POSED IN THE NODE

Evening Star, Issue 19790, 14 February 1928, Page 5

POSED IN THE NODE

OPERA HOUSE SENSATION MAD DOORKEEPER ASTOUNDS AUDIENCE Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright ROME, February 13. (Received February 14, at 10.30 a.m.) Achille Polidoro, a mad doorkeeper, provided an astonishing curtain-raiser at the reopening of the famous Costanzi Opera House, where Toti Dal Monte was appearing. A private audience had assembled, and the safety curtain was majestically rising, when a man of heroic proportions was seen, as bare as a Greek statue. After striking a series of poses recalling classical statues, he started singing Verdi’s ‘La Donna E Mobile.’ At first the spectators were dumb with astonishment, and then came angry cries of “ Remove him! ”

The stage hands rushed the man off the stage, recognising Polidoro, but the naked man, who was a powerful athlete, resisted capture, and barricaded himself in a box, where he continued singing until the police bound him and wrapp d him in a blanket. Polidoro was recently dismissed for eccentric behaviour.

He was conveyed to an asylum, loudly protesting that his treatment was due to the jealousy of operatic stars.