Evening star., 1936-02-23
By Lucy Salamanca.

- y
Joseph BENToNELLI, that
shining luminary of the Metro
politan Opera House, who
~ brought staid patrons Of the
diamond horseshoe to their feet at his
spectacular debut few weeks ago
and was showed onto the stage by the
happy Lucrezia Bori, after so many
curtain calls they threatened to "stop
the show" despite his modest retire
ment to the background with the rest
of the cast, believes in what he calls
"Old Lady Fate"
Bentonelli is young. arresting in ap-
pearance, with his pale face, high
forehead and beetling black brows
over dark, expressive eyes: athletic,
tall, dashing-all that any operate
tenor should be to carry completely
the illusion of romance and ardor
across the footlights and move the
most blase opera-goer to state of
lush, emotional response through the
lyric beauty of his soaring voice. He is
all these things, yet unreservedly gives
credit for good things that have come
his way to Old Lady Fate. You've
got the education-you do it, That's
what say to Old Lady Fate" says
Joseph Rentonelli.
And what response does the Old
Lady make him? Ask any one of the
throng that packed the Metropolitan
House to standing room the night he
stepped onto the stage to replace
Richard Crooks, who was i'll, in the
role of Des Grieux in Massenet's Manon
opposite Lucrezia Bora role he had
sung in French only once before in six
years-and that after less than "a
hours notice. Ask any one OF those
music lovers who have known the lyric
magic of such voices as Jean de
Reszke's and who heard Bentonelli,
subsequent to his spectacular debut,
as Rinuccio in "Gianni Schicchi." But
best of all, because he knows so much
about Old Lady Fate's activities in
his own life, ask Joseph Bentonelli.
A FEW days after the night he had
made musical history at the Met.
ropolitan Opera House, sat across
from Bentonelli in his rooms in New
York hotel, surrounded by open ward
robe trunks and boxes filled with new
ly arrived photographs of this latest
star of song. A few days before he
had been a young chap looking for
chance to get an addition at the
Met: he had been young graduate
of the University of Oklahoma with
two degrees to his credit and Rhodes
scholarship he had turned down ir
favor of a musical career and-as Ok
Lady Fate would have it-a musica
scholarship won shortly thereafter.
He had been a young singer whit
had studied arduous and delightful
months in Paris with Jean de Reszk
and had returned to his native Amer
lea for a concert tour to make enough
money to continue his musical studies
he had been a student returning II
European shores, where, in Italy, h
had greater opportunity to sing ant
sing and sing again in the opera tina
Fascist government was scheduling
for every little hamlet and town o
italy; he had been star OF thos'
operas, changing his name from hi
native Joseph Benton to something
more to the liking of Fascist court
who took the pronunciation OF al
| Oklahoman Benton" as French
"Bontong";; he had been a young
singer with European laurels behine
him, setting out again to his native
America to sing for two seasons with
the Chicago Opera Co; he had been
in short, a tenor of promise, looking
for his big chance.
Now realized he was no longer any
of these things. He sat before me &
public figure, acclaimed an artist b!
that audience whose approval i
counted the very benediction of fame
his name signed to appearances fol
the entire Metropolitan season ant
to such radio contracts as singer
dream about-a new name at tn,
Metropolitan, a singer who had car
ried of his breathlessly sudden debu
with the aplomb of an old hand.
More, by the most conservative o
New York critics he had been &C
claimed as lone of the Metropolitan
most auspicious acquisitions of thi!
season, with q good, natural voic,
employed in a well-schooled manner
and promising musicianship"; his sue
cess had been described as "a legiti'
mate and gratifying success" hi
voice as one Of Lyrical beauty and Z
warm and refined color"
On every hand one heard now O
this young tenor and wondered If h
would hold the place in the hearts O
opera -goers and lovers Of fine musi,
that his dramatic debut had won fol
him. That debut took place severa
weeks ago. Since that time Bentonell
has sung as Rinuccio in an English
version Of Puccini's one-act opers
buffa, "Gianni Schicchi," and in othel
performances, and I can tell you tina
not only has he held his place in tn
hearts Of the public, but his nam
continues to be heard in the mos
surprising places.
II heard Bentonelli sing" a littl
secretary in Park avenue buildinl
told me, with dreams In her eyes; II
was beautiful"
''That,s Bentonelli. I heard hin
on the radio. Gee, I wish I had tn
fsprice to hear him at the Met" said I