Evening star., 1927-02-17


Quoted, and, which. even now Is re-
called with warm praise by the musi-
clans and music lovers who heard 1t.
Throughout the opera, Mr.. Boneii1
seemed to live his role and to achieve
fine vocal Interpretation without a
single grimace and with the apparent
ease that is complete artistry. The
audience, from Vice President Dawes
and Gen. Pershing In a stage box to
the humblest standee at the rear of
the house, acclaimed Mr.. Bonelli with
repeated outbursts OF applause.
Marshall i'm Fine Voice.
Charles Marshall, the excellent
tenor. who sang the hero's role, also
showed thorough workmanship and
was In fine voice. He never has the
blatant quality that is so damaging
to many tenors. Always he is artis-
tic, and his staccato phrasing of the
air in the second scene Of the first
act was an artistic achievement. His
duet with Nine. Raisa in the second
act was one of the highest moments
of musical beauty in the entire opera.
Also, the trio including Mr.. Bonelli.
later in that act, was well done. The
quintet in the fortune-teller's scene
showed splendid ensemble work.
THE Masked Ball" which was seen
and heard in toto by many OF last
nights audience for the first time. is
an example of Vedi at his melodious
best. 1t is not quite Of the caliber
of "Otello," but it is a work that
shows many moments of originality
and typical Verdiisms. 1t was first
produced in Rome almost IS years
ago to a day-February II, 1859, The
subject Of the opera was the same
originally as that of Auber's ''Gustave
ILL.," which represents the assassina-
ton of the King of Sweden at a
masked ball. However, when Verdi
began to prepare for it's production
in Naples the police interfered upon
the ground that it would be injudi-
cious owing to the recent attack of
Orsini upon Napoleon III. Verdi
hotly refused to adapt his music to
other words than the libretto as writ
ten by NJ. Somma.
Changes Made Later.
Later. however, the impresario at
the Apollo Theater in Rome, where
the premiere was held, suggested
changes in the libretto that made pos
sible the production of the opera.
The scene was transferred to Boston,
Mass, and the Swedish king was
transformed into a British governor;
the conspirators into Royalists and
Puritans. Therefore it is easy to un-
derstand how little American the
opera seems, and the Italian sugges-
ton in the eostuming of the feminine
part of the chorus. which. of course,
could be the wives and sisters of
Portuguese sailors of the New Eng
lana coast, add to the completely Ital-
ian effect of the work as whole.
However it is so charming a score
and was produced by so excellentIy
chosen group of singers that the
audience last night cared little about
this minor detail. The corps de ballet
also was of first rank ability; the one
regret of many present last night was
that the chorus was so energetically
and persistently on the stir during
the ballroom scene that, although
thus adding to the realism of the
effect. they obscured most Of the
dancing which seemed to be an ex-
Cel1ent execution Of gavotte or
sarabande by a dozen charming
dancers.
The unique Mary Garden arrived
quite unostentatiously at her Wash
ington hotel about o'clock last
night, in spite of unfounded rumors
that she was suffering from bron-
.chtis. She was reported by her man
ager, G. A. Shaw. as being in excel
lent health and prepared to sing the
leading role in Washington's premiere
of "Resurrection," the opera written
by Alfano and based upon Tolstoi's
novel of the same title. at the matinee
performance which began at 2 pm.
today. III. r.