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MUSICAL COURIER
February 22, 1923
Clarence Whitehall, and Orville Harrold’s effective representation of Nicias, with the smaller roles by Louis D’Angelo, Grace Anthony, Laura Robertson, Marion Telva and Vincenzo Reschiglian. Mr. Hasselmans’ conducting did full justice to the score.
La Forza del Destino, February 17 (Evening)
The Saturday nighters had a treat laid out for them with La Forza del Destino, and a cast which included Rosa Ponselle, Jeanne Gordon, Giuseppe de Luca and Jose Mar-dones. The tenor was Manual Salazar, making his first appearance with the company this season. Mr. Salazar has a fine natural voice, and if he had sung with the restraint and art that those two superb women singers in the cast employed, Miss Ponselle and Miss Gordon, the whole performance would have been notable. Papi conducted.
Sunday Night Concert, February 18.
There were no visiting soloists at the Metropolitan on Sunday evening, February 18, the program being given by a notable list of the organization’s artists, together with the entire chorus, orchestra and stage band, under the direction of Giuseppe Bamboschek, with Giulio Setti, chorus master.
The program, consisting of excerpts from operas, opened with the march from Meyerbeer’s Le Prophete, the other orchestral numbers being the overture to Orpheus of Offenbach and the Dance of the Hours from Ponchielli’s La Gioconda. The audience accorded Mr. Bamboschek and his forces hearty and enthusiastic applause. Queena Mario, soprano; Henriette Wakefield, contralto; Armand Tokat-yan, tenor, and Paolo Ananian, basso, were heard in the balcony scene from Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, which was most effectively sung. Valentine’s death scene from Faust enlisted the aid of Charlotte Ryan, soprano; Grace Anthony, contralto; Orville Harrold, tenor; Millo Picco, baritone, and Adamo Didur, basso, as well as the entire chorus. Of special interest was the singing of Charlotte Ryan, a newcomer to the Metropolitan ranks, who proved herself a worthy acquisition. Mr. Didur later appeared with the chorus, singing the coronation scene from Moussorgsky’s Boris Godounoff. The Temple scene from Samson and Delilah, with Margaret Matzenauer, Curt Taucher and Edmund Burke, was one of the best things on the entire program, Mme. Matzenauer’s glorious voice being heard to good advantage. Laura Robertson and Jose Mardones were heard in the second finale from Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, which they sang in fine style. The chorus, too, was especially good in this number.
excellent impression. Her fine singing and charming personality made her work delightful.
Beniamino Gigli, who was in excellent voice, sang the role of Rodolfo, stirring the audience to outbursts of applause, which several times interfered with the continuance of the performance. Antonio Scotti, as Marcello, shared honors with Mr. Gigli. These four artists were called before the curtain innumerable times after each act.
Others in the cast were Louis D’Angelo as Schaunard, Pompilio Malatesta as Benoit, Pietro Audisio as Parpignol, Jose Mardones as Colline Paolo, Ananian as Alcindoro and Vincenzo Reschiglian as a sergeant. Papi conducted.
Lucia di Lammermoor, February 13 There was a packed house at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Tuesday evening to greet Amelita Galli-Curci in Lucia di Lammermoor. The diva was in excellent voice and her pronouncement of the mad scene scored the enthusiastic approbation that was to be expected. Mario Chamlee, as Edgardo, is a name with which to conjure, and Giuseppe de Luca’s name on a program is proof positive of genuine artistic merit. And then to complete a notable quartet there was Jose Mardones as Raimondo. Grace Anthony as Alisa Angelo Bada as Arturo, and Pietro Audisio as Normanno, completed the cast. Papi conducted.
Rigoletto, February IS
On Thursday evening Rigoletto was repeated at the Metropolitan with Galli-Curci as Gilda. The diva’s sympathetic and charming delineation of the role again made a deep impression upon the large audience, while Giuseppe De Luca and Lauri-Volpe, as the Jester and the Duke, shared in the honors of the evening. The performance was a smooth and admirably rendered one which was wholly enjoyed by the audience.
