Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-11
GERMAN SINGERS
SCORE IN DON JUAN
italian Version of Opera Was
Last Performance Here
Many Years Ago.

For the first time in many years
Mozart's beautiful opera, Don Juan"
was given pre- ,ntation at Polls Theater
last night by the German Grand Opera
Co. The last recorded performance In
washington was that Of the italian YER
sion, "Don Giovanni" by the Metro
politan Grand Opera Co. several
decades ago, when Lillian Nordica sang
the Donna Anna and Antonio Scott
was the Don Juan. Even authoritative
old-timers in local circles do not re-
member the exact date. The opera was
first produced in New York In 1895. 1ts
initial production anywhere was IN
Prague in 1897. This l43-year-old opera
naturally shows its age in the dramatic
structure with its amusing artifictalities
and many situations for the characters
obviously concocted to give opportunity
for beautiful duets, trioS, QuartetS,
quintets and sextets by the singers. II
is, indeed, some Of the loveliest music
ever written.
observation-disclosures semed to thoroughly
appreciate the rich musical values OF
this opera, and the house was sold out
for the performance. The opera seemed
well cast generally. It was interesting
to hear arias, duets and other selections
familiar In concert programs in the
original italian in which the nbretto
was written by Lorenzo da Ponte sung
in German. The German translation
seemed adroitly fitted to the caoences
of the music, but it was easy TO see
how much freer the musical phrases
would soar in the more liquid Italian.
Egenieff Fine Don Juan.
Franz Egenieff was vocally and dra-
natically remarkably fine Don Juan,
portraying that gentleman whose amours
were said to have run into prodigious
numbers, with more than ! 200 in Spain
alone, with graceful finesse. Carl Braun
was dramatically an able second in the
decidedly buffo role Of the don's much
harried servant, Laporello. He sang the
famous "Madamina" "Schoene Donna" },
which tells In delightfully."- cynically and
extremely graphic fashion the details OF
many Of the don's affairs for the woefW
edification Of Donna Elvira, hopelessly
In love with Don Juan, most acceptabIy:
Josef Lengyel sang the wealth OF
beautiful tenor music with rich ef.
fectiveness and q quality decidedly
Italian rather than German In his
voice color. His role OF Don Ottavio
was the most ungrateful in the opera,
dramatically, being @ definitely wooden
shadow for the vengeful Donna Anna.
Vocally, however, he was outstanding,
and he handled the situation well when
he was almost felled by the falling OF
A curtain. badly timed, and, as re-
suit, the tenor had to wait until the
curtain was raised before he could make
o graceful exit. ~
current revival of this opera Is sung
by Rosa Ponselie, that Of Donna Anna,
was most satisfactorily sung last night
by Marguerite Bauemer. She Is also
to sing Senta in the Flying Dutch
man" Tuesday afternoon. One looks
role. She has big, well balanced voice
with brilliant high notes, clear and
true. There are times when she Is not
50 rounded in the tone color OF lower
tones. The individual beauty Of her
voice first came out noticeably in the
famous quartet Mon ii fdar.
misera" ("Traue dem slatten Heuchler
nicht"). Her two airs which followed
were beautifully sung. This music Is
extremely difficult for q dramatic
soprano, In many Of its phrases. Fraulein
Bauemer conquered them successfully.
American Girls Please.
The two other feminine roles were
sung by American girls who have had
training IN the German traditions. The
National Capital could well be proud
Of both Of them. Milo Miloradovich
was particularly good as Zerlina, the
gauche peasant girl, who has become
famous In musical history for her part
in the classic duet, ia ci darem IL
n1ano' cDort weih' ich Dir mein
Leben') and the air, later, BATH, BATH,
bel Masetto" (Schlage, schlag' mich,
mein Masetto''). Miss Muoradovich,
singing this role for tbs first time on
any stage, achieved several curtain calls
and extremely enthusiastic applause.
She has colorful. enforced tone, clear
diction, and rose to real dramatic
heights in her big aria.
Edna Zahm, who made Of Donna e.
vira a most charming lady, to be so
deserted by the don, sang her role well,
but there were moments when her voice
did not rise above the orchestra and
when the tone-coior wee fat. She acted
the role delightfully."-.
This was the third opera here to be
conducted by Ernest Knoch. He showed
keen appreciation of the values Of the
Mozart music, although there were
orchestrally rather than as accompan-
iment for the singers. There were
Mozart specialists at the performance
who had heard excellent productions IN
Germany when q smaller orchestra and
harpsichord were used with marked
artistic effect by Gustav Mailer. OF
course the work was written In q time
when smaller orchestras were the rule.
The delicate charm Of Mozart Is at us
hest uhen softly treated H r