Speranza
Grand Italian opera received another figurative black eye last night and even by
scattering the sparse audience over the house failed to make much of a showing
at the Olympic, while upstairs there were but few to scatter.
It may have evoked
numbers of managerial groans and gnashing of teeth, but all to no avail, and the
excellent cast of "Carmen" did not answer to arouse the local music lovers from
their phlegm or indifference. It is a pity - a very great pity - but it cannot
be helped, and St. Louis will possibly be the sufferer in the long run.
Poor
support of such enterprises as for Mr. Abbey's simply means a possible
elimination of St. Louis from future circuits. It is not a pleasant view to take
of it, but it is an exceedingly probable issue. Taken as a whole, the cast was
the most interesting of the week, and in a dramatic sense it was a grand one.
The parts are all strong, and distinctive, and require artists of great dramatic
power to fill them. Certainly but few operas have ever been acted in St. Louis
as "Carmen" was acted last night. It is essentially a dramatic work and as such
received a superb interpretation.
Comparisons are odious, but they can
hardly be refrained from in alluding to Trebelli's assumption of the leading
role. I need hardly say that I refer to the difference between the picture of
the wanton, vicious gypsy and that of Mme. Minnie Hauck, who is so thoroughly
identified with the part.
The opera, its characters, its action and its music
are all peculiar; it is different from all other lyric works, and its posthumous
success is in keeping with the quaintness of the opera, its departure from set
rules of composition and the …lack of concert between the soloists and
orchestra, although the harmonies are never impaired.
It seems a sort of mercy
that the leading role never fell into the hands of Marie Roze, for whom Bizet
wrote it which seems to be the accepted version of the story - for she was too
refined and cool-tempered an artiste ever to have attempted it with success.
She
afterwards did do much with the part and rendered it admirably, but the copy had
been set for her, and she could never have originated it so as to make it a
prominent assumption.
The refinement natural to her could not be wholly subdued
in her Carmen, and the same remark applies to Mme. Zelda Seguin Wallace, in a
lesser degree, and to Mme. Trebelli, in still less a proportion, however, it
required the natural inbred and unamiable vixen to do the role its peculiar
justice; and when Mme. Hauck was the Carmen, Don José's irritability and temper
were not altogether assumed.
Mme. Kellogg, who assumed the character here
originally, came closer to Mme. Hauck.
And as Mme. Trebelli was not as clear as Mme. Hauck was in the part, her
years was a drawback and she suffered personally by comparison with that artiste
who was young, diminutive and full of movement as a kitten - or rather, a cat
with its claws alternately in the sheath, and exposed.
Trebelli's assumption was
fully artistic, and fraught with expression, and was much as only a splendid
artiste could have accomplished, and there could be no absolute fault found with
her acting, which was artistic and characteristic. She is a magnificent brunette
with a handsome Southern face and with a springy, easy movement as might have
become an Andalusian beauty. Her facial expression is most perfect, and the
rapid transitions of coquetry, …, mischief and hatred were splendidly pictured
in her nubile countenance.
As for her voice we had an excellent taste of its
quality on Monday evening. Its very rich in quality and strong in force, and has
an exceedingly high range and a wonderful compass, the lower notes being most
telling. As an artiste trained in the most perfect of schools, her method is
admirable, and her phrasing is smooth, and lacks that jerky effect prima donne
are prone to assume. She sang and acted splendidly, and after several of the
scenes was recalled. The third act was especially strong, and Trebelli,
Campanini, Del Puente, and Valleria received an ovation.
The sweet and
lovely character of Micaela is but seldom given its due prominence, but it was
exquisitely done by Valleria last night; the music of the part is the most
beautiful in the opera and in the third act the solo which is redolent with
poetry and touching harmony, she sang so beautifully that the house applauded
the most enthusiastically - up to the extent of an encore, in fact, if she had
been fit to accept it. Valleria sang, and acted even better than she did as
Leonora, and gave the part of Micaela its full prominence and
importance.
Italo Campanini never acted with more dash and fire,
and his work
in the third act was
most spirited and depicted in a
most vivid and expressive
manner
the struggles between duty and jealousy.
Campanini's voice showed the signs of
wear and
tear perceptibly.
---
Del Puente presented a grand and picturesque figure
as the bull fighter - rather too fine and refined an Escamillo to answer the
conception of a professional bravo, however. He sang his toreador song
magnificently and as usual electrified the house, receiving a very decided
encore. These two characters are so well known in the hands of these artists
that it is unnecessary to allude to them at greater length. They are stronger in
a dramatic sense than ever and are powerful pieces of acting. Mme. Corani and
Mlle. Lablache and Signora Corsani, Grazzi, Contini and Augier were excellent in
some of the minor parts.
Mlle Malvina Cavalazzi made an important and
interesting feature of the performance, and the ballet feature in the second act
was done full justice to. Cavalazzi is one of the most graceful and accomplished
of premier danseuses, and she received a hearty round of applause last evening
for her solos. The orchestra plays an important part in "Carmen" and it was
admirably conducted by Sig. Cleofonte Campanini. The chorus also did excellent
work, although its chief duty was to pose and look picturesque. Taken as a
whole, "Carmen" received a very fine rendition last evening and was greatly
enjoyed by the few who took the pains to attend it.
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