The Washington times., 1910-01-13
Miss Garden AS Jean the
Juggler Displays Rare
Genus.
Singer In athletic Role Ap-
peals to Large Audience
Last Night.
By ROBERTA Y. BRADSHAW.

BY ROBERIA V BRADSHAW.
The "JugzIer Of Notre Dame" was
given last evening for the first time In
Washington. with Miss Garden as
Jean the Juggler- Mr. Dufranne. as
BOniface, the culinary monk, and 1fr-
Huberdeau, as the Prior The roles Of
musician monk. the painter monk. and
the sculptor monk were most accept
ably carried respectively by Mr.. Crabbe.
Mr. Scott. and Mr. DuvernOis-
The house represented the privilege
and wealth OF the community. and tbs
opera made a distinctly favorable i'm
preston. even though the approval was
not registered with the tunuItuous ap-
plause which usually greets the work
OF operate artists The contents Of the
opera with its air Of miracle and. mys-
terry and the nature Of its treatment,
however. are more likely TO lead the
spectator 10 the quiet OF reflection
rather than the clamor OF applause
Nevertheless. when 1t got its wits to-
Eether enough to shake of the spell
woven BY the music and the players. the
audience more than once did see 1T -
demonstrate approval OF Mss GaTdv.E
in her pathetic and appealing role OF
little white monk
Juggler Based
On Monkish Miracle Plays.
The JUEEler is based on q legend
similar in theme 10 the moukish mir
acIe plays. in which the literature IN
the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries IS
richly endowed
The story Of Jean the JuEg1er con-
Germs a, poor little wayfarer. who. hun
CRY and frIendIess. makes his appear
ance before the Monastery OF CIunv IN
the height Of market day u1errymakinE
In vain the youthful straggIer tries his
arts to amUse the sssemblaze- They
viii have none OF him or his tine-woru
tricks. Thsu, when halted 70 despera-
ton Jean essays to catch the Iaggard
attention Of his public upon whom de-
peuds his dinner By his singing OF
ribaId song. The AIIeIufa 10 Wine" At
the height Of his success IN the midst
Of an approving assemblage, the prior
OF the White Monks appears and. scan
6aIized at the sacrilege in the presence
OF the Holy Mother, dispeTses the crowd
Jean remains. and upon the shoulders Of
the luckleSS wanderer falls the burden
Of mOnkish wrath and exhOrtation- So
vivid a picture Of jeans future does the
PRIOR draw that IN an agony OF fear
and renorse he enters the monastery
at once 70 save his soul
Miss Gardens
Rare Display of Feeling.
How Jean watches and waits his Cd
DOrtunity TO demonstrate his alteration
for the Blessed Mother gives an Oh
portunity for Miss Gardens rare draw
Ing OF sympathetic acting The genius
Of afzSsenet furnished a BACKGROUND
Of teRe subtle IN It's significance. origin
al ana delicate in fancy, and skiufuI be
vond description IN its power TO sug-
gesr atmosphere and give the sense Of
time and place 10 scene and action
The opera which Is thoroughly charac-
teTiStiC Of its author, has the charm
OF naivete, OF simplicity. Of quaIntness
The most effective use IS made Of folk
songs, Of the mysticism OF the medfta-
lions Of the TeCIuse and OF the melodies
which suggest the Gregorian forms
Il Is IN the fUIhlIment OF this beatitude
that the curtain drops IN the last act.
But while the music carries Jean to the
happy cIimacteric Of d halo and a
saIutship Won by the Holy Mothers
miraculous TefUlgenCe with light and life
and her extension Of the grace of &C
CeptEnCe 10 jeans poor tribute OF tricks
and dances before her shrine Its content
* not solely concerned With such d.
vine rewards There IS some TiCh inter
rotations of humOr and parody AS
BOuif2Ce the monk with more than
Tuoukfsh sympathy with the frailities Of
The flesh, comes leading his iackaSs Ia
cen with flowers for the shrine and food
z
II uuCtuOus humOr that 1t IS not neCes-
sary TO know the French tongue TO
appreciate the singers import.
Jean Sings
"AIIeIuia to Wine"
Jeans "AIIeIuIia TO Vine too. IS
quite the reverse Of Il1aastic- indeed, L
carries a delicious strain OF comedy in
its swinging meter Not less vigorous
N worldly is the song Jean sings to LIB
ertv-a strain pregnant with youth and
the carefree life Of the highway and the
countryside
Indeed, from the first strains Of the
orenIng overture TO the last note IN
the mystical climax the score IS marked
BY originality, power and puissant
beauty, and imagination
Miss Gardens peculiar genius shOne
10 less respIend emily as Jean than as
That's, and the 5uxtaposition OF the two
characters IS the strongest commentary
On her ability.
Mt. Dufranne. as Bonifsce, gave a de-
licious picture Of sImpie-hearted human
ness. and Nfr- Haberdeau was fine and
impressive as the prior.
Incidentally, Il may be interesting 10
know that the jUEEIer in 8Iassenet's
original NS-siS scored for a tenor voice
and II Is to Miss Garden herself that
the world owes such a unique addition
TO the lists OF opera Heroes as simple,
naive, Jean, the Juggier-