Evening star., 1928-04-22
BOR| IS RADIANT
IN JULIET ROLE
Metropolitan Co. Closes
Spring Season Here With
Double Offering.

The Metropolitan Opera Co Of New
York closed the second annual Spring
season in Washington with two of the
best known operas listed in their
repertoire at Polls Theater yesterday
afternoon and last night. Large audi
ences with Standing-rooin sold at every
performance showed marked interest
in this season" in spite OF almost pro-
hibitive prices.
Each Of the sour productions showed
excellent care IL COSTUMES. settings.
casting famous singers in leading roles
and choral effects. The orchestra
seemed at its best tHe opening night in
Norma" under Vincen7o Bellezza and
Yesterday afternoon IN Romeo and
Juliet under TSuis HaSSelnlans Fer
hapS of all the performances, that
Gounod opera Was the finest from every
point Of view
Lucrezia Bori was a radiant REIN
carnation of the universal conception
Of Cinderella" dressed for the ball. as
she wore the beautiful costumes Of the
fair and tragic Juliet of Shakespeare
supreme love story told with Gounod's
clever musical setting. She won
ovations quite equal TO those PonSelle
received the opening night and that
Chaliapin received in Boris Godounov.
an admirable actress
Giglfs Voice Pieases.
Beniamino Gigli. too. was in splendid
voice and acted his role of the orig
inal OF all "Romeos" thoroughly.
Others who were admirably cast in
leading roles were Leon Rothier. as
Friar Laurel. who was at his best in
the duet with Juliet in the fourth act.
de Luca, the polished veteran" as
Mercutio: Anfelo Bada. as Tybalt, and
William Gustafson. as the Duke of
Verona. Ellen DaloSsy worked hard
with Stephano. rather ungrateful role,
and put much energy into her singing
OF Que fair-tu. blanche tour terelle."
Henriette Wakefield was adequate In
the small part of the nurse. Gertrude
Pavel Ludikar quite looked the part of
Capulet but was not as fine vocally
as some Of the others.
The settings as designed by Joseph
Urban were exquisite and won much
admiration.
"Tannhauser" is considered By some
Wagner's operas To those who had
heard the more inspiring music of the
conedy-opera the great master Of Bay
reuth wrote. die Meistersinger, Fri
day night. the opera with the Pilgrim
chorus, venusberg music and airs for
Elizabeth and Wolfram seemed some
how inadequate. Also none Of the
singers gave any efforts that were es-
pecially enthusiastically received by an
audience which. nevertheless. seemed 10
pay zeen attention Giuseppe Bambos-
chek does not seem particularly gifted
as a leader Of German opera. He chop
ped phrases: his men often we're OBJ
yiously not with the rhythm that his
baton indicated.
Florence Easton Leads.
OF the singers. Florence Easton
ranked foremost with her well delivered
"Dich Ti1eure Halle" and Prayer"
The great chorus, which followed the
first Of these two airs, "Freudig Begrues-
sen Wir Die Edle Halle" was well rend-
cred and received much applause VIII
liam Gustafson also dominated the
opera both as a forcefuI dramatic per-
sonality and vocally. Walther Kirch-
hof. the Tannhauser, Is a tenor Lew
10 local audiences. He seems to sing
very loudly most Of the time and with
voice that does not always have
rounded tones or proper placement for
best. effect. especially In the high tones.
Dramatically he was excellent. Law
renee Tibbett, the young Californian
yho has made admirable impression
here In concerts. was evidently not In
best voice last night or else he restrained
his tones TOO often. The famous % du
Mein Holder Abendstern" went APP
plause-less for once Editha F!eischer
did her pastoral song as a young shep-
herd--'Frau Holde Kan Aus Dem Berg
HervoF" very well
The Metropolitan season" as
whole was brilliant and successful
"Tannhaaser' as an individual opera
vas the only one which did not win
warm continuous applause and general
praise, II. r.