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The final evening performance of the opera season was given at the Academy of Music last night, with a double bill, consisting of "Hansel und Gretel" and "Pagliacci." Humperdinck's fairy opera, though childish in theme, has much in it to appeal to older minds, for its story has the charm of simplicity and bright, wholesome humor, while the music is not only delightfully tuneful, but often of dramatic power and dignity. It is music which admirably suits the theme and is never less than melodious. The tale of the two mischievous children, Hansel and Gretel, who are sent out by their mother to pick berries, are lost in the woods, captured by the old witch and escape by pushing her into her own oven, is refreshingly unaffected and childlike, and last night's audience appeared thoroughly to enjoy it, entering whole-heartedly into the spirit of the performance.

The cast again included Marie Mattfeld as Hans and Bella Alten as Gretel and the parts of the frolicsome children could scarcely be more delightfully acted. Miss Mattfeld made Hans boyish, with a rollicking, natural air, and sang it with a clear, sweet voice. The Gretel of Miss Alten was refreshingly cute and winsome, entirely childish and ingenuous, and full of a sprightly grace. Her voice is equal to much more arduous tasks and her singing last night was throughout sympathetic and artistic. Homer repeated her remarkable impersonation of the witch in a makeup that was a work of art in itself, and Mr. Goritz and Marion Weed were again excellent as the parents, Peter and Gertrude. The opera was attractively staged, particularly the scene of the witch's gingerbread house, and the descent of the angels down the white staircase to visit with lovely dreams the sleeping children in the woods, made a beautiful tableau effect. The angels, a score in number, were of the real Christmas card variety, with flowing robes and spreading Wings - though, to be sure, angels in blue and pink are something of a novelty.

"Pagliacci" was given for the second time this season, but for the first time with Caruso as Canio, and Geraldine Farrar and Stracciari were heard for the first time in Philadelphia, as Nedda and Tonio. The performance of Leoncavallo's tragic little opera fell, on the whole, below the high artistic standard of some former presentations. Even Caruso was not as satisfying as usual, and was, in fact, as near incompetent as it seems possible for him to be. He emphasized the clownish characteristics of the part at the outset, and made an effort to be very dramatic in the later scenes, but seemed to be over-acting rather than showing sincerity. The Lament, of course, was admirably sung with the impassioned manner which Caruso loves to assume, but it fell short of the effect it has produced in the past and, though the applause was cordial, there were no insistent demands for its repetition.

Miss Farrar elaborated the dramatic side of Nedda's character to the point of exaggeration. She was evidently in earnest but almost too much so, for her elaborate gestures and melodramatic poses cheapened, rather than intensified, the part. There was little excuse for her rapid run down to the footlights at the end of the Bird Song, her direct appeal to the audience destroying whatever illusion she may otherwise have created.. Miss Farrar has excellent talent as an actress, but is inclined to let her enthusiasm get the best of her, and her zeal was somewhat misplaced last night. Her voice was sweet in the Bird Song, but her singing was on the whole lacking in dramatic effect.

The Tonio of Stracciari does not bear comparison with that of Scotti, either vocally or as to its acting. Stracciari does not make up for the part, but retains his own good-looking features and then seeks to get the required effect by stooping over when he doesn't forget to do so and walking bowlegged. His voice lacks volume, and its vibrato is too evident, so that the Prologue, while given with ease and feeling, lost some of its beauty in his rendering. Reiss and Simard repeated their parts of Beppe and Silvio and were competent. The second matinee and final performances of the season will be given tomorrow afternoon, with Sembrich, Caruso and Scotti in "La Boh?me."

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Search by title: H?nsel und Gretel, Pagliacci,

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