Evening star., 1927-12-07
MISS GORDON WINS
PRAISE AS CARMEN
Fascinating Performance
Presented-PauI AlthouSe
Is Admirable Don Jose.

The CAV. fascinating music of BiZets
Carmen" was presented in a vivid
performance last night as the second
in the series of grand operas during
this festival week of opera by the
Washington Opera Company at Polls
Theater The opera was received by
generous audience with much enthu
siasm and evident enjoyment, even
though it was nearly midnight when
the last curtain fell on the prostrate
glittering Carmen. Jeanne Gordon.
There have been many Carmens
seen in Washington. 1t is a favOrite
role. There has been none who so
completely both looked and sang the
role as Jeanne Gordon. She is an eX-
celent actress and vocally gives
Carmen who possesses as rounded,
subtle and calculated tonal production
as. in character, she is the vampire
incarnate. Her French also was very
good, and in addition to unusual in
terpretations and emphasis placed on
the familiar "Seguidilla" and "Haba
nera she made the card scene of the
third act particularly effective. In
this number two Washington singers
Doris Morrow as Frasquita and
Rose Polio rs Mercedes-also con-
tributed their parts in the trio with
Carmen eNcellentlN.
Another musical episode in which
the three were splendid in their sing.
ing together was in the quintet with
George Eeuchler and WilfrCd Smith.
other local singers, in the second act
when top laurels for a finely co-or-
dinated piece of singing went to this
group, all local except Miss Gordon.
This number showed good thorough
drilling and preparatiOn
AlthOuse Is Admirable.
Opposite Miss Gordons Carmen,
Paul Althouse'S Don Jose was highly
admirable. Eocally he was at his
best throughout the entire evening
and histrionically he completely lived
up to the requirements of the role.
With these two leads the opera be-
came a vital story of real people in
stead of the extremely artificial thing
it so often is.
A young singer. Walter Chambers,
was excellent in the role of Zuniga
and Ivan IvantzOff. fav0rte for sew.
eral seasons in opera here. was high
ly welcomed in his toreadOr song of
the second act, as Escamillo. 1t
sounded as though Mr.. Ivantzoff
might have slight cold, for the usual
big roundedness of his tones seemed
handicapped. His acting, however,
and his higher notes were as fine as
ever
Dorothy Speare, the young Ameri-
can novelist. who made her national
operate debut with the local company
Monday night in the title role Of
Mignon sang Micaela last night.
Margery Maxwell, who was originally
scheduled in the role, was i'll, accord
ing to the announcement on inserted
slips in the programs. Miss Speare
had sung Micaela previously in Italy
and she achieved some very nice eff
fects last night, particularly in the
"Je dis qIerin" air of the third act,
when one enthusiastic admirer loudly
shouted. Bravo" a la Italy, and he
entire house applauded heartily. Miss
Speare was i'll at ease at the length
of the demonstration and called to the
conductor to go on"
Chorus Wins Praise.
Again Miss Dillon should be given
praise for the admirable grouping of
the chorus on various occasions. es-
pecially in the second and third acts,
for the general charm and freshness
of suggestion in every setting.
The chorus was better it seemed
than Monday night, both in graceful
presence and vocally, though Mr.. Bim
bonis direction of the orchestra in the
very brilliant score at times rose too
high for the best effects of soloists or
chorus. The chorus was especially
good in the last act. The orchestra
played very we'll The boys drilled Well
in the soldiers bits of action in the
first act, and the little boys in their
imitation drill lent a realistic and in
teresting touch.
An outstanding bit of real Spanish
color was given the second act by the
admirable solo dance by Elizabeth
Gardiner who spent much of last Sum.
mer in Spain studying the intricacies
of the various dances under leading
Spanish exponents of the art.
Tonight there will be no opera as
the gala costume ball at the Mayfower
Hotel will give the public opportunity
to meet all the stars of the various
productions. Tomorrow night "Thais"
will be sung in French with Mary
Lewis, Maurice Capitaine and John
Charles Thomas in the leading roles.
II. f.