The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-05
Young Opera Star h Home Town Triumph
Mimi Benzell Thrills Largest Musical Audience in Years; Civic Orchestra's
 Prestige Heightened by Performance

The close of the eighth season of the Civic Orchestra last night at Buckingham Hall was gala oc- oasion for the orchestra, Mario Di Cecco, director, who has accom- pltshed so fine Q job, and quite particularly last night for Miss Mimi Benzen, coloratura of the Metropolitan Opera, who came back home to sing to one fo the larg- est and most enthusiastic audiences that Buckingham Hall has accom- nlodated in years. It night be added that it was also a significant occasion for the audience and for City of Waterbury that there is here an organization of the stature Ot the Civic Orchestra. and that. Ne can boast, among the many celebrities in the musical and the atrical profession a shining star like Mimi Ben2eil former local resident.
 Many times during the past year or two her name has been brought to the attention, first for a quick success in "Rosalinda," the light opera version of "RoSenkavalier, and not too long after on the oc- caSion of her operatic debut at the Metropolitan as Queen of the Night in "The Magic Flute" The writer had the pleasure of hearing Miss Benzell in "Rosalinda," and when she did the Laughing Song" from that musical play as an en- core last night with action, verve and good voice, it was again an agreeable expereince.
 Augmented Orchestra
 MT. DiCecco'S orchestra was aug mented somewhat to meet the de- mands of the "Schhera2ade" by Rlmsky- -Korsakoff, the major work of the night. The fanciful and picturesque music of the composer perfectionist as to form, gave the group a1 opportunity to provve themselves in all sections. There is always satisfaction hearing the suite which contains four major pieces but all connected as to theme and given character and defini- tion through the theme repeated in each separate piece by solo violin, this taken over by the first violin of the orchestra. George Heck. 1 Each time he sounded the theme the v!oliniSt described his story with slightly different harmony The four tales came to life in all | sections of the band, the brasses, the strings, and the woodWindS; and | piano, harp, the percussives and | timpani colored the whole with | quite acceptable results. MT. Di- Cecco's directing of the pictorial 1 piece deserves the highest com- Inendation. Long favorite and 1 well known to most music lovers who 90 to symphony concerts and listen to the lest on the radio, the four stories from the Arabian Nights were given noteworthy per- formance, in the order Of their playing thus: "The Sea and Sin bad'S Ship" "The Narrative of the Kalendar Prince" "The Young Prince and the Young Princes" and The Festival at Bagdad." Tn February, 1889. MT. DiCecco con- ducted the orchestra in three move ments from the Suite. emitting the Festival" tone picture.
 VerdiS Prelude to Act TIT of La | Traviata" with its beautiful suS- tained melody came agreeablv af- ter the dynanlics of the Bagdad Festival, and then again was an- other nice presentation in Von Weber's always acceptable, Invita- tion to the Waltz" A spirited ar rangement of animated music from Bizet's Carmen" called 'Danse Boheme." concluded the program All parts of the band were well attuned and this performance was commendable. The harp and piano contributed much last night to the quality of the playing, the horns, also flutes carried on intelligently, and 1t can be said that the orches- tra fulfilled the requirements of the text in acceptable fashion.
 Charming Personality
 Miss Benzell, small, charming and radiant in soft yellow, was like a bird ready to take wing, and her voice and personality, her drama tic sense carried her along in two