Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-28
ADJUSTMENTS.

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Last night al the Theater was one OF
the occasions that might almost be said
to mark an epoch In amusemepts, # not
10 the average theater goer, certainly
TO the lover OF music Salt Lakers
not fortunate enough to be able TO visit
the big cities OF the country, have
yearned for years to see production
OF standard opera, one IN which the
orchestra, chorus, principals, and
mounting should all stand abreast Of
each other, and interpret a score and n
libretto as they came from the hands
of their makers, Such an opportunity
has been denied us for almost a gem
Grafton. Some there were In last nights
audience who recalled the beautiful
performances OF the Emma Juch com
pany seventeen years ago, and the
glmpses OF grand opera which Emma
Abbott occasionally furnished In such
performances as "Mgnon,n and THE
Bohemian Girl" Those whose mem.
cries ran farther back, recalled Mas,
Carleton, Castle, Zelda seguin, Apnle
Beaumont Peakes. and others who
belonged 10 the suolling singers OF
over quarter Of century ago. Oc-
caslonal one night feasts we have
had, too, in the long ago, when Ma
peson's companies fitted past 20 San
Francisco, the most memorable OF
whose visits was the great production
Of Lucia" by Gerster But to the
great proportion Of the present day
generation, grand opera as II IL seen
In the big centers, was only tradition,
and a Wagnerlan production especially,
one Of the misty things to be thought
Of only In dreams.
with the fame Of the Savage COM
pany, therefore, and the wide advance
advertising Il received, II is small Won
der that the Theater last night proved
too small TO hold the, throngs that de.
sired to attend the production Of 10
hengrln." The house was a beautiful
one in appearance and IN numbers, even
the galleries being thronged with
handsomely gowned people unable TO
obtain seats below, and much of tho
standing space up stairs and down be-
ing occupied In money results the
box Office perhaps did not tell so elo-
quent tale as at the ben Hur' or
Mother Goose" performances, re-
suit, however, solely due TO the fact
that nearly 100 parQuet seats, which
would have readily sold at 81 each, had
to be removed TO make room for Mr..
Savage's big orchestra
While mentioning the orchestra II
can be said that, beautiful and admir-
able as the whole presentation was, II
is to the orchestra that much OF the
highest praise should be given, II not
indeed the very highest. The instru-
mentatlon was about 40 strong, under
the baton Of a skilled director and
contained q number OF performers, es-
pecially the harpist and the brass play
ers, who were undoubtedly artists. The
strings too, worked with beautiful
precision, and the mammoth bursts OF
sound that arose In some of the charac-
teristc Wagnerian crashes were little
short Of electrifylng.
But It is difficult indeed TO select any
one feature OF the grand presentation
and give II preference over the others.
Mr.. Sayages company is built up on
the admirable principle that the works
OF the masters call for all round excel
lence rather than for the employment
of any one star, the principle on which
the most famous theatrical stock COM
panies Of the world are organized. and
the one which, when carefully followed,
Is most pleasing and fattering to intel
ligent audiences. In the cast OF "Lo-
heugrin," each character stood abreast
ly TO the occasion. II would
be hattery TO say that there Is
a Nordloa, a Schumann Helnk or
DeReszke IN the list Of principals, but
II Is none the less true that the dis
lance between SaYages singers and
those OF ConrIed, ana the margin be-
tween their productions az whole, Is
astonlshlngly small Indeed, that Saw
ages presentation should be able TO I'M
part so much OF the true artistic at
mosphere OF a Wagnerian work when
rendered In our own tongue, was mat
ter OF wonderment TO many last night,
who had supposed that Wagner could
only be presented fully and truthfully
in the original German. TO all such,
the Savage production was almost a
revelation.
Mr.. Wegener the tenor, IN the part
OF Lohengrln caught the fancy of the
audience from the moment IT his first
beautiful entrance when drawn by the
swan, he appeared In answer 10 Elsa's
prayer His voice a full, ringing tone
It's greatest beauty showing In is sof,
passages (at which times It is remlnls-
cent OF Nat Brghams), rang out In
fervld style, and did full justice TO all
the vast difficulties OF the score, His
acting, too, was full OF grace and feel
ING, ana ne lelt AHt IMPRESSION tlhl me-
was an artist OF undoubted attain
ments. Miss Rennyson, the soprano
has the style OF voice, manner and APP
pearancc that emlnently Ut her for
| roles like Elsa, She was an Ideal Ger
man princess and her volce-a full and
powerful one-also met all the require
ments. Miss Rita Newman, In schu.
mann Heinks famous role OF Ortrud
did the lrost dranfatp acting and sing
Ing OF the light and proclaimed herself
an undoubted 2!tist I'm every respect
except that Of enunclation. She might
well study IN this respect from Miss
Rennyson. Mr.. Gon, the baritone, In
the part OF Telramuud, has a ringing
voice, and Is n fine actor. The part IL
one OF great difficulty, but the duet be-
tween him and Miss Newman was one
Of the most dramatic hits Of the night
Mr. Bennett, who looked the
imposing part OF the king sang
his music In good fashion, while
Mr. Richards as the herald sang his
music correctly, The chorus number
ing about 60 rose 10 the ensemble oc-
casions with immense force and power