Books › Musical Courier 1928-12-13: Vol 97 Iss 24, 1928 › scan 19
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Musical Courier 1928-12-13: Vol 97 Iss 24, 1928
46 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 20. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1Chicago Opera
2(Continued from page 7)
3man, rewarding the sterling mezzo with prolonged applause at its conclusion and feting her throughout the opera in a most demonstrative manner.
4Eva Turner, she of the glorious voice, sang the soprano part remarkably well and made a hit all her own after her various arias. Miss Turner was beautifully gowned, acted with conviction, if not with distinction, and came very near scoring one hundred per cent. Vocally, there is little with which to reproach the English songstress, except that she breathes so loudly as to be heard in the house, but this should not be set down as a criticism, but only as a matter of fact.
5Giorgio Polacco delights in finding new thoughts of expression in old operas, and though his tempos may have vexed strict musicians who want old operas presented according to traditional standards, we liked his rubatos and prestos. They gave new life to the old score, which, under his efficient baton, was heard at its very best.
6LOHENGREN, DECEMBER 5
7The third performance this year of Lohengrin was given with a similar cast as in previous presentations—Rene Maison, Robert Ringling, Alexander Kipnis, Howard Preston, Marion Claire, and Maria Olszewska.
8BARBER OF SEVILLE, DECEMBER 6
9Youth, beauty, ingratiating personality, knowledge of the stage and a piccolo-like voice are the main attributes that helped in making the debut here of Margherita Salvi, coloratura soprano, a musical event of first import. The young woman, Spanish by birth, has won her spurs as an opera singer in several of the big opera houses in Europe, and she showed conclusively in her presentation of Rosina in Rossini's Barber of Seville that she has been well taught and understands the stage routine to perfection. She has the note of gayety that is often missed by older coloraturas in a part that demands spontaneous acting. She gowned herself beautifully and her vivacity of manner aided materially in making her from the first a big favorite among our opera-goers.
10The voice has a reedy quality, so exotic as to make an analysis difficult. It has big carrying power, is mellow and beautiful in the medium and somewhat metallic in the upper range. However, its possessor has been well taught and she encompasses the highest altitudes with surprising ease. She sings musically, knows how to project the words so they can be understood, and, to conclude, she made a palpable hit, which had every ear-mark of a personal triumph. Miss Salvi has some faults, which may be easily corrected in so young a person, and to report truthfully, she won the heart of her audience, as she has magnetism galore, and a happy current of enthusiasm drew her closer to the audience than debutantes are generally able to get when making their appearance on the Auditorium stage. She is a big acquisition to the company.
11Tito Schipa sang divinely the role of Almaviva, in which he made a triumphal re-entry. Schipa is idolized in the city in which he made his American debut several years ago, and, as he made his appearance, the public gave him a rousing welcome. To thank them for this royal reception, Schipa sang and acted the role in his inimitable fashion, winning rounds and rounds of applause whenever opportunity permitted. He aided materially in making the debut of Miss Salvi a big success, as it was he who invited his colleagues to permit her to appear in two solo bows at the conclusion of the second act. A very generous gesture, which showed Schipa not only a prince among tenors, but a most gallant and thoughtful aristocrat of the stage.
12Richard Bonelli appeared as Figaro, a role he always voices superbly, and this was no exception even though the night before he had sung a part so divergent as to call forth all his vocal resources. He did this so well as to call for superlatives. He was feted to the echo after the Largo al factotum and his good humor caught the fancy of his colleagues as well as of the spectators.
13It was most pleasurable to see Vittorio Trevisan in a role worthy his artistry. Trevisan has often been heard and seen as Don Bartolo, but it is no exaggeration on our part to state that he never was so effective as on this occasion. He played the role with more unction and dignity. His comedy, which is always of the highest, was more subtle, more exhilarating, contrasting the other personages so as to shed on himself a light that in comedy overshadowed that of his coadjutors in the art of fun-making. Trevisan is never grotesque, but he is very amusing and he had the audience laughing so heartily that at times the music was drowned. A big night for Trevisan!
