Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-04

thunder. heard in the sunshine of
June day.
Between the second and third acts,
comes a prelude heralding the dawn of
another day-a day of unrelieved trag-
edy. Butterfly had decorated her house
with blossoms in honor Of her hus-
bands expected coming. All night long
she had stood at her window waiting
and watching for his arrival. The maid
and her little son, who had shared the
vigil in it's earlier minutes, fall asleep
before the act ends Then the curtain
and after it this prelude.
A Tender Lullaby
The third act, or more properly
speaking, part Of act g. shows Butter
fly worn out by her night of sleepless
waiting. The maid awakes and goes
to her. She picks up her little boy and
carries him, still sleeping, to his bed,
singing as she goes lullaby OF tender
beauty. Sharpless appears upon the
scene and briefly tells Suzuki of his
compatriots baseness. Then the hus-
band himself enters the house, but for
bids the maid to summon her mistress
This is threatening tragedy, tempered
by remorse which he voices in song
of farewell. Outside the American
wife, innocent party to his crime,
walks in the garden awaiting the out
come.
Butterfly, again H. gay mood at sight
of the consul who, she imagines, has
called to announce her husbands COM
ing. enters the room only to learn the
truth. Here the music, carried in most
part by the orchestra, is of marked
sombreness. Butterfly has touching
farewell song of her child. She blind
folds the little one, places in one hand
Japanese doll and in the other an
American flag. Then she retires behind
screen. Suddenly over its top APP
pears a hand grasping knife. There
is a downward thrust. A white scarf
| hanging over the screen is snatched
away and there is the sound of a fall.
Then Butterfly drags herself along the
floor toward her little one. AT the last
she half rises and falls back dead.
Upon this scene enter the false hus-
band and the consul, and the curtain
falls. The opera is at an end
Nine. Strakosch an Artist
Nine. Phoebe Strakosch was last
nights Butterfly. a daintily charming
figure in the earlier acts, and woman
| keyed TO desperation in that final
scene Hers is a voice of beautiful and
wonderfully sympathetic quality, and
| she uses it effectively, both in the
lighter passages and later, in the
| tragedy of her preparations for the
/ u.
Strakosch and Mr.. Stiles was one of
the most beautiful numbers of the en-
| tire opera, and the audience encored
, the singers with enthusiasm. This is
] a song that appeals even to the UNI
trained ear, and it was finely acted as
well as admirably sung.
| Mr. Stiles, in the ungrateful role of
the husband, displayed a tenor of I'M
usual richness in every range. His
work is marked by finish, both vocally
and dramatically.
The Suzuki of Miss Harriet Behnee
was remarkable, first, for the skill
with which the singer acted her role.
This is largely an acting part, and,
| while Miss Behnee sang admirably
what passages were allotted to her in
| the score, her acting was the thing
hat made her Interpretation notable.
Mr.. Cranston was the Consul Sharp
less. Fills voice is baritone of power,
with too few opportunities for its dis
play in this role.
Mr.. Rothwell. who conducted last
night, evidently failed to appreciate
the acoustic properties of the Mason.
Occasionally the orchestra outvoiced
The singers, but apart from this defect,
which may justly be ascribed to the
unavoids Bile fact that he didn't know
and couldn't know the houses resonant
qualities, the work of the orchestra
was eni.nently satisfying to the most
critical The prelude was made a
highly effective tone picture, foretell-
ing the tragic finale of the opera.
Was a Magazine Tale
The tragic little love story of
MADAM Butterfly written by John
Luther Long, was printed originally in
the Century magazine. There 1t caught
the eye of David Belasco and its
dramatic possibilities at once appealed
| to that master craftsman. Mr.. Belasco,
summoning Mr.. Long to his aid, pro-
| ceeded TO reconstruct the story in
dramatic form. changing the substance