The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-16
ADJUSTMENTS.


Puccini's great lyric tragedy, Madam
Butterfly" was presented before two
great audiences in the Salt Lake theatre
yesterday afternoon and evening by the
Henry W. Savage English Grand Opera
company Although it opens with the lilt-
ing music and the light laughter of a
wedding, although the atmosphere is soft
ened and sweetened now and then with
smiles, Madam Butterfly" is nearly all
tragic. The inevitable is always within
the range of vision. from the moment
the consul proposes a toast to the
friends and relations at home and Pink
erton responds with toast Ito the day
ION which I'll wed i'm real marriage
little mother
The words hardly seem necessary. II
is so easy to follow. through the music.
the tragedy. It looms large i'm almost
every note, even in the passionate love
scene that marks the ending of the FIRST
act; il dominates the opera. And the pic
lures i'm the second act. The long, long
night of waiting al the window for the
loved one who never comes. The child
! falls asleep, the faithful Suzuki is over
come by WEAKNESS. But the little mother
stands there waiting, waiting. She is
there when the third act opens. The dawn
is glowing on the cherry blossoms, and
still she waits, waits until Suzuki sends
her with the child away to rest.
Then the final note of the tragedy
the big note that boOms out across the
sive chord in the hearts of the auditors.
I There is the picture. there the recollec-
| ton that will remain longest. The child
wife and child mother, the joy of whose
| life has been blotted out forever, has
poured out her heart in gripping cry to
her boy:
| ooh my son, sent to me from heaven,
| Straight from the throne of glory!
Take one last careful look
At your poor mothers facet
| That its memory may lingeT.
| Even though it be dim and faint:
| Let not my beauty's lingering bloom
| Be faded quite,
| Farewell beloved,
| Go-play-play.
! She blindfoIds him now and gives him
| a doll and an American flag Now she
! takes the dagger of her samurai father
On the blade are the words;
ITO die with honor when one can no
! longer live with honor.
| Behind a screen she stabs herself. stag
| gers. gasping, out to where the child IS
sitting, waving the flag of his father
| country. And so she dies. poor little
mother, d victim Of her trust III man
Miss Rena Vivienne was the Madam
Butterfly of last night. She is an Amer
| lean girl and it is more than pleasant
/ to be able to say with truth that from
| the dramatic, as we'll as from the musical
| standpoint. she was an ideal Madam But
| terfly. In this opera, as in few others
dramatic talent of a high order IS re
ouired Miss Vivienne possesses that tai
emit Add to this a charm of person and
/ manner that is delightful, voice that
| is magnificent, and it will be seen that
the Madam Butterfly of Miss NiVlenne
| could hardly have been surpassed.
I Miss Harriet NJ. Behnee as SUZUKI
| thoroughly deserved an appreciatiYe
/ tribute She measured so fully up 10
the requirements of the part as TO leave
| nothing to be desired.
| Verne n Stiles had Joseph c. Sheehan $
old role of Lieutenant Pinkerton. Mr
1 Stiles voice, though tenor Or splen-
/ did range and quality. is not the equal
of Mr.. Sheehans. In the matter of act
ing. though, the comparison is all in ia
vOr of Mr. Stiles.
The other members of the cast were
entirely acceptable and the settings were
in the usual Henry w. Savage lavish
sumptuousness. o,.-,--,
Al the matinee Miss Phoebe Strakoscf
was Madam Butterfly. Miss Ethel Hous-
ton was Suzuki and William 81. w HE
was Lieutenant Pinkerton. They gave an
admirable performance.