Andrea Chenier, February 16 A thoroughly enjoyable performance of Giordano’s Andrea Chenier was given at the Metropolitan on Friday evening, February 16, before the usual large audience. There was plenty of atmosphere throughout the opera, the principals were in fine voice and the chorus and orchestra excellent under the baton of Roberto Moranzoni. As at the previous performance Gigli was the poet-hero and his rarely beautiful singing and dramatic acting well merited the hearty applause and many recalls which he received. The role of Madeleine is one which is well suited to the voice of Rosa Ponselle and she made the most of it both vocally and histrionically. Giuseppe Danise, as _ Charles Gerard, was again the finished artist he always is in whatever role he undertakes. Kathleen Howard, Ellen Dalossy, Flora Perini, Didur, Bada, Reschiglian, Paltrinieri, Picchi, Ananian, D’Angelo and Malatesta completed the long cast
METROPOLITAN OPERA
{Continued from page 5)
the place of action, with credit to himself, and Mr. Setti, chorus director, had not reason to be ashamed of his joyful carollers of the second act.
There was applause, some general and quite a lot the special brand that has become so familiar to the Metropolitan listeners this winter. Also, there was a quite noticeable exodus before the end of the last act.
H. O. O.
Romeo and Juliette, February 10 At the performance of Romeo and Juliette at the Metropolitan on Saturday evening, February 10, there was an important change in the cast, Queena Mario taking the place of Bori as Juliette. This charming young singer lias been exceedingly well received at the Metropolitan this season, and her impersonation of Juliette on this occasion added to the fine impression already made, for it bore the stamp of true artistry. Hers is a voice of very lovely quality, her diction is good and her interpretation excellent. Miss Mario undoubtedly will make the role of Juliette one which will be associated with her name in the future.
Edward Johnson, whose fine interpretation of Romeo is well known, shared in the honors of the evening with Miss Mario. Others in the cast who aided in giving the well-rounded performance were Raymonde Delaunois, Henrietta Wakefield, Rafaelo Diaz, Giordano Paltrinieri, Giuseppe De Luca, Vincenzo Reschiglian, Paolo Ananian, Adamo Didur, Leon Rothier and William Gustafson. Hasselmans conducted.
Il Trovatore, February 12 (Matinee)
An unusually fine performance of Verdi’s II Trovahyre attracted a large and responsive audience to the special matinee on Lincoln’s Birthday. Frances Peralta appeared as Leonora and impressed strongly with her splendid conception of the role. Vocally she was in excellent form and sang her lines with a richness and clarity of tone that had its mark. Her acting was delightfully unconventional and she was attractive to the eye. Margaret Matzenauer as Azucena did some beautiful singing and striking acting. Rarely has Martinelli been heard to better advantage than upon this occasion.; there was no tendency to force his fine voice and his singing was free and spontaneous. Danise, as Count Di Luna, gave a worthy account of himself, coming in for some of the greatest applause of the evening. Papi conducted.
La Boheme, February 12 (Evening)
Denison University to Have Fine Set of Chimes
One of the finest sets of chimes in the world is to be provided for Denison University’s new chapel, presented by Dr. Ambrose Swasey, Cleveland, according to a recent announcement by the president, Dr. C. W. Chamberlain. The set of chimes, to aggregate four tons in weight, is an additional gift of the donor of the building.
Thais, February 17 (Matinee).
Thais crowded the big house to the last seat and the last inch of standing space for the Saturday matinee, for Mme. Jeritza’s representation of Thais—especially the grand fall at the end of the second act—has been one of the season’s sensations. The rest of the cast was as usual, including the splendid characterization of Athanael, by
evening (society) audience. The leading roles were particularly well portrayed. Frances Alda sang the part of Mimi in place of Delia Reinhardt, who was prevented from appearing owing to indisposition. Mme. Alda rilled the role both vocally and histrionically with a charm all her own, which netted her much applause and many curtain calls. Yvonne D’Arle, as Musetta, likewise created an
“Lamond’s Success in America Now Assured”
New York American, Friday, February 16, 1923.
