isa-normaladvance-1909-00172

Description:	172THE NORMAL ADVANCEwoman, took the role of Aida. This was herfirst appearance and was a very creditable one.Her voice is a clear soprano, sweetly resonant,with much more warmth of feeling than that ofEames. At both times the great and onlyCaruso was Radames. His big voice is mostwonderful in its smoothness and liquid-likequality. His most dramatic role is that ofCanio, in Pagliacci. In this he was a revelation.Aida is a beautiful opera, the scenic effectand costuming of which few can compare.Scotti, another fine tenor, I have heard inAida, Madame Butterfly, and Le Nozzedi Figaro. He is very artistic and in voiceis great.In La Traviata I heard the wonderfulSembrich as Violetta. All the while she pouredforth her beautiful tones. I felt my first embarrassment to claim Terre Haute as my home.To think of having turned down the greatSembrich is appalling. I hope the day is notfar distant when Terre Haute will have anawrakening to the inestimable value of the bestvoices of the world in Grand Operas, pennedby the masters, and learn to appreciate them,as does every New Yorker, rich or poor. Withtwo Grand Opera houses, the Manhattan andthe Metropolitan, the enormous seating capacityof which I cannot venture to estimate, and withthem constantly presenting grand operas, onehas to procure seats on the opening day of eachsale two weeks in advance, or fail to get seatsat all. The people here are so familiar withGrand Opera that it is said they know thembackwards.In the cast with Sembrich were Bonci, asAlfredo, and a new artist in this country,Amato, as Gevmot. Bonci is artistic to hisfinger tips, possessing a tenor voice, which,while not a big one, is of beautiful quality. AsRoberts in Le Arille he was a delight musically and dramatically. Amato has a golden voiceof great depth and resonance and ranks amongthe first. As Tonio, in Pagliacci, he is at hisbest. In the prologue he took the house bystorm. As Valentine, in Faust, he maintained his high standard. In the same operaPagliacci, with Amato and Caruso, wasEmmy Destinn, as Nedda. She is a new butbrilliant star, the three making a rare combination.The opportunity to hear Geraldine Farrarand Riccardo Martin came in the opera ofMadame Butterfly, in which they took theleading roles. The charm of Farrar and herbrilliant voice was thrilling and her actingsplendid. She is very popular here as is alsoMartin, and there were hundreds present whocould get standing room only. As Cheru-bino, the page in Figaro, Farrar was adainty, mischievous and charming boy, the partseeming as well adapted to her as the tragicrole of Butterfly.As for Martin, he is the only tenor who cantake Carusos roles, and his voice stands wellthe test of comparison. I am proud to say heis an American, and was much surprised tolearn only a few days ago that he is a TerreHautean by birth.America should well be proud of her singers when such great ones as Homer, Martin,Farrar, Corrine Rider Kelsey, Rappold andHerbert Witherspoon are her own.On the date I heard Madame Butterfly,the seven-year-old boy, who three years ago created the part of the baby- of Cio-cio-san,made his last appearance. The beatuiful littlefellow took a cold the following night whichdeveloped into croup and he died the day after.The entire forces of the Metropolitan OperaHouse mourned his death and contributed aliberal purse for his parents. He was in thehabit of standing in the wings listening withrapture to the great Caruso. The childs lastwords were Mamma, the cold has taken mybreath and I will never grow up to be a greatsinger like Caruso, will I?I again heard Martin and Farrar in Faust.Martin, as Faust, was fine and more at easein his acting than at the beginning of the season. Farrar as Marguerite was sweet and
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34202
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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