Scan 4
Musical Courier 1914-09-02: Vol 69 Iss 9, 1914
43 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026. Printed page 5. See the scan on archive.org.
1MUSICAL COURIER
2VOL. LXIX.—NO. 9. NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1914. WHOLE NO. 1797.
4“AIDA” GIVEN UNDER BATON OF MASCAGNI.
5Rome Hears Open Air Performance of Verdi’s Masterpiece Led by Modern Composer—Humperdinck Writes Moving Picture Music—Americans Successful.
7Rome, July 27, 1914.
8Open air performances are quite the style now after the big success among the pyramids at Cairo. “Aida” was given at the Arena of Verona last year with fine financial and artistic results, so the Romans thought they would not be outdone and they gave a really magnificent performance of “Aida.”
10Mascagni’s baton, while sometimes stimulating, at other moments is so slow and dragging as to make everything lifeless and heavy.
12The scenery was picturesque, the big columns being painted with Egyptian hieroglyphics, and walls were added for interior decoration, while fixed pyramids with real palms could be seen through the columns, and the Nile appeared to be really running in the background, with beautiful natural trees and a small temple, sphinxes, etc., adding to the illusion. The whole effect was undeniably poetic, and what with the suggestive music, and some good singing, made up an ideal performance.
14True it is that details at times were lost (the place holds 60,000 persons), but on the other hand the brass, which in a theatre is nearly always harsh, was delightful to listen to.
16Juanita Capella was an Aida who was heard to good advantage. She sang the big aria of the Nile especially well. Amneris was a youthful and promising mezzo soprano who hails from the school of Mme. Brizzi, one of the best in Rome. The tenor (ah, those tenors!) was a great disappointment, his “Celeste Aida” being a disaster.
18The costuming was gorgeous and all the scenic accessories were in harmony. Witnessing and especially listening to this outdoor performance one can readily understand the enthusiasm the ancients had for their amphitheatres. Of course, this Stadio is too large, as is the Arena in Milan, which is of still more colossal proportions. The ideal al fresco theatre is the Arena at Verona, the proportions there being perfect. This year Mme. Gay did her picturesque Carmen there.
20“Aida” is to have eight, perhaps ten, hearings, according to the public patronage.
22One thing is true, however, that if every evening the performance is to end at 2.30 a.m., no one will go after a while, as the spot where the Stadio is built is near the Tiber and the dampness, especially after midnight, is almost unbearable.
24OTHER OUTDOOR ART.
25At Rimini (now called the Italian Ostende) they are also giving outdoor performances in a theatre built for the purpose. The opera is “Isabeau.” The old Greek Amphitheatre of Siræusa, Sicily, was to have opera also, but it has been decided to give “Agamemnon” in spoken prose. The same plan has been adopted by the old Amphitheatre at Fiesole, near Florence
27NOTES AND MENTION.
28Mascagni will direct his “Iris” at Casalmonferrato in September.
30Meta Reddisch, the young lyric soprano, has had success as Gilda at the theatre in Lyons, France, where an Italian company is singing.
32At Pesaro Zandonai’s “Francesca da Rimini” has pleased the public.
34Pavia has also its open air performances, “Norma” being the opera.
36Humperdinck has written music for a religious drama film for the biggest moving picture house in Rome.
38The season at the Adriano came to an abrupt close. Forrest Lamont, the American tenor, sang the last performances of “Trovatore” with ever increasing success. His voice is agreeable although not voluminous, and he sings in excellent style and with earnestness and sincerity.
40The operas given during the short season were “Purtani,” “Polieocto,” “Trovatore” and “Traviata.”
42At the Augusteo the season 1914-1915 promises to be interesting for novelties. So far it is known that symphonic impressions entitled “Villa d’Este,” by Maestro
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