The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-02-10
IA
ID Far NorthIa1d
Tid-Bits Of News for sca1dina-
vi0nS.
VIKINGS IN OPERA.

tlN1tiJOI IlV 1uSCNNIlS Ill OpNltb
founded on the life of the old Viking
heroes, will be presented in Chicago at
the big Auditorium, on Feb. -. 13 and
II, and it can unhesitatingly be said
that never in America has there been
such an ambitions Swedish undertake
ing. The opera is the work of a Swed-
ish-American, the libretto translated
into English by a Swede. and most Of
the principals and chorus will be sons
and daughters of old Syea. The per-
Torrance will mark IN epoch among
the Swedes, and this facl is so general
ly recognized that MANI will attend
from Boston and New York in the
East. the Twin Cities aud Omaha. in
the West.
The story of the opera is taken from
Tegner's immortal "Fridthjof's Saga"
and is translated into English by Anna
Cronjel Wellbcrg. The musical score.
is by Charles r. Hanson of Worcester,
Mass, and by special permission the
opera was dedicated to King Oscar Of
Sweden and Norway. Mr.. Hanson is
well known in the East as a musical
composer, and in Worcester. where he
has lived since 1865. several of his com
positions have been produced, as well
as in New York and Boston. One of
his works, "Princess Phosa, on it's pro-
duction, was highly praised by East
ern musical critics.
A brief summary Of the story is as
follows:
Act I.-Fridthjof asks Hedge. public
ly, at the Ting, or Royal Assembly. for
his sisters hand, but he is scornfully
refused, not being of royal descent.
Soon after, King Ring, a powerful
neighbor. sends his embassy to ask for
Ingeborg's hand. He is also refused,
and ridiculed on account of his ad-
vanced years. Ring then sends a feet
to take his bride by force. The broth
ers. in their distress. selIu Hiding tG
Fridthjof to plead for them. begging
him to join his arms with theirs. foI
the defense Of the country and lnge-
borg. but he refuses them his aid.
Act H.-Ingeborg has been placed III
the sacred retreat of Baler's temple,
where no man was supposed to dare
intrude. One moonlight night Fridth-
jof meets %Ingeborg in the sacred grove.
Fridthjof overcomes his pride and goes
once more to the Royal Assembly. of
fering his assistance against Ring. If
he is granted IngebOrg's hand. Fridth-
jof, refusing to buy his happiness with
Il lie, frankly confesses that he has
been there to speak to legeborg. All
turn from him in horror. Hedge, tax
ing advantage of the superstition of
the people, sentences Fridthjof to go to
.AngaEtyr at some distant island. and
extort from him a certain tribute-an
expedition so full of peril that Hedge
never expected to see Fridthjof return
from it alive. The latter. however, re
turns with the money, but. finding his
house burned to the ground and 1nge-
borg married to Ring, he seeks Hedge
in the temple where he is worshiping.
Seeing Il gold ring he once gave 1nge
borg on an image, Fridthjof accidental
ly upsets the god, wich falls in the fire,
and causes the whole temple to burn.
Then Fridthjof is exiled.
Act III.--After years of travel in for
eign lands. Fridthjof longs for home.
and decides to go to King Rings court
to have Just one look of 1ngeborg. Dis
guised as an old man, he enters Rings
house at Yuletide, is we'll received, and
invited to spend the winter at Rings
court. In the spring. at a hunt, Ring,
pretending to be tired, lies down In
Fridthjof's lap. The latter is sorely
tempted to kill the old man. but his
better nature conquers, and he throws
his sword aside. The king awakens,
and tells Fridthjof that he knew from
the first who he was, and that now he
has proved him to be a stanch friend.
As a reward, he offers Fridthjof his
queen and the guardianship Of his son.
Ring then stabs himself and dies. His
Young son is elected king and Fridthjot
ia made his guardian. Hedge has been
killed in his warfares, and Halfdan,
reconciled with Fridthjof, gives him
his sister, Ingeborg.
The cast of the performance at the.
Auditorium is unusually strong, as
will be seen from the following:
....Iillian Hanson:Gray
Fridthjof. ..... :. .:..:Jonn Lioya
King Ring. ........Charles w. CLARK
Helge:... ...sy... William Wa1erous
Halfdan. ... .S......M llistM A,aiien
Bjorn. 80. ...s ...Ernest :Lindblom
Hiding. 80. :rIea .rIansoA
Bard.... .... ....... ::JOel Als,sspeis
Ola. 80. ....."....o AoI valiey''
Gerda. miss Margaret Dahlstrom
The Singer. .........M Miss lda'L Linn
The Metropolitan orchestra, probably
better known as Carl Bunge's, has
been engaged for the. opera. but Mr..
Hanson, the composer, will himself
have personal supervision oyer the pro,
.duction. A chorus OF, 300. voices is
promised by the Swedish National. as:
ISOLATION, which is arranging h pro-
duction, and John II. Ontengren, the
magnetic leader, will be responsible for
the good work of the chorus, He has
been rehearsing it for several months,
and is said to have attained splendid
success. In view Of the completeness
of the arrangements. the. opera should
he a musical treat.
The new Swedish: foreign minister.
Lagerheim, in an interview. says that
he is not in sympathy. with the Norwe-
gian demand for a separate diplomatic
corps and consular service, assto grant
them would be t%antainounts to ar.disso:
luton of the union. The interests and
honor of Sweden and Norway. he says,
r mutual. -
A total of 88,997.2O kroner has been
collected by Skandinaven for the wild
ows and orphans of the fishermen who
lost their lives on the coast Of Norway.
The subscription has practically come,
to an end, but $25,0OO from one source
alone is q very neat gift. and Skandi.
maven is to be congratulated on it's sue.
and It's readers on their ready re-
s..Snnon IN tho annual ~ lS4A