Metropolitan Opera Archives

The sixth week of the season at the Metropolitan Opera House was ushered in last evening. The opera was "Lohengrin," which had its second performance. When the work was given before it was the medium for the debut of a new Bohemian soprano. She sang Elsa suffering from a cold and had some difficulty in finishing the last act. She has not been heard a second time, and the manager has been laboring under some serious disadvantages, because not only was Miss Erma Zarska not available but Lucrezia Bori was also on the long continued sick list, so that the operas in her repertory could not be given.

Mme. Emmy Destinn was no longer a member of the company, and many admirers were lamenting her loss. She returned to this country to sing in concert and had made plans for an extensive tour. But Mr. Gatti-Casazza naturally saw his opportunity and, as has been elaborately told in the public prints, engaged Mme. Destinn to sing for the rest of the present season and part of next. Last evening the distinguished Bohemian soprano made her reappearance, singing the role in which her young countrywoman had been so unfortunate.

There was a hesitating and ill-advised attempt to applaud Mme. Destinn when she made her entrance in the first act, that most of the audience realized that the moment was not well chosen for a demonstration. At the end of the act, however, there was a cordial, if not ecstatic, outburst. The principal singers appeared before the curtain six or eight times. It was evident that the audience wished Mme. Destinn to appear alone and finally she did so. She was warmly welcomed.

It was gratifying to hear her once again, although there are other roles which give more scope to her powers than Elsa does. But her voice was resonant and clear and she sang her music in the style which has now so long been popular with operagoers Her return to the Metropolitan stage will add to the present strength of the company and to he interest of the season.

The other members of the cast were the same as before except that Mme. Ober replaced Mme. Matzenauer as Ortrud. Early announcements named Mr. Sembach as the Lohengrin of the evening, but Mr. Urlus had been substituted for him before the programmes were printed. The performance as a whole was smooth, well knit and dramatic. Mr. Bodanzky was the conductor.

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