The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-22
.IkNNHAUSER IN HELENA.
Wagner's Beautiful Work Rendered
by tho Emma Juch Opera
Company.
A Romance Of Love Told Amidst
Enhancing Music and
Song.
A Feast Of Melody Such M May Not DO
Heard Again In YsSrs-Thcstricsl
Notes.

Heard Again In Yssrs-ThcatrIcsl
Notes.
II was a patient audience that gathered in
Mings' opera house last night to hear Miss
Emma Juch and her grand English opera
company give the first rendition of Wag-
merriam opera in Montana. II WAS 10 o'clock
when the curtain rose for the first act. For
two long hour did the audience sit listen
'nR to the stage carpentry and hubub be-
nind the stage and as the time crept on the
atmosphere grew colder and when the stage
was in readiness for tbs feast of song eyery-
one was uncomfortably chilled. At one
time there WAS an abundance OF smoke but
no fire and it seemed that under the in
conveniences the audience had been put to
while waiting, the least the management
might do was to keep the
house warm. The gentlemen crowded
around the stoves in the rotunda
but the fair sex sat il out patiently. Quite
a number of people wearied Of waiting and
went home before a note was struck. The
company did not reach town until eight
o'clock last evening. They travel in their
own special train Of four cars. but through
some mismanagement they were delayed III
inc IOAU. lueT6 WIZ ulbO OVcI MI uOuE y
difference in the time of the watches Of tho
company from Helena time.
The audience WAS not as large as that
which greeted Miss Juch on her former APP
pearance in this city. The gallery was
only spareely filed. Cold weather kept
many away, but it is safe to say that the
company will be greeted with larger audi
ences during the remaining part of the en-
gagement.
TANNHAUsER-AS OPERA IN THREE ACTS.
Herman Landgrave OF Thuringia. Franz Vetta
Elizabeth. niece of the Landsrays,. Emma Jnch
g Mvs oIfra% son E.chenbach. e' Otto ni ]isstsjeas
81 Wslter yon der Voselweide' Payne Clarke
"a Heinrich Hei1G,a der Schneider ..... Wm. i s,ar ,
Venus. .......... .Georgine Won Januschowsky
A Young Shepherd ........... .Carlotta Maconda
1t is probable that a more critical
audience never sat in Ming's than that
which greeted the Juch opera company.
1t WAS evident that Wagnsrian music was
new to many. When Mr.. N~eudendorff, the
musical director, raised his baton for the
overture the audience grew deeply inter
ested and silently listened to the complex
strains which were rendered with admire
BILE precision, and rs the varying blends
we're swept on the air in the sweetest of
harmony the effect was visible OH the
audience and it did not fail to show its ap-
preciation.
nance of love, in which Tannhauser, Venus.
Landgrave and Elizabeth appear most
prominently. The scene is laid in Ger
many. Tannhauser, a knight and minstrel
in an evil hour of grief sought consolation
in the Hill of Venus and lived for a whole
yoar away from his friends and home with
the goddess of love who is supposed to hold
her court among everlasting revels destroy
ing the souls of men who fall into her tolls.
1t is at the end of the year the opera opens
and Tannhauser weary of his joys, implores
his goddess to release him. By a sudden
change he regains his liberty,-tho scene
changes and while Offering n prayer of
gratitude at being restored to freedom, his
former associates, the minstrel knights, led
by Landgrave, persuade him to rejoin them.
A tournament Of song is the theme of the
second act. The prize victor is to win Eliz-
abeth's hand, whom Tannhauser loves and
is beloved. During the contest the lover
confesses his crime of having reveled with
Venus. Elizabeth saves him from destruc-
ton and he is banished to Rome. Eliza
beth awaits his return, but he does not ap-
pear and she consecrates herself to the Viz
gin. Elizabeth dies afterwards. Tam
hauser is forgiven by the church at Rome.
but he rejects forgiveness and invokes the
internal train, and spurned by all he re-
turns to the haunt of Venus to the joy he
now loathes.
The first scene shows Venus and Tam
hauser together. There is little to invite
the plaudits of the audience in this gcene
or in the entire first act. Mr.. Chas. He'd
mondt, as T~annhauser, was in splendid
voice. and Miss Georgine Won Januschow-
SKY, who was in Helena before, endered
her difficult part in a most acceptable man
ner. Miss Juch does not appear until the
second act. during which she has a great
opportunity to display her vocal powers.
The second act of Tsnnhauser will long be
remembered in Helena as one of the grand
est musical treats ever listened to. The
audience, which had hitherto been
very spare in its applause, was brought
up to an enthusiastic pitch by the grand
choruses and sublime melodies of the male
stars. Miss Juch appeared ill at ease at
hrst,. probably owing to the disadvantage
at which the opera was being sung. but she
eventually grew into the full spirit of her
work and her sweet voice rang out on the
cold air only to be enveloped again by a
grand chorus of manly voices, which was
applaud Miss Juch. The appeal of Eliza
beth to Landgrave and the mobiles, to spare
Tannhauser was beautiful in the extreme.
as was the beautiful prayer to the Virgin in
the last act, when the curtain rises and dis
closes her clinging to the cross. Both OF
and tenderness.
Miss Carlotta Maconda very p~rettily
sang the young shepherd II
Mr.. Hedmondt was in excellent voice and
his capabilities as a dramatic singer are of
a high order. In the most difficult and try
ing parts he never wavered. His acting il
the tournament of song was marked with
great spirit, and with the exception oil
faulty stage setting the entire scene was
most effectively managed.
The orchestration deserves special men
ton. The celebrated march which intro
duoes the tournament of song was we'll
and every bar from the grand
overture to the last note the playing was
and admirable.
The chorus is a strong feature of this
company. Mr.. Vetta aud Mr.. Rathjens,
the former az Herman and the latter as
Wolfram. distinguished themselves in diff
cult solos. The singing of both these gen.
10 characterized by great feeling.
On Monday evening Meyerbeer's Les
H%ueusnots will be sung, Miss Juoh appear
ing as Valentine.
A Revival of E0rick's Love.
The seventh week of Lawrence Bavrett at