14Lazzari's Don Basilio is an old acquaintance. He always scores heavily in a part well suited to his sense of comedy. He, too, brought the note of merriment so necessary in this classic among comic operas, and by his antics as well as by his singing he added eclat to a worthy performance.
15Roberto Moranzoni's reading of the score was another source of delight. Though some of the singers took exception to his tempos, Moranzoni was correct and showed not only his knowledge but also that the conductor is responsible for the good of a performance. A conductor is, after all, the general-in-chief. If something goes wrong, he is responsible. Therefore, Moranzoni was correct in not giving way to some of the singers who delight in rubatos, in holding tones longer than necessary and if only for showing his authority, Moranzoni should be lauded, but he did much more, as a great deal of the success of the performance was directly due to him and the men under his command.
16DIE WALKURE, DECEMBER 8 (MATINEE)
17Does Chicago want more German opera? is a question that has been asked by the Chicago Civic Opera Company. Our answer is, most emphatically yes, if the company can produce other works on the same scale of excellence as Lohengrin, heard previously this season, and Die Walkuere, which had its first performance of the year before a sold-out house on Saturday.
18Before singing the praise of the principals, first place must be given to the musical director of the company, Giorgio Polacco, whose reading of the beautiful score could not be excelled. Polacco, who is a giant of the baton, does not get excited when directing an opera of such stupendous force as Die Walkuere. He then is cool as a general who before a big battle will sleep soundly, while before a skirmish that same general might get nervous. That coolness, that surety of himself made Polacco's reading of the score an unforgettable event in the history of musical Chicago. Every nuance was brought out and that coloring of tone as well as the tonal quality of the orchestra made the performance more exhilarating than heretofore. Though there were several big stars on the stage, the biggest planet of all was the one who stood at the conductor's desk; the immortal Wagner has in Giorgio Polacco one of his best interpreters.
19Frida Leider made her debut as Brunhilde. Heralded as one of the foremost leading Wagnerian songstress of the day, she lived up to the exalted position she occupies in Europe, and her interpretation of the cherished daughter of Wotan was one not to be forgotten in the annals of opera in this country. We recollect all the Brunhildes that we have heard in the last thirty years and among the most imposing we now place in the first rank the newcomer to the Chicago Opera rostrum, Frida Leider. She sang superbly, especially in the last act, where she rose to the greatest heights in vocal art. The voice, round, even in all registers, voluminous, and used excellently, showed its possessor an intelligent musician, one who never resorts to cheap tricks to win the audience and one who respects the master. Her phrasing is impeccable, her diction as pure as her tone and from now on she may be looked upon as a potent factor in bringing the crowds to the Auditorium. She honored our stage, which has been graced since its erection by the greatest singers the world has known.
20Eva Turner was very happily cast as Sieglinde. As a matter of fact, the English soprano seems to be at her very best in the German repertory, if her Sieglinde be taken as a criterion for her work. She almost outshone every one else on the stage and this in itself should prove her efficiency, as the balance of the cast was compose of singers who have won their spurs in Wagnerian roles. One would have to look very far back to remember such a Sieglinde. Her singing was pure gold. Never forcing a tone, she rose far above the orchestra and made a hit all her own by the sincerity with which she sang and played the part.
21Maria Olszewska was Fricka, a role in which Schumann-Heink, Oltizka and many others have left unforgettable recollections in this city. Mme. Olszewska has a glorious voice which has been praised to the echo in these columns, especially after her performance of Ortrude in Lohengrin, but her Fricka left us somewhat undecided as to the real merits of this singer. One does not expect legato in the role of Fricka, but neither does one expect jerky tones, and explosive singing has never made a good impression on us. We expect and demand beautiful singing even in fortissimo passages. Beautiful to look at in her admirable costume, Olszewska really looked the wife of Wotan.
