
Mr.. and Mrs. J. Horace Harding, Mr..
and Mrs. Alvin w. Krech and Mr.. and
Mrs. George Brewster formed the party
in Box 33.
Mr.. and Mrs. Nicholas Murray Butler.
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen II. Olin and Mr.
and Mrs. r. Gray Grlswold were in
Box II.
Mrs Charles Frederick Hoffman's
guests at the opera last night were Mr.
and Mrs. lie Roy King. Miss Marion X
Hoffman, Miss Natalie Winslow and
Messrs. Ayrnar Johnson and Arthur
Mallet and viscount Bury. son of the
Earl of Albemarle. who is on his way
to Canada.
With Mrs. Peter Larson in Box 29
were Mr.. and Mrs. George Leary DIR.
De Latour and Mr. Robert Lee Keeling.
Mr.. and Mrs. Augustus +. Kountze,
Mrs. James Amsden. Count Roger de
Perigny and Mr.. w. Stephen Van Rens-
seIaer were with Mrs. James H. Haggin.
Mr. and Mrs. j. Allen Townsend and
Mrs. Ralph Rainsford we're with Mr..
and Mrs. w Ross Proctor IN Box &c.
Mr. and Mrs. Goodhue Livingston, Jr..
Mr.. and Mrs. Cass Garfield and Miss
Priscilla Alden Allen were in the Nor
gan box.