Evening star., 1938-03-06
Aida Opens
Season at
RialtO
Chicago Opera Co.
Well Received
In Performance.
BY ALICE EVERSMAN.

The Chicago Opera Co. opened its
weeks season at the Rialto Theater
last evening with Verdis great opera
Aida" The well-filled, if not overly
crowded house, received the several
famous arias and spectacular scenes
with enthusiasm and many curtain
calls were given the singers. With
practically the same cast as was
heard here with the Columbia Opera
Co., this present group has scheduled
more pretentious list OF operas, in
cluding. besides the old favorites
'Tosca," La Boheme,' Nine. But.
terf1y" and Samson ct Dalila."
The difficulty of a smooth presen-
tation of Aida" is always present
even when the stage is better adapted
for it than the Rialto. However, the
stage management seemed to have
solved all the problems connected with
this particular stage and the scenic
effects were ample and picturesque
Especially to be commended was the
work of the chorus, which was large
and endowed with good vocal quality
and ability to act. Not SO much
could be said for the orchestra. which
apparently, was not very familiar with
the score and ragged in its intona-
ton. Were 1t not for that very au-
thoritive conductor. Fulgenzio Guer-
rieri, it would not have held together,
but through his alertness and force
fulness, he kept things moving at a
brisk pace and managed to obtain a
good amount of shading.
Elda Ercole as Aida.
The principal roles were taken by
Elda Ercole as Aida, Ralph Errolle, the
Radames; Georgeanna Bourbon, AM
neris; Rocco Pandiscio. Amonasro, and
Nino Carboni and Carole Lanzilotti,
the high priest and king respectively.
AS regards vocal quality. the choice
must 60 to Mr.. Pandiscio and Miss
Bourbon. In the role of Aida's father,
the baritone was a splendid figure,
with glorious vocal amplitude and
commanding stage presence. He
electrified each of the scenes in which
he appeared with his fine acting and
equally fine singing. Miss Bourbon
has large and luscious voice which
she uses well, and is pleasing to look at
besides. She seemed somewhat mex
perienced for the part of the princess
and has yet to learn q more regal
bearing to make the role convincing.
From the vocal standpoint she is q
real asset, for her voice is true con-
tralto of wide range and warmth and
the details of her presentation will no
doubt smooth out in time.
Scores Decided Hit.
As the heroine of the opera, Miss
Ercole has voice which takes care Of
the difficult vocal part which Verdi
wrote for her with ease. It is not Of
very mellow color, but the high tones
are ringing and brilliant and she
stressed the tragic destiny Of the role
capably. She was not sure musically
at all times, but in her first act aria
and in the Nile scene sang with per-
suasion and scored a decided hit with
the audience.
Mr.. Errolle made a commanding
Radames and dominated the scenes in
which he appeared. Vocally he is well
suited to the part, and his voice has a
telling quality especially in the middle
register, his high tones losing through
the effort Of taking them. After the
ETe1Aet> Aldo " q o,1,o1Iin6 nNmkor fnr
the first moments of an opera, he was
given tremendous applause that
theatened to hold up the performance.
An excellent voice was disclosed In
that Of Nino Carboni as the high
priest. and the other roles, that OF
the messenger, sung by Lodovico
Olivieri, and the priestess, by Vivian
Currier. were also we'll presented
Carlo LAnzillotti as the king has the
statue for the royal part, but as yet
is not sufnciently practiced in using