The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-27
BERLIN ABOUT TO SEE "POIA"
aWFRICtN OPERG TO BE GIVEN
on tPRIL ~.
Mu.ir and IibreItS Roth ~ Nm~v'eaSs
Opera Basel "~ Legend "' '"~
RsarkIeet Ipdsa0s Msny Airs "Ased
on Indian Nuslc t:rVVnans tntercsteu.

sva Indian Music tscrvuaus mtercst~u'
RKHi.1S. March iI-At hast u looks - "
the American opera -Poia- we've really
A., thing of the near future The date now
-, for tho first performance al the Royal
Orera - Apr,l ". The parts are he'ng
s,udled and the -cens painters ar hard ~
WORK
The hhr.ttn wa. written IN English
bv Randolph Hartley ~ Cos Cob. Conn. .
and Ia, I-rsn translated into German
under the personal direction OF Arthur
Nevin ~ Pt'sburg. the composer ct the
MUSE.
The idea ~ an Indian opera was Given
to Mr. Nevin by Waiter Mcs hntock.
who spent many years among the Black
feet Indians IN NORTHERN Montana. Mr..
u,1 hntock was much Impressed by the
indian music. and a. he realized that "
Vas fast diving ont he asked Mr.. Nevin
,o -pend a summer with him among
th. Indians in order to write some OF their
music.
The story about which the opera -
written j. one ~ the legends ~ the Black-
feet triIe Po,d. the hero ~ the story.
~ a Young Biackfoot who ~ sCorued nv
tho tTila on account ~ the mystery Sur
rounding his birth and ridictIled 10y them
for a scar that disfgures has face. He
- in love with NdfoHd. one Of the most
IeautifIII maidens of the tTlbc and the
daughter ~ one Of tho chiefs.
NnfoBn j. in love with Sumdfst. a great
hunter and warrior To x..i Tid 81 FOid
Naiova tells him that she will not have,
him Tor a lover unless his scar 10 removed
Po,1 consuIts NendkI. medicine
woman She tells him that the Sun
,Sod placed the scar on him and only
the SHs God can remove ~ The frst
act Closes when PoiG sets OF for the home
AZ The Sun s;of.
After many hardships Poin arrives ~
the Sun tJod's court and wins favor by
saving the life of Morning S1rr. the SWr
,Josf's only son 10 reward Poio for his
bra very tn. Sun God removes the scar
and sends h,rn back to tho Blacklist ~
teach them nov u Worship the sun. moon
and morning star
Morning star shows Posd the milky
wav or the volt trail a. the Indians call
IL. and sends him back IN earth On
parting be gives POia q magic flute and
teaches him a love song which will win
him the love Of any maiden.
In the tntrn acb Ino nt1chIOOA cnrnp
u shown. There hAs been great suffering
during Pole absence and the tribe blame
yaGoya for u. During love scene be-
tween NSIOVd and SUmatsi the sound %
Poia'- magic love song 10 heard NGaeyu
at once falls IN love With the singer and
hates Sumdfsi The tribe acclaim Posa
49, a great prophet.
SumaGsi is jealous Of Poid and tries
70 kill him and Saiogn 10 mortAlly ~ ounded
in trying u shield him Then the heavens
open and the Sun GOD appears and kills
Sumatsi with = thunder boit and takes
the lovers with him into the shies. Poia
CARRIES NaiOvu IN his arms and they dis
aDDear forever from the Blackfeet
MANY ~ ths airs ~ the opera are taken
directly from the old Indian melodies.
The muric has been played IN Amerca. hut
the opera has never been staged before.
Pnnsm Gris~old. who IL the first
American bA~so AZ the Royal Opera Houss.
10 90 create the bass role ~ NGs7s,. the SvA
ti,d ~ the other roles are 20 10 0Ilad Nv
German singers.
The piano scores Of the opera are now
baing soid. but they do not give more than
Hn idea Of the real beauty % ths mUnic.