The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-01
SPLENDID
RENDERING
OF FAUST"
Notable Performance Of tho
Popular Opera at tho Tsstl-
moniaI TO Or. Jordan.

There was comradsric and good fellow
ship and everybody having fine time
together at the Arion club concert last
evening in Infantry hall.
II was an extra musical feast dropped
into the season as a testimonial rendered
DR.. Jordan by the Arions. Faust was
the concert bill and the club was on hand
IN it's fullest numbers with Miss ANITA
Rio. Madame Isabelle Bouton, Mr.. Ellison
Van Hoose Mr. Perry Averil and Mr'
Joseph Baernstein for soloists; Mr. hyuer
at the organ and DR.. Jordan IN MS ae-
customed place in the conductors crow
nest
In rhe course OF the evening the crows
nest was decorated with a wreath big
enough for the doctor TO jump through
had he been so inclined or had tine lot
such a performance, and massive ouncn
of posies, I'm which ptnks predominateu,
the tributes OF admtring friends ana Wen
wishers In the big audience that had
turned out TO endorse the Arion's testl-
monial and TO enjoy Gounod's tuneful
measures.
After Elijah and Lohengrin, Faust
mearders and ripples. Although music
drama in its scope and method, It's story
10 not strongly dramatic or forcetuily
tragic. Mephisto is a fine and strldent
musical opportunity; the famous soidlers
chorus GLORY and Love, smasnes
splendidly through the scene and the fnal
trio is a laundering bit But for the
most part, the pathetic story liz dainty
sort of a tragedy with n prevailing strain
Of deMcate tunefulness 10 It's musical dress
that Is lacking In resonance, III not IN
substantially. 1t is pretty ana hmpio
and often limp.
II. most effective bits are as familiar as
household words and in them are pre-
served most OF the vitality OF the score.
The club had no difficulty, OF course,
IN doing the highest justice to the music
that fell to II last evening. The orches-
ira played the point lace-like score Win
n fne appreciation OF It's tunerul snadinss
The soloists were Immensely sausfyns.
AR. Gwillyn Miles, who was named, was
shaent and Mr.. Averill came over from
New York on short notice 10 take ms
place. He made his mark with his hrst
soIo IN the second act and was enthusias-
tically encored.
That started the encores which were
especially privileged on this occasion ana
every one OF the soloists and the male
chorus when they sang the soldiers song
was accorded the compliment and res
ponded High good spirits prevailed and
singers. musicians and audience were all
on their metue.
Madame Bouton sang her two rare
numbers with her accustomed splendor
of physical and musical nerve. Mr.. van
Hoose sang his Faust excellently well
although he seemed not to be feeling as
spirited and robust as common perhaps
IL was the fault OF the lackadaisical mu-
she Miss Rio n new conner 10 town.
was surely delayed in the matter of rec
ognit.on by reason of the pensive char
acter of the numbers that fell TO her, but
IN the final trio she was heard to ad-
vantage and Demonstrated not only voice
OF unusual sweetness but OF fine power
and an engaging timber. The audience
simply cut loose over this trio but II was
Margarita that they meant. Faust and
Mephisto had had their recognition and
reward early I'm the program.
Mephisto is, OF course, the big particu-
lar figure I'm every form OF the Gothic
story except perhaps the reading OF the
poem itself. The william Is inevitably the
hero OF every dramatic adoption, or
Gounod's opera and OF course OF tho con-
cert form. He IL the one figure In the
whole lot OF characters that stands out
strong and substantial From an artis-
tic. IL not an ethical point OF view, he
Is an all around good fellow. So II was
Mr.. Bernstein's concert last evening.
more than IL was anybody elses, and ne
clinched II for his own by as splendid
dramatic singing as Infantry hall has
heard for many day. He sang the
elaborate part without notes or reference
20 the book. as. indeed, did Mss Rio her
more limited score. He was In magnif-
cent voice and was splendidiy devilish
every time he strode into the scene.
The Ar1on ladies were all dressed in
gowns OF uniform appearance last even
ing. white shirt waists, and black skirts
Thus costumed, the chorus ensemble, TO
gaze upon. was vastly more efficient than
when In front rows suggest an animated
crazy quilt against the background OF the
black suited and white shlrted males