22Forrest Lamont, who sang Siegmund in seasons gone by in such manner as to win the full approval of the public as well as of the press, has grown by leaps and bounds in his art, until now he may be justly looked upon as one of the foremost Wagnerian singers of the day. Due probably to his being in splendid fettle by not being overworked this season, his voice sounds fresher, fuller and clearer than heretofore. He voiced the role as it should be voiced—that is to say, he sang it with great eloquence and nobility. His success was emphatic and he shared in a large measure in making the performance meritorious.
23Alexander Kipnis, medium of stature, did not make an imposing Wotan. Only physically speaking, however, as he rose hugely in our estimation and in that of the public by the manner in which he delivered the music of the god, Wotan. Numerous times we have stated that Kipnis has a gorgeous voice, but we have seldom heard it to such good advantage, as really he sang with fine artistry and understanding. Mr. Kipnis does not always sing explosively and when he modulates his tone, his voice carries much better, as it is a voluminous organ, one of great beauty, which when well handled gives enjoyment to the ear. His Wotan has much to recommend it.
24Edouard Cotreuil, a pillar of strength in the personnel of our company, made a great deal of Hunding. He voiced it forcefully and also by his acting made it a conspicuous figure in the drama.
25Though the entire orchestra played gloriously, it would be an error on our part not to mention the name of the first cellist, Bruno Steindel, as he played the passages given to his instrument so admirably as to attract our ear.
26Stage manager, Charles Moor, covered himself with glory by the beautiful pictures so well conceived by him and his assistants, and the chief electrician is also given a vote of praise for the fine lighting effects that made of the last act an attractive panorama of the summit of the rock of the Valkyries.
27The eight other Valkyries were entrusted to competent singers and for that reason, probably, they sang true to pitch. The most admired of those Valkyries were Alice d'Hermanoy, Maria Claessens and Coe Glade, the latter especially singing with volubility and volume of tone.
28FAUST, DECEMBER 8 (EVENING)
29Having used more space than allotted this department, we will review the performance of Faust with two new singers in the cast next week. Vanni-Marcoux was the Mephistopheles and Barre Hill the Valentin, while the balance of the cast was similar to that which performed previously.
30RENE DEVRIES.
31Musical Activities at Athens College
32Frank M. Church is the progressive director of music at Athens College of Music. Since Mr. Church's arrival, there have been 101 interesting recitals given. The students come from all over the world, such as Cuba, Korea and Japan. Of course Schubert was especially honored by these students when a concert of his compositions was presented with some of the unique first arrangements of the master's works listed.
33Besides the students' recitals there are several artists who go to the college to give concerts; so far this year Ethelyne Smith and the Eddy Brown Quartet have entertained, and Richard Buhlig is expected soon.
34Philadelphia Conservatory Notes
35A private performance of the sonata for piano and violin by Boris Koutzen was given on December 12 at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music, Mrs. D. Hendrik Ezerman, managing director. The performing artists were Alexandre Kelberine, pianist, and Boris Koutzen, violinist. The sonata is dedicated to the memory of D. Hendrik Ezerman.
36Mrs. Ezerman announces that a scholarship for voice at the conservatory was awarded to Elfreda Rabe with Susanna Dercum for the season 1928-29.
37Maazel Repeats Success in Vienna
38Maazel made a second successful appearance this season in Vienna on November 9. His popularity there with audiences and critics alike is unquestioned, since he has appeared seven times in that city following his debut last season with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, when he played the Rubinstein D minor concerto and was recalled seventeen times.
39Gianni as Desdemona
40Cable advices from Hamburg to Concert Management Daniel Mayer, Inc., report that Dusolina Giannini achieved a great triumph at the Hamburg Opera House when she made her first appearance as Desdemona in Otello.
41FREDERICK GUNSTER
42Tenor
43Management: RICHARD COBLEY
4410 EAST 43RD ST.
45NEW YORK
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