The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-13


ca-srIes Louis Ambrose Thomas v-ss
born a. Ietx. August 5 fsff yafs Frss~seaI
talent WAs Inherited his father having ho.sn
masseaSn. he learned bis notes vs8ff, -.
alphabet, ard when q child ugagea attn
ski TIE piano ami VIOLIN he entered ths.
5asai1sis tafEs conservation 8E fszs won the.
fFsE prize for piano c3gaasaysss8or in fSss ffs.
frst prize for harmony Ia ts9g aua 49,
Grand Prix IN lsSe Ffe stailea coruposlt1on
Under the venerable Lesewer. seven ~
whose pupils. Including Thomas Aon the
frand Pfix. Completing an. course At
fiss conservatory. Thomas went 10 italy
f9r q brief periad. and wfiIe there eaga-
s"'Ae'a many pieces On his return 70 France
10 early gained aeeeSs To the. Theaser
ccfntaue- ard there many Of his works
were produced. including RAYMOND" an
opera 1f three acts. TIE overture to yvhgea
= wef knoNn. ~MsgRoh~ NJ fhfess acts
produced In November. fsss. with
.feat SUCCESS. and .sHanaist.H in
i've acts. N March. fsS sIam-
let Was almost great success as
AiigTsAn- These two operas gave Thomas
Tame, and on July 6. is7I ne succeeded Au-
Der as director Of Tire famous school ygfsrss
re Rad received his musical e4acatEon
A5<HcF, Hamlet" ard Francesca ia
h4ifaina produced in April. ISL hre the
most important % Thomas works They
represent the third and greatest Ycr5oI ~
terseiy summed Up Th0mas: VERY
Ffenchy, very iixht. but alwtys pleasing
"tfarnset" WAS written for Christine Nils
son. who created the role OF Ophslla
Aenon' haa a run Of more than 1850
nights In Paris. Beside the operas named
above. Thomas wrote ia pc:fblc EcEelle"
ia Perraguer de IA Regenee.' THE Cpy-
sy lie Panier Fleurs The Count Of
GarmagaoIa," LA Guerrilleros Angel
iqao and Mesior." "Caid, "Le songe dITne
Mutt fEts.@ La Toueln." la Coar de
raiirnsne. Psyche and '"The Carnival OF
Venice Christine Nilsson sang "Mignon''
ali through the United States.
During the DAYS OF the commune Am
br0ise Thomas fought among the insur-
gents a. the barbados After Paris sur
rendered 10 the Germans and tho armistice
Was sIgue3 Parisians who had small houses
IN the suburbs went. as a first duty 10
sse what the shells bad done. Almost ev-
cry where nothing remained standing and
TIE eye wandered over ruins. Houses which
had been spared By the bullets-shelteriug
places fer the eonquerors-bore traces
az tns1lent occupation. Of pill
age where the vandalism Of CON
quest was engraved everywhere. Am
broise Thomas owned house at ArgeE-
teslil and because Of its proximity 20 YER
saiiles. 81 course everything had been pgl-
LACED. When he arrived before the gate
the garden appeared 10 be tn order. and
nothing had been disturbed inside the house.
Each piece 81 furniture WAS In It's place
aud the woodwork bad nst fed harharous
eampfres. as elsewhere. Stnl. the enemy
had entered there and had left a c0nvinc-
INK witness Of his passage There was a
visiting card placed on the parlor table
chat OF the Prussian officer commanding
the general stan Of ArgenteuH. He the
grand nephew Of Meyerheer presented his
respectful homage 70 the filHstrious author
u tAIignon." and his admiration had been
the safeguard If the dwelling where so
many me pages hs1 been conceived. Blind.
savage war. caTdtulatlng before great tai
ents. had spared the humble house where
AMBROSE Thomas had dweii one day at
an orchestra rehearsal in the couserya-
AMI ne listened seated alone among tho
fanfeuils- Suddenly he arose and address
ing ore of the lnstrumen;alists. said. My
friemd 81 the secoaa. stand up there with
the sss.oHi victims. there Htusf be a copyisr
error in your part You played an r for
an r sharp" In personal appearance Am
braise Thomas was above the medium
height. De VAS ~ rigid bearing and as
slow "a 8 New England bishop. or sturdy
frame and strong arms his hands were
supple and eilriansly modelled 70 play peril
Gus octaves white his Neii-shsped head
was crowned with white hatr that gave
him a romantic ssyie The forehead was
broad the eyes nlsianeholy. the checks
.cspencd ard the gray beard 50 neglected
that Il gave him almost a sad air