The New York herald., 1922-11-23
Rethberg a New
Aida as Onegin
Sings AmneriS
Foreign Artists Make Debut
at Metropolitan-Burke
as the King.

The first performance OF aida" for
the present season took place at the
Metropolitan Opera House last evening.
The opera once neglected and passed by
with something like contempt by all New
York Is now one of it's dearest joys. But
perhaps 1t was not the opera There
were three debuts last night. those OF
Miss Elizabeth Rethberg as Aldo. Mime.
Sigrid onegin as Amneris, and Edmund
Burke as the King. Perhaps there was
much curiosity to hear these new sing
ers, especially as two OF them belong
to the northern wing OF the organization.
The soprano Is a German from Berlin
and the contra1to a Swede from Stock
holm. The latter had been heard in
concert of the Symphony Society and
evening she made her first local ap-
pearance in opera.
Miss Rethberg was suffering so much
from nervousness that she had almost
no breath control But the excellent
quality of her voice and the strenuous
nature of her dramatic utterance prom
ised well for her later appearances. A
fresh, strong and warm voice. backed
by temperament, Is valuable asset in
any opera company. and Miss Rethberg
will probably give good account of
herself in the future.
Nine. Onegin has rich and noble
voice OF heroic proportions, but not quite
enough range for Antneris. She suf-
fered like her companion from nervous
ness, though not So much, but still
enough to disturb her phrasing and in
several instances her intonation. Her
delivery of the more declamatory meas
ures Of Amneris lacked intensity, but
she sang much of the role admirably.
It Is likely that both of the newcomers
will be heard to greater advantage In
other operas
OF Mr.. Burke It Is unnecessary to say
more than that he seemed last evening
to be a utility bass of a type familiar
to all opera houses. The other princi-
pals were Giovanni Martinelli as RG-
Honaes, Giuseppe Danise as Ansondsro and
Jose Mardones as RGnifs. Miss Florence
Hart was the solo dancer in the scene
OF the triumph. Mr.. Moranzoni con-
Quoted. There have been smoother per-
formances\ \of aida" at the Metropoli-
tan, but here again the continued anx-
ieties Of two important debutantes must
be considered.
In the audience the diplomatic corps
was represented by the Spanish Ambas-
sador and Sonora Dona Alicia Ward de
Riano, who were with Mr.. and Mrs. b..
Sumner Welles In the Warren box,
No. 10.
The Duke and Duchess de Talleyrand
ey-tx, g., %
included Mr.. and Mrs. John Howard
Child, Mrs. Edward n. Breitung and Mr..
William Stephen Van Rer sselaer.
With Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis l.. Clarke
in box 12 were Don and Donna Marino
6ns duchi Torlonia Marquis de Bugnano
ana Messrs. Albert Moroni and Edward
Pizzella.
Mr.. e. Francis Hyde's party in Box
B.: included Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander j.
Fraser and Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel NJ.
Hyde In Box IL the group included
Mrs James Russell Solely. Mr.. and Mrs.
Herman D. Kountze. Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles NJ. Connfelt and Mr.. Charles E.
Sampson.
Count and Countess Thaon de Revei
were with Mrs. Richard T. Wilson in
Box l. In Box with Mr.. and Mrs. 70.
Reeve Merritt were Mrs John Howell
Carroll. Mr.. and Mrs Ansel Phelps and
Mr.. Nathan LORD. Mr anu MrS Duuiey
Davis and Mr.. Louis Bruguiere were
with Mr.. and Mrs. J. Lorimer Worden
in BOX "a.
The guests of Mr.. Shipley Jones in
Box 23 were Miss lie Roy. Miss An
toinette Martin. Mrs. Henry Asher Rob-
bins. DR.. Duval and Mr.. Firth. With
Mrs Richard GambrilI in Box 2s were
Mrs Edward NJ. House. Miss Louise
Sands and Mr.. J. Coleman Drayton.
Others present were Mr. Stanley Nor
timer. Mrs. whitelaw Reid, Mr.. and Mrs
Herbert l.. Satterlee, Mrs. Arthur Cur
tiss James. DR.. and Mrs. Ernest Fahne-
stock and Mr.. William Il. Shepherd,
whose guests In Box 81 were Mrs. John
Law White and Mrs George Place