The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-02
ATTHE BUTTERFLY
Savage Production Is Given a
ROusing Reception.
Opinions Differ Materially AS to
Its Merit.
THE STARS WERE FEW.
Some of the Principals Lament
ably Weak.
THE STARS WE'RE FEW
Orchestra Overshadowing Fea-
ture of the Presentation.

Whether or not the Henry w. Saw
age English Grand Opera company
in Madam Butterfly at the Grand
for matinee and evening performance
Saturday came up to expectations, de-
pended altogether, strange as it may
seem, upon what was expected and
who expected 1t. There were people
who looked for grand opera stars of
the first magnitude and a perfor-
nance comparing with one that the
Conreid or Hammerstein forces might
give. They were disappointed. The
Savage company is not in the same
class with the Manhattan or the
Metropolitan or the San Carlo or
even the Italian Grand Opera com
PAW which was here last month.
Then there were others who went to
hear and to see not a Madam Butter
fly to compare, musically or his
ironically, with Geraldine Farrar,
nor a supporting company like the
one with which Conreid supplied Miss
Farrar, but an interesting presenta-
tion of beautiful opera combining
the best qualities of the@'Wagner and
Italian schools, handsomely staged
and adequately sung. These went
away from the theater satisfied, If not
enthusiastic. Of course there is al
ways. a third class in a grand opera
audience; people who go because
everybody goes and who praise the
to make themselves think they
weren't fooled.
The feature of the Savage company
is the orchestra. 1t numbers about
forty pieces and it is a splendid
organization of well trained musi-
clans. However, neither of the con-
ductors who appeared in Topeka, Mr..
Rothwell in the afternoon. and Mr..
Dopper at night, seemed especially
inspired. They had a cold, academic
manner and sat very calmly through
the performance following the score
carefully and conducting with pre-
cision but without that fine frenzy
which some of US confess to expect
Ing in our concertmeIsJerS. Never
theless, the work of the orchestra
was the strong point in the produc-
ton and if the instruments, at times,
drowned the singers voices-weH it
wasn't such a loss. Because it must
be owned that the Savage company
includers singers of only mediocre
ability At the afternoon perfor-
nance there was only one singer who
gave satisfaction, Mile Wolff in the
role of Cho-Cho San whose voice, al
though of only parlor size, is of ex-
ceeding sweetness, warmth and
purity, and who acted the role with
rare poetic and dramatic feeling. The
auG1ence at. night hoard Two fairly
good singers, Madam Phoebe Strak-
osch as Madam Butterfly and Mr..
Vernon Stiles, formerly of Kansas
City, as Lieutenant Pinkerton. In
the beautiful duo for soprano and
tenor at the close of the first act
Madam Strakosch and Mr.. Stiles did
the best singing of the two perfor-
mances.
The other singers did not distinguish
themselves, but then Madam Butterfly
has only the two good singing roles
and if need be, can be presented by
one singer if she be also an actress
in the title role, and an orchestra, as
the matinee performance Saturday
proved. The people who heard both
performances seem agreed that the
Madam Butterfly of the matinee was
the better of the two. although the
audience at night heard the better
Pinkerton.
The opera was exquisitely staged and
nobody could grumble at the costumes
or scenic and lighting effects which