Evening star., 1937-10-23

"OR the second time this week q
- masterpiece by Verdi unfolded
its lyric story on the stage OF
4 the Rialto Theater when, last
evening, the Columbia Opera Co. OF
New York presented la Traviata."
Even In this day Of musical sophistica-
ton, 1t is doubtful If any Of the more
grandioee works of the Italian COM
poser's later period will ever rival in
popularity his "Rigoletto'" 'Trovatore'
and Traviats. Last evenings audi
ence proved by its size and enthusiasm
that the well-known arias and many
other excerpts, favorites OF pupils
radio artists, concert singers and the
public in general, had still the power
to charm with their Riavity and
melody.
And in these two particulars, Verdi
was unsurpassed. Few operate COM
posers had the free flowing gift that
was his or the abundance Of lyric in
vention. Under the guise Of simplic-
ity. Verdi has taken intense drama
and skillfully woven 1t into lyric
fabric. the colors OF which gain in
richness and depth with the years. So
clever an artisan was he that neither
of the two elements which made up his
genius, his melodic and his dramatic
sense, was ever allowed to overshadow
the other. In "Traviata," the love od
Alfredo, and the sacrifice Of Violetta,
move to their tragic finale on the
wings of purest melody. Yet the dra-
matte story never loses Its highlights
because OF this nor Is it the less emo
tionally stirring because Of the swift
moving musical phrases.
The artists Of last evening avoided
any overstressing Of the dramatic
while building up the drama OF the
well-known story. Their acting WA
restrained and polished In keeping
with the milieu they represented.
The principal characters were taken
by E1da Ercole, as Violetta; Mario
Palermo as Alferdo, and Anthony Nell
a. Germont, the father. Miss Ercole
Is 4 singer who gives pleasure by the
authority she puts into her perform
anoe, but for the character Of violetta
she was not ideally cast. Her voice
u too robust and her gestures too
healthy for the fragile heroine. One
missed, too, the clarity and rippling
beauty Of the agility passages and the
floating sweetness Of high notes that
has become associated with the role.
Apart from this, her performance was
on . high plane. Her voice is an I'M
usually nne one and her intelligent
handling Of the role was effective in
its naturalness.
The same may be said Of the Alfredo
Of Mario Palermo, 30 ideally . counter
part Of Mascagni's "Turiddu" earlier
in the week. The quality of his voice
is by nature not lyric enough to COM
pletely visualize the poetic and roman
tic lover of violetta although his artis-
tic command cannot be questioned.
Tne splendid measures given to the
Germont would have been enhanced
with . more pronounced legato style
than Mr.. Nell essayed. His voice,
however, u = fine one. large rs to
volumne, and well schooled. The lesser
characters in the drama were well
presented.
The setting for each act was seem
ically effective and arranged with in
genuity. Emerson Buckley. the musi-
cal director, gave . reading OF the
score that was full Of shadinss and
alert control of every climax 80 thAt
the entire performance had vitality
and moved with smoothness. This
afternoon, Martha" will be presented
and In the evening Carmen"