New Britain herald., 1929-10-29
Scene of Old Time Sim plicity, Far Removed From Modern Gotham, Greets Lucrezia BOri Saturday Night.

New York, Oct. % LP)--In long lines of shining motor cars, New Works 400 journeyed down to the old Metropolitan Opera House last night and made their annual obo!- sance to the glory that was society before the war.
 Once through the flashlight firing line and inside those lofty and dis dainfully shabby portals. they laid aside the easy casual manners that are the personality of today and 'lt- ted themselves into a scene, ritual istic in it's gravity.
 Most renowned of all the annual spectacles in New York. the opening of the Metropolitan Opera Is least of,all like New York-the crashing, stupendius New York Of today.
 Seems Unreal World
 There in the auditorium last night under the golden horseshoe that glowed softly like a great circular stained glass window in the subdued light, jagged sllyscrapers piercing the sky seemed fantastic and very far away. And unreal the droning O. airplancs, the howl and blast of traffic, jazz over a loud speaker, all the harsh and exciting noises Of the New York that is today.
 More exciting than all of these, too, that scene in the metropolitan. Excitement born of mystery and senses set tingling by swelling, pas sionate music. glitter of jewels an1 the radiant sheen of silky fabrics, soft furs caressing white shoulders, perfume that hung over the audi torium like incense.
 More like those golden openings 2O and 30 years ago than any othtr in recent years must have been that opening oG the Metropolitan and New Works social season last night. Long skirts are back-skirts that sweep the floor and lcok even long CT hanging down below ernine eve ming wraps that were made for short skirts and now refuse 10 be length ened. And with long skirts have come long, white kid gloves. and fans, and tiaras and hair waved softly back in graceful knots at the napc of the neck.
 In the promenade between the second and third acts, one girl stood out from all the rest. Tail and eX- quisitely rounded. she was, and sine wore white taffeta, with a skirt that swept the floor and little round puffs of sleeves, and in her hands, reach ing half way to her elbows black gloves that should have been mitts. Her chestnut hair parted in the center, was drawn softly and care- lessly back into a loose knot. She wore no makeup.
 Men in Evening Dress
 And behind these costumes, 90 feminine after the years of no waist lines and knee-length skirts. gleam- ed white shirt fronts framed in black. with here and there foreign uniform, horizon blue and scarlet,
 No smart lobby batter here. No ticker tape, no nanny songs, no contract bridge, no cocktails built on synthetic gin. Just the gentle sophis- tjcation of a society that levels its opera glasses at boxes across the golden horseshoe and applauds with immaculate white-g -gloved palms the wildly pleading arias of "Manon Les caut."
 Lucrezia Bori. surpassingly lovely iii the white wig and frills and puffs of the 18th century. was Manon- the Italian Mancn of puCCini. the role in which she won her engage ment with the Metropolitan 19 years ago. Beniamino GiGh was the lover, and Tullio Serrafin conducted.
 The final curtain descended. Man on--a wan and cXiled Manon now, with bright waves Of auburn hair cascading down over her shoulders as if attempting 10 hide her shaii- ness-came out and took her l1s' curtain call gracefully kissed her hands in farewell.
 Thinks of Stock Market
 Out on the Broadway sidewalk. n mon and woman in forual evening attire waited for their lmoueinn Under his opera hat. the mans fae looked pale and 8 little drawn.
 "Tomorrow's anothor day" h. sighed. T understood there was tr be 9 meeting tonight, down in Johr r. Morgan's office -