The Washington times., 1925-03-07
FARRAR GIVES
TRAVESTY
On ART
Bizarre Exaggerations Spoil
Carmen" Presented in
Fantasia Form
BIZ Jessie .MacBRIDE,

But it wasn't Garment Although
it sailed under that flag.
Geraldine FaTrar's pseudo Gar
men," in operate fantasia form to
the music of Bizet, was a begging
of the term tabloid opera" in its
first presentation at Polls Thaater
yesterday afternoon, where a ca
pacity audience. with many stand
ing, went to see her much talked
of heroine role Of this opera.
It lisa pity that this former queen
Of the Metropolitan Opera should
so distort her art and use her
fame for exploitation Of her oiza ere
exaggerations on the. stage. Cali
it something else, and one finds
an attractive stage picture, an
occasion to display some gorgeous
gowns that might be Zaza in the
second scene. or a rarely apr
parelled Spanish grand-dame for a
Goya. or a Velasquez canvas, in the
last aone.
Vividhess Marks Production.
Grand opera only maintains Its
defining adjective through all the
emoluments of orchestra, ensemble.
rich vivid tone-drama beneath what
term left in the Farrar category of
her art. If it were not sad, one
might traEesty this daring.
Dramatic. .verities and musical
verities were put into the discard.
Again, call it something else, and
we find a stunning sort of Apache
dance in the scene that comes where
Lillas Pastia's tavern is supposed
to be.
This Carmen must have stopped
to rob bank on the way to her
rendezvous with her poor soldier
lover. From cigarette girl to Zazl,
she undergoes q metamorphosis, aL-
pearing In billowy waves Of raresr
cream satin that spread in a huge
train around this shabby tavern
floor following the true telling of
the .storyD Here the lure of the
movies is used in this seduction
scene. ..--
Farrar is a graceful creature. with
dramatic technique and an imagi-
nation for portrayal that might be
put to legitimate drama uses, If this
exaggeration were dropped. Then
Farrar might still be an artist. She
Is as 1.-the as a tiger. Her drama
gets one. except that 1t fails because
she insults your intelligence
OF music, there was a small
string Accompaniment, artistic in
an interlude that gave the prelude
to the Smuggler's. scene (which did
not eventuate). But one thin violin
does sparse duty for the opulent
Bizet score.
Dance Episodes.
Gems Of the opera were given,
not very well. Farrar should not
sing now. It is a faded flower,
alasI To hinge the thing together
four young maidens served as
mines" giving little attractive
dance episodes, or acting as big
chorus backgrounds.
Again ''see" Farrar's bullring
costume. Gorgeous black and silver
brocade, with a crimson Spanish
lace mantilla that fell from her
high comb to the edge of her gar
ment, which again swept the floor
They pulled the card scene into
the first act. A dramatic aria was
made of Michael's Lost in the
Woods" song, given by Emma Noe
in a gay CaTmenesQue costume. JOS
eph Roger was the Escamillo, Neira
Riegger the Mercedes. Carlo Peroni
conducted. The incidental dances
were arranged by Ned Wayburn, OF
musical comedy fame.
We have just "tabloids" OF
operas here, by amateurs, given by
Estelle Wentworth's students class,
that need no apology to composer
or librettist. If art were not in
the balance one could enjoy cos
tunes. But let a Ned Wayburn
show be used as the clothes rack.
Let Geraldine Farrar, "Our Gerry"
whom we've all been so fond of,
put her dramatic art to legitimate
uSeSi