The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-16
City News
)ONG PLAY Is
WARMLY RECEIVED
AUDITORIUM rs FILLED WITH
SYMPATHETIC AUDIENCE.
Popular Swedish Melodrama Is Given
Artistic Interpretation by Home
Players, Who Win Plaudits for Elk
cellent Work-Stockholm Dancers
Bring Breath Of Old Sweden.

"Vermlendingarne," most popular Of
the Auditorium last evening on a scale
never before attempted outside of Swe-
den, and the thousands who attended
the performance were thoroly dellghted,
So great was the demand for admission
that hundreds were turned away and
the management was compelled to an,
nounce to the disappointed ones that
another performance will be given next
week This will be on Tuesday eve
ming at the Auditorium. .s..
It is just sixty years since this pleas
ing peasant song drama was first pre-
sented at the Royal opera in Stockholm.
It leaped into instant favor and has
is simple, elemental, in fact, and is
based on the simple primitive emotions
Of the Swedish peasant. The action
hinges on the love Of Eric, the son of
Sven Ersson of Hult, and Anna, the
daughter Of Jan Hanson, a poor cot.
tager. The match is opposed by the
man of inaexible will, has selected
Britta, the daughter Of a wealthy neigh
Dor, as the bride for his son, and with
out Eric knowledge causes the banns
to be announced in the parish church.
Hears Fateful Words.
Anna happens to be present in the
church and faints when she hears the
priest IS words. When she is brought
out of the swoon it is found that her
| mind has become unbalanced. When
| out on the lake in boat wooing
| Necken, the spirit of the lakes, Erlc
calls to her from shore. She plunges
into the lake and Eric goes after her ;:
the old enemies. Sven and Jan, are
weeping over the death Of their loved
| ones, the ironmaster appears on the
| scene and announces that he has just
lrescued the young people, having caught
| sight of their mishap while out in his
| boat. 5~
Vermland, the province in which the
play is laid, is in the heart of the lake
district of Sweden and one of her fair
est. The peasant costumes of the dis
trict are unusually picturesque, and the
Fplay is particularly attractive on that
account.
While given by home talent, the pro,
duction last evening was Tar remover
from the average amateur performance;
There was no hitch in the action, al
the characters were at ease. and well
schooled in their roles and the per,
| Torrance as a whole fell but Httle short
of the best efforts of professionals.
Star of the Cast.
Richard Rosengren, in the dual role
of Anders, the self sacrificing farm
hand. and Loepare- Nisse, the yagabond
was the star of the cast and secured
rounds of unstinted applause. HJalmal
Nilsson as Eric and Miss Emma Nils
son as Anna were well adapted for their
somewhat difficult roles.
The character work of Walfrid West
man as Sven ~Ersson, and George Swan
son as Jan Hanson, the old men. OF
the play, were most excellent and thell
makeup was unusually good: Ragns
e. Bake was piquant and sprightly al
Britta, the rejected maiden. Edward
Vernon s broad dialect in Per, q farm
hand was highly zig Em Mea %ind
berg as Lisa Ersson and Hanna Walil1
as Stina. The other roles were ais
in capable hands.
Give Folk Dances.
, Naturally the greatest interest Ger
tered in the company Of twelve dancer
from Skansen, the world-famous OUT
door. photographic museum in Stock
holm. where the ancient buildings o
. Sweden are preserved and cared TOR D.
neasants who retain the various cos
tunes peculiar to their respective prov
tinces. To the. music, Of two tiddlers
also from Skansen, the dancers rePr :;
, duced a. half score OF typical to u
Halling, the OK dance, clapping dane
a and ring dance, TreRarls polska an
others The dancing was remarkabl
/ pretty. with the bright-colored and Pr
turesque, attire Of the dancers and tn
perfect rhythm Of their cir movements oyer zen e
Gracefuy and tb1 wf beir sf measn an wit
true peasant abandon and receive
round after round of enthusiastic al
prOVal. - -. ~. ..r