MUSIC
- Il Tabarro "-and "Cavalleria Rusticana." Sadler's Wells Theatre. —Miss Maggie Teyte and the Boyd Neel Orchestra. Chelsea Town Hall.
SADLER'S WELLS has revived Puccini's one-act opera, 11 Tabarro, mating it with Cavalleria Rusticana. The new production of 11 Tabarro is excellent, and Miss Sladen, Mr. Sale (Luigi) and Mr. Roderick Jones (Michele) sing with a genuine feeling both for the rich snatches of melody and for the parlando phrases of the conversational passages. Mr. Jones's singing of Michele's long mono- logue was, indeed, magnificent, ending on a sustained high note of ringing splendour. But should he'not remain motionless during the whole of this meditation, gazing into the dark waters of the Seine, which were where they should be and not back-stage as in the com- pany's previous production? Puccini, no less than Britten, shows up the paucity of the Sadler's Wells orchestra, which needs strengthen- ing both in numbers and quality.
Cavalleria was likewise carefully produced with an unusual regard for its clear exposition as a drama and for accuracy in local colour. Mr. Johnston sang excellently, though he was somewhat overpowered physically by Miss Monica Warner's Santuzza. Mr. Ifor Evans gave a forceful performance as Alfio. On the first night, however, the choral singing lacked light and shade, as well as finish. Mr. Boyd Neel,' having achieved a remarkable success with his concerts in Chelsea Town Hall, has started a new series there. His first programme was devoted mainly to French music, with that great artist Miss Maggie Teyte as singer. Like other great artists, Miss Teyte has her little mannerisms, but they do not seriously intrude upon her art. And when she is engaged upon some large enterprise, they intrude not at all. Such an enterprise was Chausson's "Le poerne de l'amour et de la mer," a song-cycle with orchestral accompaniment, from which Melba and others have detached and popularised the final song, " Le temps de lilas " (with violoncello obbligato beautifully played on this occasion by Mr. James White- head), but of which I can recollect no complete performance. I hope that records will immediately be made for posterity's benefit of this superb performance of a beautiful work. Miss Teyte also delighted us with the singing of a number of airs froin French operas of the late 18th and early 19th century.
DYNELEY HUSSEY.
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