Evening star., 1925-02-14
DIAL MONTE SINGS
STAR ROLE IN LUCIA
Italian CoIoratura Brings En-
thusiastic Applause From
Audience of $500 Here.

brought an audience of $500 to en-
thusiastic applause after singing the
famous mad scene" in the third act
of Donizettis operate version of Sir
Walter Scotts novel, Lucia di Lam
mermoor," played and sung by the
Chicago Opera Co. at the new WASH
ington Auditorium last night.
Miss da1 Monte, herself Italian,
made her role in that liquid language
extremely musical Toscanini chose
this young singer to sing the role IN
production at La Scala, in Milan,
and coached her in the part for
weeks. She sings the entire role with
much dramatic coloring. and gives
unusual cadenzas in her mad scene.
She subordinates her dramatic to her
musical work in this scene, appearing
remarkabl controlled and serene in
the latter part of her aria, but after
the numerous curtain calls had taken
her completely out of character. she
slid back into Lucia" easily once
. more. and closed the scene with a
convincing picture of a beautiful but
demented maiden. Her acting in the
second act was especially good. and
the most complicated of her contin-
uously forid passages were smoothly
and intelligently sung. Her voice
seemed small for the vivid require
ments of the sextet, but in the solo
work and the duets of the first and
second act 1t was charming. Miss dal
Monte was charming in recital; she is
captivating in opera.
Opera Very MelodiouS.
The entire opera is unusually
melodious, filled with fascinating bits
OF musical embroidery. Antonio
Cortis. young tenor who made a fav-
orable impression in the role of
Gregory in Boris Godounov" Tuesday
night. sang the part of Edgardo of
Ravenswood well and showed much
promise as an actor, especially In the
sextet and in his difficult aria of the
last act. His duet with Lucia in the
first act was beautifully sung.
Giacomo Rimini, who sang the part
of Lord Henry Ashton, is striking
personality with remarkable dramatic
gifts. His baritone voice, however,
does not have clear-cut quality.
many of his tones last night sounding
muff1ed. His duet with Lucia, in
which he tells her of an imaginary
falseness on the part of her lover
and secures her consent to marry an
other and wealthier suitor, was ex
ceedingly dramatic.
Has Powerful Voice.
Jose Mojica is another actor Of much
individuality with dramatic ability
that adds greatly to his interpreta-
ton. In the role of Lord Arthur
Bucklaw. the rich suitor, he won
sympathy from the audience. His
voice, heard to advantage Monday
night in .'Tannhauser." was excellent
In the sextet, dominating the others
at times. 1t is a powerful voice, evil
IDENTIFY we'll trained. Virgilio Lazzari,
whose basSo is rich and deep. was the
sixth in the famous sextet which not
only rivaled Lucia's demented aria
for popularity, but threatened to stop
the action of the scene entirely. so
hearty and continued was the ap
plause. There were several enthusias-
tic Latin youths in seats near the
Presidents box who even shouted
bravo" after this number.
Has Fresh, Young Voice.
Elizabeth Kerr, possessor of fresh
young voice, nicely trained, sang the
part of Alice, Lucia'S conf1dante, well
and showed considerable poise as an
actress. Lodovico Oliviero was salts
factory in the small role of Norman,
captain of the guard.
Although the programs stated that
Giorgio Polacco would direct this
opera, Frank ST. Leger was the con-
ductor. The work Of the instrument
talists under his guidance was nicely
unified. but too loud often for the
singers. drowning some of their
pianfssimo passages completely. The
harp solo before Lucia's entrance in
the first act was exquisite.
The chorus was as fine as in the
two preceding operas, the male chorus
numbers being especially interesting
In their rubusto style. THE ballet was
well represented in a graceful quad
rille number IN the third act The
scenery, though much cut to At the
small stage of the auditorium, was
very good and the costumes were
beautiful.
Mary Garden Today.
Today at o'clock Mary Garden,
famous singing actress of the Chicago
company, will be featured in the
title roll of 'Thais," which, she stated
while attending Dal Monte's perfor-
nance for a short time last night,
she hates like dose of medicine"
Why demanded the red-headed
prima donna why will you make me
do That's? Now, The Love of Three
Kings something like that, would be
different. But now 1 go home to bed
till L tomorrow and at 2 sing
your That's. Then at go back
to bed again" Miss Garden made a
comical, wry face accompanying the
latter remark and laughingly de-
parted.
The other roles in Massenet's opera
will be sung today as follows: Rob-
erto Moranzoni announced as the
conductors; Nicias, Jose Mojica; Ath-
anael. Eduardo Cotreuil; Palemon,
Antonio Nicolich: Myrtale, Gladys
3. Swarthout; Crobyle, Alice DHer-
NANCY; Albine, Flora Perini, and a
slave, Gildo Morelato. The ballet will
give incidental dances. This will
bring a vivid and beautiful series of
operas by the Chicago company to
it's close.