Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06
THRONG ENTHUSES
OVER "R|GOLETTO"
1000 See Washington Opera
Season Close in Burst
of Glory.

The season 1862 of the Wash
ington Opera Co. Edouard Albion. I'll.
rector. ended in "a Veritable blaze or
glory last night when audience and
singers alike seemed in gala enthu-
siastic mood and Verdi's "Rigoietto'
provided the vehicle for colOrTul
evening OF real Itai AN opera ri the
Washington Aud. Drum, Nj. Albion
stated thai thep% we're more han
4 900 IN M audience and there were
obviously many music lovers among
them. for with each familiar air, duet,
or. lost Ol ait, in -hc famous quartet
of the last act. the audience was
alert. Anticipating the melodieus
treat in ore for them and, in the
Ease Of the quartet, applause sounded
for,h before even note was sung;
also in the case of the famous tenor
air, LA Donna e Mobile this was
true. as the orchestra sounded the
opening phrase % the melody.
Thomas Wins Laureis.
The evening laurels belonged fore
most TO the American baritone. Johh
Charles Thomas, who returned TO tne
scene and company Of his hrst operatlc
appearance in another Nerdi work. 10
sing the title role superoly in this
he was the dramatic parsonage ana
each note of his many airs was clear
balanced, true. Ills French dlctlon
was excellent and he seemed to really
live his part Even Chaliapin did not
receive a greater ovation than Jonli
Charles Thomas, the American, IN
appearances with this company. Mr..
Thomas Rigoletto has individuality.
authority and vivid reality.
Second to Mr.. Thomas came Lucia
Melius. who stopped the show" in the
previous production OF Lakme. She
seemed in excellent voice and to feel
appreciatively the enthusiasm of her
audience. After the Caro- Nome
and again in the duet with Rigoletto
'piangi fanciulla." Miss Melius re
ceived definite personal ovatlons. rms
is indeed a role that shows her vocal
powers effectively.
Third in the list of those receiving
special medals. figuratively speaking,
was third American singer. Slgufo
Nilsson. the young basso. VINO also
made his initial appearance with TINS
company in an opera last year.
Ralph Err0lle Pleasing.
The hero. Ralph Errolle. appeared TO
advantage especially In the quartet ana
sang his airs of both first and last
acts we'll In the wooing or Maoda-
lena. that forms the first part OF the
famous quartet. there was more
warmth and depth to his voice than
any other time The air that preceded
this was much more lyric in it's color
Doris Doe. young American con
tralto, made her first appearance with
the local company in this performance.
She showed a very pleasing QUALITY
and a good sense of the dramatic. She
quite upheld her share of the quartet
and her notes in the repetition OF this
number. after she had overcome all
nervousness, were clear and mellow
without sign of tremulo.
Mary Apple. a young Washington
contraito with a promising voice. had
q small but effective bit as the page.
and Rosa Polio and Doris Morrow
were other local singers who reap
reared in the list of Washington
Opera singers. Miss Polio, who, due
to illness. has not been with the com
pany for some time, was very good in
the role of Giovanni, the nurse.
This opera, with it's very familiar
score and traditional settings, was a
happy selection at this time. Never
has an audience received an opera
with more heartiness than last night.
and most of all did they receive with
welcoming applause and waving pro-
grams John Charles Thomas.
Conducts In Good Taste.
Alberto Bimboni conducted with
good taste, so that always the orches-
ira was as an obbligato to the singers,
and the roundly-thumping phrases of
this war horse of operas that out
lives many a less gaudy work with
sublime surviyance in practically
In he rnrId q.
lighted thousands of Washingtonians
again.
Enrica Clay Dillon, who also has
returned to the local company's fold
ia the role of stage director, deserves
word of praise. The orchestra and
chorus members individually should
have a shake of the hand for their
cooperation. The short ballet num-
her in the first act, directed by Paul
Tchernikoff deserves favorable men,
ton In fact, rousingly good time
seemed to be had by all. Who says
that familiarity breeds contempt?
1t hardly seems true of some operas
and most audiences.
Members of Company c.
The members of the company in
cluded: Virginia Amberg, Norma Bell,
Veta Boone, Florence Brady, Swanee
CFofton, Mary Dowd, Esther Dudley,
Phoebe Gates. Alicegene Graves, Ruth
Hutchinson. Esther Holmes, Charlotte
Hoover, Margaret Lane, Louise Met
calf, Lucie Murray. Mildred O'Neill.
Ruth Perry. Frances Royal, Leona
Riley, Ethel Roddy. Josephine Soukop,
Charlotte Turner. Dorothy Tyler.
Mary Apple. Alice Brennan, Elizabeth
Dickson, Lisette Follmer, Gertrude
Kaufman, Ida Lea, Edith Mack,
Marie Muse, Eulalie McEachran Ma
rion PAUL, Kathleen Schlup. Emily
Watts, Nelson Anderson, Edmond
Boyer, Roy Carly, Joseph DiMeglio,
Raymond Escherich, Willis Fisk, Carl
Horn, Romano Mascetti, Arthur Par
sons. j. B. Peat. Hugh Smith, VIII
fred Smith Isaac Simon, Henry Starr,
Paul Beckert, George Beuchler, Rus.
sell Burroughs, Ernest Brault, Rich
ard Hubbard. w. r. Hughes, Paul
Kvale, Edwin r. Ludwig. John O'Brien n,
David Ramsdell, Paul Solem, Adolph
Turner. Corps de ballet-Catherine
Browne. Dorothy Burr. Jean Dens-
more, Olive Ruth Hathaway, Alice
Louise Hunter, ATollie Mcdonnell,
Marcelia Palmer, Georsette Yarby.