Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-05
Grand Opera

Ia Boheme." with an accent on the
first "e," Bohemia" or The B~ohemians,"
was the work chosen for the opening per-
Torrance Thursday of the short grand
opera season by the Lambardi Grand Opera
company at the Boyd theater.
But this Bohemia" is not pertaining to
that Slavic nation whose chieftain Czech
it's people are so often named after. This
is another Bohemia. This is the imaginary
land OF Bohemia. The Bohemia whose sons
and daughters are all by adoption, the LAM
Of fancies and dreams, of loves and Jeal-
ousies, of feasts and Of poverty, of separa-
lions and loyalties, of orthodoxy on funda-
mental nature principles, perhaps, and
heterodoxy on matters of social law and
convention.
Beer-steins and pipes and long hair do
not make Bohemia, nor are they a neces-
sary part of it, even in small degree. But
"a girl with a picture; a man with a play;
a boy with a wolf he has modelled in clay:
a smith with a marvellous hiit, or sword
a player, a king, a ~ploughman, a lord"
These are the inhabitants. And In this
Bohemia 'the player is crowned when the
door is passed, the %ploughman is king and
the lord is last" $50 spake the late la
mented John Boyle O'Reilly.)
1t was his Bohemia that the audience
at the Boyd last night got a glimpse of,
and it was the scenes from the lives of
the Bohemians which interested the people,
as told in the words of Giuseppe Giacosa
and Luigi Illica, librettists, and the bril-
liant Puccini, composer Of the music. The
opera is founded on La Vie de Boheme,'
a novel by Henri Murger. The time about
1880, and the place Paris. Most Of the
opera has its scenes in the then famous
Latin Quarter.
The last time the opera was heard in
Omaha the presentation was at the Audi
torium, with Caruso in the part of Ru-
dolph.
The company which played at the Boyd
last night was not a one-star organization,
but a very evenly balanced company, taken
all in all, with some specially good work as
extra credit marks. The ensemble effects,
whether of soloists together or of the
chorus, or ~soloists and chorus together,
were worthy Of the highest praise, and, to
the good judgment of the audience, be 1t
said, 1t was not withheld The hearty ap-
plause which greeted the singers showed
that though they had come practically I'M
known, they were taken strictly on their
merits, and a most auspicious promise was
silONu, Will ItbdIu " Tic performance
to come. The company arriving very late
in the afternoon, there was a handicap in
the way Of orchestra lights, which had to
be atoned for by leaving the box lights
on during the first act of L Boheme.
which should, Of course, be in almost
darkness, fence the cropping around for
the key which Mimi has lost.
From the performance last night 1t is
| xrarxy a~raftfxyfnr - Ara1l1N chat Nha ran,,4.,
ing productions will be exceedingly salts
factory.
The orchestra was a great surprise.
Nothing that was promised has been over.
said. 1t was a remarkably good organi-
cation Of men who looked and played like
-muslcians-and the fair harpist Is included
Under the sure and inspiring guidance oil
the ever-alert Edoardo Lebgott the
orchestral work wa-s-throughout all the
~opera-full OF life and spirit, and variety
was constantly in evidence. That feature
alone was worth the price of admission.
In the part Of Rudolph was heard
Giovanni Nadal, a tenor, whose work was
unusually good. Gifted with a beautiful
voice and the intelligence to use It prop.
erly, he had also a depth of true feeling
for the part which made his worl
characterization of the most artistic nature
AS Marcel. Angelo Antola with his fin,
baritone voice of rich quality and his gooC
acting, gave a fine portrayal of the jealou.
and would-be indifferent painter. Mr.
Elena as Schaunard, and Mr.. Viola, a
Colline gave good accounts of themselves
and in the smaller parts nothing wa,
sighted.
Mimi was played by Aiadame Ester Ado
berto, who is one of the attractions of tn,
company. Her voice is at times lyric, a
times dramatic, and her upper tones ar
full of warmth and colour. while large ant
I voluminous. Physically superior to tn
part of Mimi, she overcame the contradic
ton as adroitly as possible and receives
full recognition OF her work from tn
audience.
Musetta was sung ana acted in the mos
roguish and .coquettish manner by Mis-
Giana.
These productions should receive FLU
houses" as fthey are much more meritor
lous than any recent offerings, in fact, be
yond any comparison. K.