The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-11-19

appointment Win ueT lOVSTs I1iIAoi-
to 1t has been customary for ToscG
to arrive in the sanctuary clad as II
out for an afternoon airing In her
carriage. A picture hat has always
accompanied the lady.
Nine. Jeritza wears a blue frock
which was assuredly never made for
street or carriage wear. 1t is a house
gown If anything and the bag which
she carries advertises the housewife
in every stitch. The scarf thrown over
the singers head can hardly be ac-
cepted as the sort Of thing a famous
artist would assume when about to
pass through the streets Of city In
which she was well known. Yet when
Nine Jeritza first sang Tosc1 here she
entered the church bare headed and
only reluctantly adopted her flinsy
covering when told that people in this
country knew that Roman ladies did
not follow the fashions of the conta-
DIM.
Even now Nine. Jeritza's head gear
strikingly resembles that Of Lola or
Santuzza In "Cavalleria Rusticana-" "
There was nothing rustic about Toscu-
The operagoer may object to comment
of this kind on the ground that what
Nine Jeritza wears on her shining
locks is of no Importance provided
she sings well and delineates the pas
sions of the heroine. This, however.
is one OF those specious falsehoods
which are half truths.
"a Ia - %nr A.
prano wears on her head. then 1t
makes no difference what she wears
at all. She might just as well enter
the church In a tea gown and be
done with 1t.
From Dress TO Higher Art.
10 turn from dress to higher art,
her impersonation of Tosca was ex-
actly what II was last season, a vivid,
intensely interesting and vocally un-
even composition. made persuasive al
ways and commanding frequently by
tho force of a strongly marked indi-
Hduality. 1t was said here on the
morning after the performance and
may profitably be repeated that the
admirable soprano had been so over
praised that she would be hard put
to II to live up to her own newly cre-
ated fame. But she is to discover
some new characters In the course Of
the season and this will enable her
70 ~
Inmates Of her made In the first costa
sizes of last season
Mr.. Chaliapin's Boris bravely sus-
tanned the lsudations OF the previous
season. To some II seemed much
greater than II did a few months ago.
chiefly because when the distinguished
bass appeared here last winter his
voice was In very bad condition and
this season Il Is In excellent order.
Last winter the singer was put to all
sorts of expedients to get his vocal
effects. and In too many instances
failed to do so. This season no plays
upon his extraordinary voice with the
skill OF a great dramatic artist. His
singing OF the address to the people Nm
the third scene OF Boris Godunov"
on Wednesday evening was one OF the
most eloquent bursts OF lyric decla-
nation heard on the Metropolitan
stage In many long day. 1t was n
combination OF beautiful and dignifeS
legato with color and nuance OF the
most subtle and influential kind.
Again In the chamber scene Mr..
Chaliapln was able to accomplish
much more than he did last season.
He had then to employ his peculiar
form OF parlando nearly all the time.
since II was obviously impossible for
him TO sing a flowing melody. But
last Wednesday he delivered the air
in the early part OF the scene admira-
bly,. and then created an almost start
ling contrast In the episode Of the
vision by speaking the lines. But how
he spoke them! His style does not
resemble that Of salvfnt but It was