Drama-Spectacle

In 1919, Broadway saw The Jest, a gruesome melodrama of mediaeval Florence in the time of Lorenzo, the Magnificent. With swaggering desperadoes, vengeful noblemen, witching ladies, it embodies the virtues and vices of pronounced melodrama.

It has been turned into opera, La Cena Delle Beffe by Umberto Giordano, in which form, as presented by the Chicago Civic Opera Company, it presents a successful, gorgeous drama-spectacle. Only Satanic music could express the diabolism of the plot. The score provided, far from being profound as sin, is puerile as the theft of jam. It dares the singers to vault along treacherous arpeggios, skip over unsound scales, probe the depths of bass tones, just to prove that it can be done. It is done, and surprisingly well, too. Claudia Muzio, one of the world's great dramatic sopranos, almost made the difficult Ginevra role take on the semblance of life and opera. Not less effective was Luigi Montesanto who boasted loudly, loved violently, killed mercilessly, in the person of Neri Chiaramentesi.

But what success the music wins is due mainly to Conductor Giorgio Polacco. Two decades ago he came to the U. S. from Italy, lavished his talent on scattered engagements. In 1915 he substituted for Toscanini as chief conductor of the Metropolitan Opera Company, Manhattan. Later he was called to assist the great Cleofonte Campanini as director of the Chicago Opera, married Edith Mason, singer. Now he makes music out of even La Cena Delle Beffe.