San Carlo

In Manhattan last week the operatic hat was taken from its leather case, dusted off a bit and tossed into the ring known most dignifiedly as the music season. Out of it jumbled Carmen, Aida, Rigoletto, La Boheme, Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, Madame Butterfly, II Trovatore, a bit stiff and worn from too much service, arranged themselves in auspicious sequence for the first week's repertoire of the San Carlo Opera Company.

Carmen did her turn first, did it well, won the praise of connoisseurs for the gratifying performance of Soprano Lorna Doone Jaxon, the general excellence of the ensembles. Aida seemed depressed by the idea of her own popularity, sagged a little, but Rigoletto stepped along, vigorously, evenly. Then came Boheme, tender, lush; Cavalleria, primitive, sententious; Pagliacci, glittering, theatrical; Butterfly, effusive, incidental; and Trovatore fittingly climactic.

A week of plenty, the people voted, heaping good measure--considering the wealth of divertissements given by the San Carlo ballet. Critics had little to say, found no performers of phenomenal worth, none of complete inadequacy, devoted in consequence large portions of their space to witticisms at the expense of operatic absurdities, commented too on the few yawning seats, wondered if the cry for opera at popular prices is as genuine as it has appeared to be, if next season, when the San Carlo has its permanent Manhattan home, Fortune Gallo will be able to hold his record of making opera pay.