Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-08
..'''PETER IBBETSON"
!. :. PREMIER SUCCESS
Deems TayIor'S Opera Wins
!, Bio Gotham Crowd-May
Be Heard Here.
aftF

Special Dispatch TO The star.
NEW YORK, February Tone Of
she most brilliant pages In the history
q American opera was written this
afternoon &C the Metropolitan Opera
House when Deems Taylors Peter ID
6etson" was given its world premier
The historical opera house, with its IA
mous golden horseshoe and the many
tiers Of boxes and balconies, gave evil
4Sience of the most distinguished audi
eflce visible there in a decade, hundreds
OF persons having been turned away
from the box-off1ce earlier In the day.
AFTER the finale, the artists and the
composer took more than dozen cur
tain calls, while the audience .applauded
end cheered and cried bravo" for a
full is minutes. Mr.. Taylor made
short speech in which he said, when
you 20 home, remember that you have
Seen one completely happy person"
:, May Come to Capital.
1t was a deeply impressive occasion.
Especially is it Of interest to WaShingto-
Siians. since IF it comes up to expec-
9ations." Peter Ibbetson" will be In
srluded in the repertoire which this
company brings to the Fox Theatsr In
April That it came up TO expectations
was evident from the demonstration, SO
that washington likely VIII nave an
opportunity OF seeing this dream fanta-
St-for it is really more than an opera
A two months time.
I Mr.. Taylor, noted American COM
6bser, has written something that one
can willingly propheSy IS belonging
not only to this generation, but to many
generations to come.
) sThe great care and skill he has used
m the composing of this highly pictur-
esoue musical narrative which wlnoS
lib to an impressive climax are ire
niendously impressive, as well as ire
g11endously moving. With the help OF
m Especially adroit libretto, he has
formulated an opera not only that sings,
btIt, one whose dramatic intensity causes
wonder.
: : n is essentially a modern opera.
vine chorus work injected into the
dream sequences takes place entirely
s,ffstace, There is, in fact. nothing 70
Obstrlct the poignant sequences OF the
story. Especially to be remarked Is the
brevity of speech and the short dia-
logue. It is a story, too, that WIZ De
as popular in this version as IL was IN
the Du Maurier novel.
Boris Singing Lauded.
: The greatest glory among the singers
was won by Lucrezia Bori in the role
ri the Duchess of Towers-more IRE
quuently "Mismey" in the dream Sc
Unconstitutional Edward johnson IN
the title role and Lawrence Tiboett as
Eol. Ibbetson were consistently splenoio.
Miss Bori, however, seemed especially
happy, not only in voice but in acting,
and received easily the mcst persistent
applause-other than the composer
nf the afternoon.
; Mounted against the most mastery
Mage portraits that Jo-eph Urban has
vet conceived, and directed With mucn
discretion and taste by Tullio Serann,
the opera, which was written by Mr.:
graylor at the request Of directors OF
The Metropolitan company, stands out
probably as the most important operate
work by an American thus far. With
out the customary overture and free
for the most part Of long arias or
recitatives, one might say that the
noera is more dramatic and less operate
ahan most Of its predecessors. Its
music, without ever attaining to the
Greatest heights, is, however, continual
dy charming, especially In the dream
narrative. Z. de .. M