Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-06
OPERA is PRETTY
Sumptuous Production OF Egypta
for Benefit of Bethany
Home.
DELIGHTS A BIG AUDIENCE
First Performance is Given Last
Evening at The
Illinois.

opera, "Egypta," by home talent, I'M
der the direction of William D. Chen
cry, of Springfield. and Clarence E.
Stephens. of Anderson. Ind, at the IL
Iinois theatre last night was a very
successful and satisfactory one. 1t
was for the benefit of the Bethany
Home. and will be repeated there to
night.
Over three thousand years ago lived
a king who possessed such power as
few rulers have ever held, and so great
was his glory that today an army OF
servants. students. scholars and work
men, the brightest men OF France, are
at work rebuilding from the eXcava-
ted piles of Wondering ruins the won
derful temple of karnak i'll which this
great Rameses sat upon his throne of
beaten gold and gave the world its
most absorbing pages Of history.
Events in Life of Moses.
1t is during the brilliant reign of
this. the mightiest of all the Pharaohs.
that the scenes of ''Egypta" are laid.
incidentally are introduced the inter
esting events in the life of Moses.
First, as a babe he is hidden among
the PUSHES, to be found later by Phar
aoh's daughter. Then as a lad he is
shown amid all the splendor of the
gorgeous court of Pharaoh. 1t is in
this scene that the special oriental
dances and beautiful drills are intro
duced and that the wonderful chorus
of white-robed children appear. There
are nearly two hundred of the clear
voiced little maidens, and when first
they dawn upon the delighted gaze OF
the audience. it seems, indeed, per
feet flower garden of childish beauty.
The last two acts portray Moses as
the great prophet and the thrilling
scenes where he defies the naughty
Pharaoh in the city of Thebes; where
the destroying angel passes over the
stricken land and all the first born OF
the Egyptians perish; the destruction
of the hosts of Pharaoh in the Red sea
and the escape of the Hebrews.
The very nature of the plot gives I'M
limited scope to the scenic artist and
costumer. and unsparingly has the
management supplied the superb
scenic equipment and dainty costumes.
| There are IL complete settings in full.
| There is one representing the Blue
Nile, with its pyramids and sphinx and
waving palms and PUSHES; another of
the sunlit valley of INDIAN, the rugged
majesty of Sinai; the harvest field
where Hebrew slaves toiled hopeless
| ly; the gloomy rock-hewed catacombs,
etc.
The musical score is indeed a clas-
steal gem. 1t has been carefully ar
ranged from the writings of the great
est masters of melody that the world
has ever known. There are exquisite
bits of harmony from Mozart, Haydn,
Rubenstein, Myerbeer and Bellini; ;
overwhelming choruses from Wagner
and spirited marches by GOunod and
Verdi Nor have more modern writer's
been overlooked. for there is also
Barnby's delightful lullaby, Sweet and
Low" sung by the babe, Moses, by
Pharaoh's daughter and her maidens.
Parts in Competent Hands.
| AS Pharaoh's daughter. Mrs. c. S.
Stephens was one of the bright, par
ticular stars of the evening. Singing
| Will dll Tie confluence Vi the CuAthl Ch
musician. her voice was never heard
at better advantage. and she invested
the role with all the gracious tender
ness one unconsciously attributes to a
princess.
| AS the mother of Moses, Mrs. Lillian
| Hill Reynolds surprised even those
most familiar with her ability. Her
portrayal of mother love was especi-
ally marked as she hid the babe among
| the rushes. And such a dear baby
Little Baby Antonio Campana is surely
a born actor, for when the pretty
Egyptian maiden so tenderiy lifted the
cherub from the ark the tiny fingers
clutched at her shining ornaments and
the bright eyes surveyed the unwont-
ed scene with wonder.
Miriam Grows to WOmnnhOOd.
Miriam appears in act l as a child,
and in this role little Marguerite Mer-
riman sang with a clear, true voice
and moved with girlish grace. In the
third and fourth acts Miriam is grown
10 womanhood, and as a famous proph-
etess Mrs. Amy L. Scott attained one
of the successes of the evening. In
voice. dignity and bearing the interpre-
! tation was ideal
Moses is shown in act as boy
and here Master Thomas Merriman
sustains the reputation already made
for the role of the baby. In this act
solo is given to the herald. and here
as also in later scene, Albert G. Carl
sons pleasing tenor voice was at its
best.
Vision of Angels.
There was no more interesting scene
THAN that of the vision of angels. Seven
girls portrayed the heavenly visitors
the message being sung by Miss Ger
ttrude Frances Carse. The blending OF
the violin obligato with the pure tones
OF her voice was delightful. The an
gels appear to Moses, and at this time
he has grown to manhood The as
signment of the role to F. A Thoma: