Vol. XXIX. No. 22 NEW YORK EDITED ~ ~l MARCH 29, 1919 ,..!!:::::&::; I

CHEERS FOR CARUSO DETROIT~S WEEK AS HE CELEBRATES OF DAZZLES HIS SILVER JUBILEE VAST AUDIENCES Gala Performance Marks Twenty­ Galaxy of Campanini Singers, In­ fifth Year of Great on cluding Galli-Curci, Garden, the Operatic Stage-,-James M. Raisa, Miura, and Other Lumi­ Beck Withdraws as Speaker naries, Give Stirring Perform­ When Mayor Hylan Threatens ances of "Barber of•' Seville 1 ' to Stop Flag Presentation - ''Thais,''''Butterfiy''andDouble' Many Handso~e Gifts from Bill-An Ovation for Riccardo Associates and Admirers - Stracciari - George Copeland Singer's Superb Art Revealed Introduces Italian Novelty on in Scenes from Three Popular Gabrilowitsch Program DETROIT, MICH., March 20.-The HEN tlle early editions of the New most brilliant Detroit musical event WYork Sunday morning papers slid in many years is the season of grand from the 'printing presses they · contained opera which was inaugurated by the the reviews, unobtrusively tu"cked away Chicago Opera Company, under the local on one of the inside pages, of Caruso's management of James E. Devoe, at great silver jubilee at the Metropolitan Arena Auditorium on Friday evening. The occasion was, indeed, an auspicious Opera House. But shortly· before midnight some­ one, every seat being occupied for the thing happened that caused new para­ performance of "," graphs to be inserted and new introduc­ featuring Mme. Galli-Curci and Strac­ ciari. tions and headlines to be written, and the Mme. Galli-Curci has never appeared story of the evenin·g•s events was trans­ in this city in better voice and the ease ferred in the later editions to the front and grace with which she delivered the page in company with the big news of "Shadow Song" from "Dinorah," "Una the day, voce poco fa" and other florid arias evoked such t:J;emendous enthusiasm as What the daily newspaper editors con­ to bring her before the curtain innumer­ sidered to be the sensation of the jubilee able times. Local music-lovers have did not occur on the stage. So far as long looked forward to hearing the fa­ the great audience-as large as any mous coloratura soprano in opera and which has ever crowded the Metropolitan her conception of the role of Rosina -was concerned it didn't realize that quite surpassed even their highest ex­ anything unusual had happened until it pectations. scored ate its breakfast next morning and read an emphatic success as Figaro and, fol­ the papers. lowing "," received an For the present, we may concern our­ ovation as vociferous as that accorded selves with Caruso and his part in a Mme. Galli-Curci. celebration which will go down in mu­ handled the difficult sical history as one of the most notable role of Count Almaviva. most satisfac­ and memorable operatic . nights of the torily and Virgilio Lazzari was heard generation. to advantage as Don Basilio. In the unemotional language of the The orchestra, under the leadership program 'it was a "gala. performance, in of Cleofonte Campanini, proved a gen­ celebration of the twenty-fifth year in uine delight, its tone, balance and power the operatic career of ." amply fulfilling all of the requ.irements. The proceeds went to the Emergency Fund, which was en­ Miura as "Butterfly" riched by $25,000. The bill included the After an absence of several years third act of "L'Elisir d'Amore," the first Mme. Tamaki Miura was cordially wel­ act of "I ," and the coronation comed to Detroit once again, when she scene from "Le Prophete." Thus it will ENRICO CARUSO appeared in . "" at be seen by those who know their phono­ Arena Auditorium on Saturday after­ graph catalogs that the opportunities of The Twenty-fifth Year of His Remarkable Career as an Operatic Tenor Was Celebrated noon. The delicacy, the childlike charm giving free play to the greatest tenor with a Gala Performance at the Metropolitan Opera House Last Saturday Evening and the pathos with which Mme. Miura voice of the age were practically unlim­ invests the character of Cio-Cio-San ited. From the blunderbus drollery of in a French role and incidentally ad- never fail to make a strong appeal and "L'Elisir," through the tense melodrama The business of the evening began she was rapturously applauded. Musi­ with the third act of "L'Elisir d' Amore," - vanced for the delectation of the public of "Pagliacci," and ending with the regal some of the finest singing that Margaret cally she was fully as charming, her duet dignity of Jean of Leyden, Caruso dis­ with Barrientos, Lenora Sparkes, Scotti in the second act with Irene Pavloska, and Didur as the other members of the Matzenauer has done this season. Her closed the many phases of his art, and Fides becomes a memorable addition to who gave a splendid interpretation of in all of them he reached the maximum cast and with Papi in the conductor's the role of Suzuki, and "Un bel di" be­ box. In the opening bars of the famous the operatic portraits in New York's of his record, which is high praise, in­ musical galleries. Bodansky conducted. ing unusually fine examples of vocal deed. "Una furtiva lagrima" aria we are cer­ artistry. Auguste Bouilliez's imperson­ tain chills ran down the backs of the · Caruso at His Best When the Audience Warmed Up ation of Sharpless was eminently satis­ hearers as a reaction to the sheer lovell­ factory, his excellent voice The vast assemblage that applauded ness of tone which issued from the.golden Until the close of the tear aria in proving one of the high spots of the and cheered so enthusiastically had .the throat. Jt. was an exhibition of pure bel "L'Elisir" the audience was most re­ afternoon, while Forrest Lamont was satisfaction of knowing that never had .canto that will remain long in memorie"s spectable. It had apparently decided not pleasing in the tenor role of Pinkerton. Caruso sung better than on this evening. that harbor many another conspicuous to split its kid gloves. But the glorious The orchestra was ably conducted by Never, perhaps, had he wanted to sing artistic experience. voice and the great climax broke the Giuseppe Sturani. as well as he did on this evening, for We have always suspected that Caruso chill. Pandemonium was loose and dur­ manifestly he was keyed up to the sig­ likes best to sing Canio. Certainly on ing the remainder of the evening there Raisa Creates Furore nificance of the event. this occasion he put his whole soul into was ovation after ovation. Saturday evening brought forth "Cav­ It seemed as if everybody was there. the part and his famous sob aria elec­ After the last curtain call and fol­ alleria Rusticana," "I Pagliacci" and the Out in the promenade during the inter­ trified the audience. In the cast with lowing · the performance of Elgar's vocal sensation of the engagement, Rosa missions it was as though all of New him were Claudia Muzio, a wholly "Pomp and Circumstance," conducted Raisa. She appeared as Santuzza and York in evening clothes were on parade. charming Nedda; de Luca as Tanio, spiritedly by Richard Hageman, there set a new standard by which future in­ You could. hardly make your · way, so Bada as Beppo and Reinald Werrenrath, was a twenty-minute wait, during which terpreters of the role in Detroit must great was the tl~rong. Mr. Shonts, who making his second operatic appearance politics and music came into close con­ surely be judged. The depth of . her runs the New York subways, would have as Silvio. Moranzoni conducted. · tact though not in public view. James M. lower tones, the clarity of her. upper been green with envy had he seen the The ·brilliant coronation scene from crowd. "Le Prophete" gave a glimpse of Caruso · [Continued on page 2] [Continued on page 2] MUSICAL AME·RICA, published every Saturday, by The Musical· America Company at 501 Fifth Avenqe,' City of New York, · N. •Y, Entered as Second Class Matter January 25, 1906, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the ·act of March 3, 1879._ Saturday, Marc lf ~ 29, 1911); Vol: XXIX, No. 22; Subscription Price $3.00 per year......