The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-09
A SUCCESS.
HansOn7s New
Opera.
LOCAL COMPOSER
Has Distinct Triumph in
"Fridthjof and lngeborg.7

For some time past Mr. Charles F.
Hanson, the well-known composer and
musical conductor of this city, has been
considering the plan Of giving a must
cal setting TO one or more of the folk
legends of his native land, Sweden. His
countrynen in America are noted for
cinging firmly to the characteristics
and customs of their fatherland, and
Mr.. Hanson became convinced that
such a production would meet with
their hearty support as well as the pat
ronage of other students of music or
sociology. He found an enthusiastic
coadjutor in Miss Anna c. Wallberg,
who readily undertook TO translate into
English 'Brdithjofs Saga, a legend Of
a Morse hero, familiar TO every Scandi-
navian child and inmortalized in verse
by Bishop Teguer, Norwegian author
OF note.
Their enterprise met with unanimous
encoura cement from the start even his
Majesty King Oscar being graciously
pleased TO approve the work and to al
low it to be dedicated to him The
climax of their labors was reached
last night at the Worcester Theatre, in
the new operas first public presenta-
ton, and the result must have been
highly gratifying to all concerned.
Fridtljof and lngebOrg,' as the
new piece is called in English tells how
Fridth1of, peasant borh, loves the
Princess Ingeborg, but is madly re-
pulsed by Haitian and Hedge, her
brothers. when he presents his suit.
Angered by his disappointment, ne
commits sacrilege, and is forthwith
banished, while Ingeborg is given in
marriage 10 King Ring, the aged ruler
of northern Norway. Fridthjof, wan
dering In disguise to Rings court, pre-
serves the life Of that monarch, and in
return is rewarded with the hand Of
his loved Ingeborg, and her brother S
friendship, Ring accommodatingly com
uniting suicide so as to make the re-
CURED vacancy in lngeborg's affec-
tons.
The override began promptly at g
o'clock. and after a few bars, the cur
tam rose. showing the boy Fridthtof
carrying the child Ingeborg over a
brook--a very pretty picture, posed af-
ter familiar painting. The partici-
pants. George Anderson and Irene
Hinchley, bore themselves like old
-stage veterans. and We're rewarded with
hearty applause
The first scene shows a woodland
with the chorus grouped around in
negligee attitude. Hiding. an ancient
minstrel, sings the praises OF Fridthtof
and Ingeborg, in which he is Joined by
the chorus and by Bjom. a robust.
manly looking Viking, who looked as
II he had stepped out OF an old Morse
record. The happy pair are heartily
welcomed on the scene in a spirited
chorus, which is one of the gems OF
the opera, and shortly afterward there
is a shift TO the royal assembly. where
Fridthjof pleads his suit for Ingeborg' S
hand, only to be rudely, though melod-
iously, repulsed by King Hedge, elder
brother of his betrothed Fridthiof re-
tires, breathing defiance.
There is 4 dainty melody running
through the final scene Of this act.
which shows Fridthjof at his home.
sought out by heralds from Hedge who
needs his aid to ward Off invasion The
scenic effects and properties in this acc
and all through the play were strictly
IN keeping with historical accuracy.
and showed great research and lavish
expense on the part Of the producers.
The ancient monuments. armor, cos
tunes, drinking houses, etc, are exact
models of the Old Viking era
The production marks an epoch in