The New York Times, Friday, February 16, 1923.
By MAX SMITH
Though he enj'oys a world-wide reputation as a Beethoven specialist, Frederick Lamond started his first recital last night at Aeolian Hall in whirlwind fashion by giving an astounding exhibition of virtuoso powers in Brahms’s two sets of Variations on a theme by Paganini. Moreover, he completed his program with a bravura performance of Liszt’s Tarantelle (“La Muette de Portice”) that brought many auditors to their feet shouting with enthusiasm.
Mr. Lamond’s success in America would now seem to be assured. For he proved conclusively yesterday that he can measure his strength easily with the big men of the keyboard.
It was after the Brahms music, so masterfully rendered, that the stocky little Scotchman tackled Beethoven’s sonata “Appas-sionata,” playing the first movement with a dramatic force and an impassioned intensity of utterance hardly equalled here in recent years, and the slow movement with a purposeful avoidance, almost too marked, of the usual sentimental gush.
In Chopin’s B flat minor sonata, too, he revealed himself as man impetuous and dynamic rather than contemplative. And how his vigorous left hand—so independent of his big right and equally sensitive—boomed out the base! What a relief, though, to hear the funeral episode proclaimed without theatrical pathos!
A remarkable technique is his—a technique distinguished by great independence and freedom of hands and fingers, by extraordinary resiliency of wrist, utmost fluency and precision in scales and rapid passages, and a touch that combines softness with crispness, delicacy with firmness, buoyancy with vigor, reminding one at times of Alfred Reisenauer..
His list of contributions also embraced Chopin’s “Berceuse,” Glazounoff’s “Miniature” and Liszt’s “Ronde de Lutins.”
1923-24 Tour beginning November
© Elliott & Fry, Ltd., London.
By RICHARD ALDRICH
Frederic Lamond’s Recital
Frederic Lamond, the British pianist, who, returning to New York after some twenty years played with the Philharmonic Society a short time ago, gave a recital last evening in Aeolian Hall. It was a notable occasion, even in this season crowded with the offerings of great pianists. Mr. Lamond s style ” '־״ dividual, his own. He is an artist who seeks the highest things, and whose interpretations are the result of a great artist s devotion to mastering and possessing himself of the meanings and intentions of great composers.	.	,	c . ,
Mr. Lamond has the reputation of a certain austerity of style. When he appeared here twenty years ago, it was more noticeable than it is today. His style has been mellowed and enriched; and in his playing last evening there were the finer perceptions of many kinds and shades of beauty.	. .
He began with Brahms’s variations on a theme of Paganini s, one of the master’s most involved and difficult works, itself regarded often as austere, a grim entertainment m moving the chess-men in many contrapuntal gambits. But Mr. Lamond showed that it was not so. He mastered the technical difficulties of this music in a way that enabled him to show an inner spirit of geniality, an artistic significance not easily uncovered in its maze of complex rhythms and difficult figurations.
Why Mr. Lamond has a special reputation as a Beethoven player was to be perceived in his playing of the “Appassionata sonata of that master; a performance that was not the obligatory exercise of a pianist, but one that disclosed its beauty and its passion—and at the same time the logic of them both. On the same level was his playing of Chopin’s sonata in B flat minor. The sonata was delivered with power, even with vehemence; not, perhaps, with so varied a palette of tonal colors as some will bring to it, but with a wide variety of expression. I hat variety did not include a sentimental conception of the funeral march; it had sombreness, a grave tenderness, and it seemed a definite exposition of the composer’s meaning unadorned.
The other pieces on the program were by GlazounoH: and Liszt. Mr. Lamond was much applauded by an audience of large size.
Mgt. ANTONIA SAWYER, Inc., Aeolian Hall, New York City
Steinway Piano	Duo-Art Records