The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-17

| still another that the advance work OF the
Bostonians had not been what it should
| have been. An attraction of that sort, and
| especially one that plays to advanced
prices, always needs judicious working up
Tor some time ahead, and the visit was
sprung ON Us this time with too much sud
denness and shortness of notice to have
the town thoroughly walked up to its i'm
| portance.
After witnessing the rendition of Bizet's
opera by the Bostonians and remembering
their performance of ,"Mignon," "Pyg
malion and Galatea," "F'atinitza" and
other works of the lighter school,
we record it as our frank opinion
that they would have done better
to have opened in something else. In at
tempting Carmen" they came dangerously
requlres-almoSt as imperatlvely as good
Carmen-a good Toreador. Miss Davis is
q very good Carmen, but Mr.. Macdonald's
warmest friends will not say that he can
be tolerated as the bull-hghter, and with
the magnificent memory of Taghapietra,
who sang with Juch, and Del Puente, who
sang with Minnie Hauk, coming up before
the mental vision OF the audi
ence with every note Macdonald
took and every gesture he should
have made-the result could not but be
peculiarly unfortunate. Why Mr.. Mac
donald, one of the proprietors OF the CON-
pany. with his light baritone voice and his
not at all magn etic presence should attempt
the role of Escamillo is one of the things
that surpaSSes understanding. Jessie
Bartlett Davis sang Carmen most charm
lngly, and acted it at least better than any
one else we have had here with the excep-
ton OF Hauk and Juch. She made it, not
so wicked as the former and not so tender
as the latter; but full of sensuousness,
temper and passion. 1t is new role with
her, we Judge, as the opera bore some evil
dences of being with others, and when she
has done it season longer, 1t will
shine as one of her best roles. AT
present, with ell its many excellencies, it is
just trifie heavy and a little slow. Stand
ing abreast with the impression made by
Miss Davis, was the hit achieved by Juli-
cite Corden who, good as she was before,
has advanced fully 20 per cent, and her
beautiful song raised the warmest applause
of the night. Tom Karl sang Don Jose
better than he has done anything here
since the Bostonians began their visits; he
acted WELL especially at the close. and some
of his high notes were beautiful-we would
he would let them out ofteuer. The chorus
Is large and well costumed. Oscar We'll,
the talented composer of ''Suzette," waved
the baton over capable orchestra.
Fotheringham anu Dixon played two gyp
sizes after the manner of the vagabonds in
| FRA Diavolo;" a good deal of dialogue
interpolated in the libretto, mostly for
their sake and for the simplihcation of the
plot, somewhat cheapened the production
and gave it a sort Of Carmen up to Date"
favoring. We opine that the liberties
taken would have paralyzed Bizet, could he
have dropped in at the theatre last even
| ing. The excellent comedian Barnabee,
and the brilliant soprano Marie Stone
were in the audience.
Robin Hood, - which, if all that is said
of it be true, should have opened the sea-
| son, is the bill for to night, and the ad-
vance sale already amounts to over 5000.