"Les Huguenots" is Heard Again

Has Its First Performance of the Season at the Metropolitan Opera House.

BRILLIANT IN EPISODES

The Work, However, Has Been More Effectively Done Here as a Whole.

METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE. — Les Huguenots; opera by Meyerbeer.

Valentine …… Mme. Gadski
Urbain …… Mme. Camille Seygard
I. Dame d’Honneur …… Fraulein Bauermeister
II. Dame d’Honneur …… Mme. Van Cauteren
Marguerite de Valois …… Mme. Suzanne Adams
Raoul de Nangis …… Signor de Marchi
Le Comte de Saint Bris …… M. Journet
Le Comte de Nevers …… Signor Scotti
Marcel …… M. Edouard de Reszke
Soldat Huguenot …… M. Jacques Bars
De Tavannes …… Herr Reiss
De Retz …… Signor Viviani
De Meru, Maurevert …… Signor Dufriche

In the performance of “Les Huguenots,” the first of the season, at the Metropolitan Opera House, last night, M. Edouard de Reszke was the towering figure. His Marcel is familiar from many previous hearings, but in his representation it gained in breadth and dignity from the fact that the surroundings were not as “large” as in former years. A perfect picture of the bluff Huguenot campaigner, he sang and acted in a manner that brought out the full significance of this noble rôle.

Signor De Marchi’s Raoul was followed with interest. Physically it lacked in stature and consequently in heroic impressiveness. Vocally it had much to commend it, although the singer relies for his effects more on final high notes than on tonal beauty or on the artistic quality of his performance as a whole. Thus, the romance with viola accompaniment lacked lyric smoothness and refinement of phrasing. But he ended it with a fervor that caught the audience, and his voice was vibrant and effective in the duel scene and in the love duet.

Mme. Gadski’s Valentine again showed that this prima donna is not solely a Wagner singer. In the finale of the second act, in the duet with Marcel preceding the duel scene, and in the love duet she sang with fine dramatic expression. Mme. Suzanne Adams gave the florid music of Marguerite de Valois brilliantly, but as an actress she still has much to learn. Mme. Seygard sang Urbain’s number gracefully.

Signor Scotti was an efficient De Nevers; but M. Journet’s St. Bris fell considerably short of the standard established for the rôle at the Metropolitan. Of the performance as a whole, it may be said that, in spite of brilliant episodes, it lacked dash.

The house was not quite up to the standard, although the boxes and orchestra stalls were well filled.

Miss Caroline Drayton, in a simple gown of white, was with Mrs. Astor, who wore a gown of black velvet appliquéd with white satin. Prince Henri de Croy and Mr. E. N. Tailer were among callers during the evening. Mr. and Mrs. William Jay were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clews in box 12. Mrs. Jay wore a handsome gown of white satin embroidered with gold, and Mrs. Clews’ gown was of white silk brocaded with pink roses.

In box No. 2 were Mrs. Frederick Pearson, Miss Leary, Miss Fanny Reed, of Paris; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Astor Bristed, Prince del Drago and Mr. George Haines. Mrs. Bristed wore a handsome gown of red velvet; Mrs. Pearson was in white brocade, with pearls and diamonds; Miss Reed was in pale blue satin and Miss Leary in white satin.

Mrs. George Scott’s party, in box No. 4, included Mrs. Trenor L. Park, in black gauze spangled with silver; Miss Louise Scott, in pink; Mr. George Griswold, 2d, and Mr. Charles T. Mathews.

Lady Constance Mackenzie, in black velvet embroidered with jet, was with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stuart Dodge in box 30. Mr. Nikola Tesla was also in the box.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Siegel, in stall box Y, had as guests Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Swift, of Chicago. Mrs. Siegel’s costume was a princess gown of white satin, embroidered with garlands of velvet roses in natural shades. Her ornaments were pearls.

Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont, in white satin combined with gauze, spangled with crystal, was in box No. 1. Her guests were Mrs. Moses Taylor Campbell, Mr. Albert Fairfax and Mr. Moncure Robinson.

Others in the audience were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Stickney, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Whitehouse, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Hillhouse, Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Peters, Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Berwind, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Terrell, Mr. T. Sanford Beatty, Mrs. W. Seward Webb, Miss Lila Sloane, Mrs. Robert Goelet, Miss Maud Livingston, Mr. and Mrs. E. Henry Harriman, Miss Harriman, Miss Delia Gurnee, Mr. and Mrs. B. C. Porter, Mr. F. H. Baldwin, Mrs. Moses Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. J. G. K. Duer, Mrs. Austin Corbin, Mr. Austin Corbin, Mrs. Frank Northrop, Miss Edith Cushing and Mr. Thomas F. Cushing.