The Washington times., 1906-10-16
A MASTERPIECE THAT
WILL OUTLINE ITS AUTHOR

Giacomo PucciEi has given the world.
In Madam Butterfly" another musical
masterpiece Of emotional intensity.
which viii live long after he has COM
pleted hls life work. His music runs
the gamut Of tho human passions. From
The most subtle. mysterious, and deli
cate. il rises 20 the boIdest themes. and
maJestice heights. Madam Butterfly" is
distinctive in being a great opera with
Out an overture. IL opens with q bold
but simple theme, rather japanese in
style, and the first few pages Of the
score are for strings alone first the
Hfst Y.oilns. tnen the second EiOlils and
Nota5 Ial ln. gathering up the cclIos
ana laeats as tLty proceed, making
ElcccSalul or tone ulcLgres. fascinating
and melodious. The prelude 10 the sec
prd part IS another work of great
beauty in descriptive melody. and is one
of the most beautiful portions uf This
very beautiful opera. AS work depict
ing Jlc tmGLJLs. from IDyOusuCss
m.rths dignity sublime happiness, TO
sorrow. fury ana tragic despair 1t is
1t is distinctly one-part opera. the
lEliua donna having the very heavy
burden or being almost constantly In
the center OF tLe stage The tax uDuu
her voCaly and dramatically IS tremeu-
d0us, ana for the reason that there are
ieW prlma douuas gifted with tae voice,
dttilAle AblLtE- proper cultivation. and
Nyeleal endurance, 10 properly interpret
and perform the music. The opera viii
scarcely ever DE pUSsIb as u0uUIar
repertoire. Not only is there e. demand
Tor q phenomenal voice in the uriFua
donna, but il is SO with the tenor. this
part part also requiring a voice OF great
range AMI endurance. There j. an
absence of concerted work for the solo
ISIS. ana the duets and tri0s which are
even only create q longing for more or
l-Le same KIND. They are worked out
IN the most sklllful and original man
ner. always with delicious melody and
enhancing larmOules- The only uuf1r-
ElFable phrase In this new masteruleca
or FueciuIs IS the very pronounced and
ulstuct one In the second act. aunounc-
Ing the coming OF Yamadori which an
pears 90 be lifted bodily from tfe
Nllhtlo- ana which removes ones
thoughts from the dramatic 20 the friv-
olous. The good taste in introducing
ner' into Puccini. not as a whole bur
~ susses uon, is questionable
t+ ei1i-r%lraLl'u OF this really wlu-
eeiIUl opera is quite as wonderful IL
IS h-osL leautIul and most impressive
~ every pert. Ia few words The
music or Madam Butterfly is liza "a
picture gallery with only the choicest
ot lAe works retained. no two alike. and
3I gems
The work OF Nine. Eliza Szamosv mas
worthy or tho great music which she
sung Her entrance was not promising
SuHerlng from some nervousness. and
q very Oliuculr entrance aria, She was
t-alAlE not at her best. But long be-
IpTe the magnificent climax of the' '010s-
ing phrases Of the first act She baE
demonstrated her right TO be called
- - '.-l. l1eF voice is q phenomenal one
lH quality and range. Few voices of
suca range have the rich. meIodious
quuity and power. and the re-
~ ~ -, -. 2Ie tone oolorlng. Her sustain
ms power ls wonderful and her m-ZEl
tyce ana soto yoce shows her artistic /
triumph Nine. SZamOSv has a TONNES
ttlls temperament well under caufr1I
ana combined with IL is the gift of deli 1
s't'e "lteAeEy- grace, and refinement
AZ no time did she lose this refinement
In the widest flights of anger and me I
tNuberauce of hIUUiness
1T would be extremely difficult 10 find
II pI-LlS donna Tor the part of Madam .
W1U mas aS many gifts with I
IN her as has Nine. Szamosy. Her
beauty Is as great as her voice and .
temperament She is an ideal AIad4r1 I
hutteIHN: and received such a well /
come as mas beJn accorded I'M Washing
ton only 10 the greatest artists. Her frr
climax at The end of the fr-st
dcl eliminating with q sustained hIrb
= ~ was superb ana the tone gave evil /
dence or unlimited heights beyond. The
called her again and aeain /
before the curtain 10 shower their an
precl2tion upon her. Joseph Shee- /
nan, the despicable hero, Lieutenant .
PinHerton, who has been a favorite .
tenor here ever since his first appear (
5nce some years ago, was the second T.
IaNoIIte last evening. In voice and
singing, he was well worthy of uiayiug
The nero to MmC. SZa-losE. hut in his
acting, although much improved over
.lS torrQer work. he was by nv means /
equal 10 her. The minute he sings.
however this is forgiven, for his voice
is as fresh and flows as easily as il
lld IN his first season. Ills extreme
nlSh tones We're delightful, and he mas
progressed considerably in the art of
tone production and finish. In all of
his solos ana duets he was fully Up 10
the high standard set by the music.
The mezzo soprano Miss Harriet i
Eonnee, has also a great voice. which !
was quite equal TO the eXactlug de-
nands OF extraordinary range and Ch,
heavy quality OF voice. Her work was
great voices, SZamosy's. Sheehan's, and /
hers blended most beautifully, Thomas
y. Richards. as Sharpless, displayed /
q baritone voice of light quality buJ
showed an ability TO sing the music
The heavier voices with which he had /
To sing made his own suffer somc in
comparison. He was. however, quite
satisfactory. and put much feeling into
his work.
The orchestra at times was rough and
somewhat loud for the solo parts, bat
deserves the highest commentator for
-he excellent performance of the very
difficult score on the opening night
There was but one bad spot. and this
was when the French horn so: uuman-
3geable and spoiled a couple of phrases /
1t came quickly into line, however. ana
ID is to be hoped that it Will stay So /
Walter Fl. Rothwells an unknown con-
tuCtOr here until last nights perform
7nCe, demons trated himself a caDable