MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1372, 24 February 1912, Page 3

MUSIC.

(Br Tbedle Ckf.) New Yurk Opera Season, The Xcw i!ork opera season at the Metropolitan—the finest opera season the world knows—begun early in December Willi Verdi's "Aida," in which tiie tramp of Ugvpl's warriors and the chanting of her high priests commingles with Iho gentle crooning of lovers on the banks of the moonlit Kile. -Madamo liuncy Destiim appeared as Aida, Caruso as liadamos, Margareto Mabonauer as Amnens, and Aiiinto as Aiiio'insro. '•There wore two features of more than usual interest in tho performance itself (savs "The Theatre"), in that it marked , the" A:uerican ilcbut of Margaret? Jlatzenauer, a new contralto, Hungarian, by birth and Gorman by reputation, who, on this occasion, filled the role of Amnens. The other item of sjgniiicanco was that it was (lie first time since last February that Enrico Caruso has snug hero after his recovery from last winter's dire attack ,of grippe. The performance of "Aula" gave the. season an artistic impetus that is going to carry it far. and ;n the same breath let it be conceded that it also set a pace that will be difficult to live up to. It was practically an ideal performance. Of course, everybody was agog to hear Caruso j interest was chiefly centred on him, for he has been out of the Metropolitan casts since last February, when an attack of grippe played havoc with his voice. All that is now a thing of the post, for as liadames he sang with as heavenly a voice as he lias poured out <\t and over his listeners for many a year. Here again was that wealth of golden tone, shored by a masculine finality all too often absent in tenors. His "Celeste Aida" was a trillo nervous at first, but lie soon regained composure, and by the end of the aria his high notes were ringing out with all former brilliancy. And during the entire ovening he proved that ail fears for his health and voice wero groundless." The first novelty of tho season vras the revival of Lading Thuille's old opera "Lobotanz," which is praised as a work of much poetical and musical charm, tho neglect of .ivhicli cannot bo understood.

A Great Carmen. Miss Mary Garden, tho American grand opera prima donna, lias made a big success as "Carmen" in Philadelphia. : Concluding a "praiseful criticism," one writer says:— Debussy has called Mary Garden the "unforgettable Melisandc. Tho terra might equally, well bo applied to her Carmen. From' entrance, surrounded by her would-be lovers,' laughing at this one, alluring that, defying nil—to the moment when her shriek of laughter brings tho dagger of the maddened Joso to her breast—she is a picture never to bo lost to tho memory—this bravo, cruel, merry, I vicious, tender, "unforgettable" Carmen.

Notes. Mascajrm lias no reason apparently to regret lii's visit to South America. For a month he conducted the opera in Buenos •Wits, receiving, it is said, £2"M, and at each performance of his "Ysobel"— which should have been but was not produced in Xew York last season—the takings are stated to havo reached .£2OOO. It Ivan given 2a times, as was also "Cavalleria." Altogether, according to the figures nublHied. Iho lialian composer's tour viehh-d XICO.dOO in receipts. Even allaw1111,' for harmless n-nd necessary exaggerotiono, It 1» evident Jluit considerable bugpea attended th» latorjwiw,

LADIES ALL f (W?m RECOMMEND fta' % J Wl LTON'S HANt) EMOLLIENT