Location:
Theater:
Date:
Type:
Dressing in the seedy
costume of a street musician and without
a spoken word or a gesture, he actually
makes a character study of a rather
stupid absent-minded sidewalk player.
Rinaldo ambles on without a glance at the
audience, slowly stakes a position in the
center of the stage. After a momentary
pause he quietly raises his violin and
begins to play. His face is absolutely
expressionless except at such momenta
as it lights up with flashes of half-enthusiasm
during a spirited passage of
music, then lapses back into blankness.
In all his playing Rinaldo makes use of
curious bits of what might be called
musical sleight-of-hand, and secures curious
trick effects that*take tremendously
with the audience. The straight playing
is always strong and frequently brilliant.
Monday night Rinaldo was a splendid success.
He left the audience fairly shouting
for more.
Source:
Variety 14:6 (04/17/1909)