Evening star., 1925-02-11
.CHAL|AP|N'S BORIS
.ENTHRALLS CAPITAL
Distinguished and Capacity
Crowd Hears Chicago Com
pany in Russian Opera.

Washington laid new laurels at the
feet of Feodor Chaliapin. great Rus
sian singer. after hearing, for the
first time in this city, a performance
of Moussorgsky's Boris Godounov,"
presented at the Washington Audi
torium last night by the Chicago
Civic Opera Company before a dis
t1nguished audience that packed the
theater
Never before in the history of the
city has such ability as Tsinging
| actor been displayed here. The man
ner in which Chaliapin actually lives
the role of the mentally tortured
car is awe-inspiring. The climax of
his scene in the second act. when, all
alone on the stage, he held his au-
dience enthralled, won a volume and
quality Of applause. with a number Of
curtains calls. that is rare in Wash
ington. Groups of citizens who
streamed out during Mr. Chaliapin's
biggest moments in the last act were
severely criticized by those having
more sense OF the fitness of things.
Played Role 400 Times.
Although Mr.. Chaliapin said yester-
day that he has played this role Of
Boris for 20 years with more than
10 performances each year, making
more than 400 performances in all. he
admits that it completely wears him
out every time he does 1t. His two
big arias, 81 Have Attained the Power
and Farewell of Boris" were supe rb
1T is the soul of Russia-this role"
said Mr.. Chaliapin, the czar is a
tortured, bound spirit striving to rise
above past misdeeds, and finally plac-
ing the responsibility for this work
in the hands of his small son, Feodor
My role Of Mephisto. in Faust which
| played here a few weeks ago, was
the characterization of abstract ideas
of evil: Car Boris is a human being
weighted with the burdens of an un-
happy nation-a very different and
difficult role to sing"
The title role was sung in Russian
with consummate dramatic and musi-
cal Interpretation; the other roles
were well sung in Italian. 1t seemed
unfortunate that they could not be
sung in English. Giorgio Polacco
conducted, and, although at times his
orchestra quite overbalanced the
voices of the singers, he directed the
accomplishments for even the softest
pianissimo tones of the great basso
with artistic skill. The chorus was
remarkably fine, rising to heights,
musically and dramatically. The bal
let had a few charming moments in
the polonaise in the garden scene of
the second act
Swarthout Sings Finely.
Gladys Swarthout, young American,
whose singing of the shepherd boy
role in "Tannhauser" won praise
sang the difficult role of young
Feodor, the czarevitch, with colorful
dramatic work and a delightful bit
of humor in the short scene with the
nurse. role we'll sung by Flora
Perini, who did the Parrot Song
with fine shading Of dramatic and
musical values. Elizabeth Kerr sang
pleasingly the role of Xenia, young
daughter of Boris. and Augusta
Lensko as Marina, the cars older
daughter, with whom the false Di-
mitri was infatuated, has a large
voice of good quality.
The love duet between her and
Gregory, sung by Antonio Cortbs.
tenor, was perhaps the one musical
feature that did not gain all its beau
ty in glory reflected from the superb
work of Chaliapin, who dominated all
other scenes Gregory's dream aria
of the first act was finely sung, and
gave intere sting musical contrast to
the drab monologue of Pimenn, the
monk, sung by Virgilio Lazzari,
number, but apparel to advantage in
his last aria, in which he warns the
Car.
Alice DHeruanoy was excellent
dramatically and vocally as the inn
keeper and Edouard Cotreuil and
Lodovico Oliviero were fine in vaga-
bond roles. Cotreuil's singing of
Varlaam's drinking song and narra-
tive. In the Town of Kazan," was
brilliant. Romeo Boscacci was a con-
vincing Bumpkin and Jose Mojica
was imposing in the role of Prince
were William Beck, Louis Derman,
Giuseppe Minerva, Gildo Morelato and
Antonio Nicolich.
Story of Political Plot.
The story of Boris Godounov' Is
said to have been inspired by the
famous drama written by Pushkin,
master writer of the Russians. 1t
tells of a political intrigue in which
young czaryitch was murdered to
give Boris the throne. Remorse for
this deed, however, weighs heavily on
man in the monastery, who hears the
old monk Pimenn tell of the misdeeds
of Boris. dreams that Dimitri, the
murdered prince, returns. Inspired
by his dream, Gregory pretends to be
Dimitri and wins a following among
the peasant folk.
He loves Boris daughter and prom
ises to make her Queen. Boris
crazed by remorse and the taunts of
his enemies, dies, leaving his young
son, Feodor, to be Car. 1t is not q