The Washington times., 1929-04-18
|SidelightsOf
The Opera

"Manon," the opening perform.
ance of the Metropolitan Opera
Company was a brilliant success.
The Pennsylvania Avenue play.
house bulged with music lovers
with every seat occupied and at
least 200 standees in the rear of
the orchestra. While the exact
financial figures are not avail
able at the moment, the belief
of the sponsors is that last night
marked a new high record in
receipts for a single performance
of opera in Washington.
Mrs. Hoover. by the way. the
focal point of all opera glasses
during intermissions, can be set
down as an enthusiastic patron.
No mild appreciation comes from
the First Lady. She applauds
enthusiastically and raises the
hands so the artists can see it.
The First Lady looked as sur.
prised as everybody else when
Lucrezia Bori approached her
box and handed over an imposing
bouquet of Resurrection lilies.
The opera is surely passed up
by the younger generation. 1t
may be that the SO a seat tariff
is a little too high for youthful
pocketbooks. but the fact re.
mains that the orchestra pIushes
were filled by a more serious
minded clientele.
Manon" is enhanced by the
imposing scenic production which
the Metropolitan provides. 1t Is
the first time that the vivid color
ings of Joseph Urban has been
applied to operate sets. Mr.. Zieg-
fields favOrite scenic artist used
his brush to fine effect in the
Hotel Pennsylvania creation for
the fourth act. scene further op-
ticalfy embellished by the rich
costuming of period silks. The
Metropolitan has been criticized
in the past for sighting production
details in its brief road t,urneys,
but last night even a meticulous
Belasco would have found the
mechanics of the opera close to
perfection.
Manager T. D. Bonneville, of
Polls, was one of the victims of
the packed house. There was no
seat available for the presiding
officer Of the theater and he
snatched the musical moments as a
standee. At the close of the per-
formance he had his moment in
the spotlight as the personal es.
cort of Mrs. Hoover from the
Executive box to the White House
limousine.
Mrs. Edward Everett Gam, sis.
ter of the Vice President, whose
social status with the new ad-
ministration has Wed with prohi
bition politics for first.page promi-
inence, had No. 2 box with her
distinguished brother last night.
AS a talked-about figure she was
compelled to stand a lorgnette end
field-glass inspection that would
have been deadly for a hasty
toilette.
The Metropolitan sticks rigidly
to the custom of denying en-
cores. Also the prompter's hood
remains as buoy to forgetful
singbirds. The more dignified
method of before the curtain calls
prevails. The curtain remains
lowered and the artists step be-
fore 1t to bend low. 1t is q
gracious plan that precludes the
scurrying on anc off stage be.
tween the rise and fall.
Benamino GigH, looks harmless
enough, and last night was SEEM
ingly very happy. Why. the black.
handlers should want to blow up
the Metropolitan tenor Is another
question. Gigli has already sue
stumbled to the Establishments and
Tat checks of the radio barons,
and has deskfull of offers from
the sound movies. When asked to
fix his price for singing operatic
arias over the air, Gigli naively
suggested he would make 1t rea-
sonable for the loud speaker au-
dlence, as he set it down as 10
cents a listener. He didn't get it,
but he did get $4,000 for half an
hour.
Dorothy Dorsey, who is one of
the assistant business managers
for the Washington engagement
of the Met" never looked lovIier
than in the ensemble she offered
for the lobby parade last night.
But the turn away business at.
tracted by the Gatzi.Cassazza kept
her at the count.uo tables instead
OF enjoying the performance.
Lucrezia Bori Is credited with
being the most versatile of the
Metropolitan singers. Certainly
she is one of the prettiest, and
can wear her clothes becomingly.
Manon," she says. is her favorite
opera, and well it might be, for
1t is really a two-singer classic,
with the moments for other than
Gigli and the prima donna being
few and far between.