The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-05-16
Mr.. Young's Interesting Let
ter on American Opera.
THE ORPHANS HOME BENEFIT.
Polk in Mixed Pickles The Guv'nor-
Ned Royle's Snccsss-Gen-
eraI Notes.
The American Opera Company.


unfavorable comment, the opinion ex-
pressed depending very much npon the
! roint Of view taken BY the writer,
lad received from the musical press
an unfavorable impression, and was
therefore astonished to find that the
company was doing excellent artistic
work in every respect, and that among
the numerous artists engaged some are
excellent, and nearly all are good. Its
no exaggeration to sey that the man
agement have succeeded in getting to-
gether a company in a few months that
is equal to Mr.. Carl Rosa's English
Opera Company, which it has taken
years of labor to establish OH its present
footing. The star system is entirely
done away with. The perfect render
ing of the whole work, regardless of the
caprices of prime donne OF tenori, is the
aim of the management, and, in my
opinion, this object is more nearly
realized than in any other operate ven
ture ever started in this country.
The chief improvement effected by
this company over previous organiza
tons, is to be found in the splendid
chorus and orchestra The latter Is
the celebrated Thomas Orchestra, Civ
l INK SUN us 10
nowned leader as were never before
heard in English opera.
Mr.. Thomas has proved himself as
great in operate as in symptoms work,
and shines especially in Wagner's
operas, which are the supreme test OF
OF conductors genius.
The excellence of its chorus is due to
its material and to the instruction given
il by Mr.. Heinricks, who is an excep-
tional musician in every respect and
who substitutes Mr.. Thomas when nee
essary.
The list Of artists includes some well
known singers and some that are new
corners. Among the ladies', there are
some splendid voices. whose possessors
also have dramatic and musical talent.
The sopranos are all light, however.
and this brings us 10 one of the chief
wants of the company. viz: a dramatic
soprano. Miss Juch sings the soprano
parts in the Flying DutchmAri and
lohengrin with great intelligence and
feeling, but she seems 10 have worked
too hard this winter.
Miss l. Allemand has asplendid ply
siQue for singer, exceptionally good
execution. and considerable Gfenr for
and experience in acting. Substituted
in Paris and was coached in the part of
"Lakme," which has been her chief
success this winter, by the composer
himself. The contraltos are very good
indeed, both in voice and style. They
include in their numbers, Mime. Jessie
Bartlett Davis and Mime. Heistreiter.
The former Is well known in Salt Lake
and is appreciated both for her beauti-
full voice and her lyric talent. The latter
is the possessor OF magnificent voice
that ought perhaps 10 be called q mezzo
soprano OF exceptional compass and
power, rather than q contralto. The
talent for the portrayal OF tragic charac
tiers is very great and her appearance
almost as fine as her voice. =
~ Among the male singers, Mr. Myron
Whitney, the great basso whose voice is
as wonderful as ever. is the most widely
and favorably known. Mr.. Ludwig,
the baitone from the Carl Rosa troupe,
is also q very fine singer and an ex-
ceptionally graceful and effective actor.
Mr.. Candidus, the chief TENOR, It
must be confessed is not so success
full as could be wished. He has
an excellent voice of telling quality,
but he uses his whole power constantly
and thus misses many effects that his
voice might easily reach. --a-o II
The operas that / had the pleasure Of
witnessing were Lakme, Flying Dutch
man, Lohengrin, and Merry Wives of
Windsor. Lakme was first produced in
this country last winter by this com
pany and has been one Of the chief at
fractions during the entire season. The
opera lacks originality, putits performs
ance was very exceptional in every re-
spect. The accompaniment for or
chesrra is quite In the modern style
that is, tits continuous throughout the
arts Iaou1r,rr~ ~ rrrr lA.,&. 4
and applause thatconstantlyin interrupt
the plot and music IN the older forrhiofd
operas. Nile I1kbemaud tsangs and
acted the part Of Lalane wonderfully.
The Flying 1Dutchmzn is one of the
early works of Richard Wagner
and is thereforeyca strange MIXTURE
of modern 1musie; and O. anoientd
operate formsoE1t Ii However, excep1
tionally interesting oID account of the
wierd subeee oandl rs fuil OF. Beautiful
melodies-Besldes this. It has perhaps
the mostwonderful overture ever writ
ten to an opera. The chief interest, of
course, centres In the hero, portrayed
with gloomy grandeur by Mr.. Ludwig.
and Mr.. Whitney's excellent voice and
style gave due prominence to the part
OF Daland, the heroine's father. Mr..
Mockr1dge was engaCed to sing the
part of the tenor, but was taken i'll and
has been obliged 70 abandon the com
pany for the present. He did not sing
in Boston, rs stated by your CORES
pendent, who, hoveyer.1is not 10 be
blamed for the mistake of the manage
ment in leaving Mr.. Mockridgen on
the bills aIETG ll1IBs-E
Lohengrin, another of Wagner's Cd
eras, serves to show the whole strength
OF the company a. its best. 1t has also
served TO bring before the public Nine.
Hastreiter's wonderful voice and dram
atic talent.
The Merry Wives of windsor. by
Nicolai, and Gluck's 0rpheus and Euri- |
dyce have been very greatly patronized. |
The next season viii open In San Fran |
cisco about the beginning of October,
and the company win probably stop at |
Salt Lake on their return to New York. |
The opera 70 be given here, ought to be |
The Merry Wives, which is full of tune |
fui music and would, no doubt. be liked.
but the general repertoire Of the com
pany would not. perhaps, meet the
taste of the public here. The whole of
the credit of the establishment of the
American Opera Company-for-the- en-
= , . ~ ant ~ -