Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-30
AMUSEM ENTS.
ssFaust'' Rendered In the Face O
Great Difficulties.

"Faust'' Rendered In the Face
Great Difficulties.
By 8 O'Clock last evening every seat in
the Grand opera house was filed below
and above stairs and in all the boxes.
1t was as brilliant an assemblage as the
gas jets in the Grand ever lighted up. 1t
was drawn together by the prospect of
hearing Miss Juch in Charles Gounod's
Fdust. The company was coming from
San Francisco and by special train.
and the expectation had been that il
would arrive by 5 O'Clock. When the
time came for the curtain to rise the
train had not yet reached the depot. It
was momentarily expected, but moments
ran into half hours and hours
until it was after O'Clock be-
fore the train pulled up in the
Arcade depot. There were only two
things to choose between-cut Faust out
Of the business or play last night. The
sale of seats amounted to perhaps
81 600, and the people were on the tiptoe
of expectation to hear the melodious
measures that abound in Gounod's great
masterpiece. In spite of these weighty
considerations most managers would
have said let it 60, but those at the helm
last night said "We will play if
it takes till morning." That the cur
tain went up shortly after
10 O'Clock, and that the entire opera
without one line cut was produced by
half past l, is an achievement of which
all concerned may feel proud. And
such a perfect triumph Of good nature
and thorough breeding as the house
showed In all those hours OF waiting
there was not ripple of impatience
manifested even in the gallery.
The lateness of the hour forbids an ex-
tended review of the performance. The
cast was as follows:
Faust" Charles Hedmondt; "Valen-
tine," Sienor Tagliapietrs; "Mephisto-
pheles," Franz Vetta; "Brander," T. S.
Guise; "Siebel," Lizzie Macnichol; /;
"Martha," Susie Leonhardt; "Marguer-
ite," Emma Juch.
This was supplemented by the finely
trained chorus land still more reinforced
by a superb double orchestra. The or
chestration of the music was simply a
delicious affair. Miss Juch as ".Mar-
guerite," was charming in appearance
and manner, and her rendition of the
music was truly delightful. She sang
with pathos, sweetness and clearness
of tone that make her an ideal "Mar-
|gueritep The "Siebel' of Miss
Lizzie Macnichol was also charming
bit of acting, and her voice is mellow
and true. Tagliapietra as Valentine"
won marked recognition, and his fine
voice replaced him at once, as of yore,
| in the hearts of the people. The
"Mephisto" of Mr.. Vetta was a fine
piece of acting, and his voice is an ex-
cellent one. His acting in the cross
hilted sword scene was an artistic tt j.
umph. The Faust of Mr.. Hedmondt
was good, but did not reach the heart as
the singing of the other principal people
in the cast.
For tonight the opera is William Tell,
with the following cast: ''William Tell, d
Giovanni Taglispietra; "Walther Furst,''
Franz 'Vetta; "Melchthal," 7. s. Guise
ARNOLD" Melchthal's Son, Charles
Hedmondt; "Gessler," Austrian Gov
ernor of the Cantons, Swiss and Uri, E.
N. Knight; Rudolph" Captain of
Gessler's Bodyguard, Frank Pieri
"Ruodi, Fisherman, EIvin Singer !;
"Lenhold,"a Shepherd, Thomas Bott
Matilda" an Austrian Princess, Niece
of Gessler, Georgiana Won Janus
chowsky; "Hedwiga." Tells Wife, Liz
zie Machnichol; Jenny" Tells Son,
Emma Juch.
Miss Juch's Jenny" is one of her
very best characters, and Tagliapietra,
in the title role, has fine opportunity
to bring out all the best qualities of his
voice. In fact Miss Juch and Signor
Tagliapietra are the opera.
1t will be pleasant to the people to
know that there is, after all, to be full
week of Juch opera, as the following
amended repertoire will indicate: William
Tell, Thursday, Juch as "Jemmy;" Car
men, Friday, Juch as Carmen" Der
Frieschutz, Saturday matinee; Bohemian
Girl, Saturday night, Juch as ''Arlino :"
Magnon, Monday night, Juch as "Mig-
non."