Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-04-25
NEVN'S "POIA"
GIVEN IN BERLIN
0pera Based on BIackfeet Le-
gends Is Presented in
Royal Opera House.
PRESS COMMENTS SEVERE
Audience Appreciated IT, Calling Au-
thors Before Curtain Thir-
teen Times.

T,rlin. April 2s.- 'Pioa." Arthur Me-
wins Indian opera based ON legends
Of the Blackfeet gathered by Walter
McCuntock of PHtsburg. was produced
al the royal opera house tonight and
was applaudcd generously by a bril-
liant audience Mr.. Ncvin and Ran
dolrh Hartley the librc4ust were
called out Eve times al the end of the
second act and eight times at the end
Of the opera. The costumes and seen
cry were imposing and picturesque. Dr.
Carl Muck conducted
There was some kissing. but that Is
always the case boa new productions az
the ropal opera and tho Kissing was
not go marked as ar Electra" or the
hrst production Of "Sordanapalus"
Judging from the talk among the crit
les in the lobbics. "a sharp criticism
is likely tomorrow The royal opera
people expect that for everything pro-
duccd especially DO 10 is foreign. Mr..
Nevin's orchestra. however is highly
complimented. Mrs. Francis Mac
Lehman. OFlorcnce East0W. sang the
part of Natoya Putnam Griswold for
merly OF Oakland cal, took the role
OF the sun God and Mr. Kirchof the
part Of Pioa.
EMPEROR INTERPRETED.
The Berlin royal opera usually brings
out either one new opera each season
or some splendid reproduction. Count
Won HUDSON. the intendent Of the opera,
chose this year tine American opera
composed by Nevin. whose home is in
Pittsburg The emperor has taken a
personal interest in the production
which was staged magnifccntly with
great mountain and woodland scenes.
The costuming. wigwams and camp
scenes followed the studies OF Walter
McCHntock who has lived for the
greater part OF II years among the
Blackfeet Indians OF Wyoming and
Canada. Mr. Nevin spent two summers
with Mr. McClintock with the Black
feet and gathered Indian love scenes
and religious hymns which are woven
into the opera A war-dance Is intro
duced into the orchcstration. The or
chcstra included seven new beating I'M
struments cymbals tom-toms and the
xylophone for suggesting the Indian
music. This is the first American opera
81 length to be produced In Berlin. A
short piece by Henry Waller was REM
dered by the royal opera some years
ago.
LEGEND OF "POiA.'
The story Of 'Poia" is legend Of the
red Indian Mahomet the Holy one
sent to earth by Natosi a sun god and
branded by the God with a scar on tho
forehead in expiatiou Of sins Of men
Pola meets the Indian girl and loves
her. but is rejected because he cannot
say the scar was won In battle She
accepts the suit of Sumatsi the worker
Of evil "Poia" consults Monshu, the
prophet. who tells him the origin of
the scar and asks him to seek the sun
god and pray for its removal.
Poia goes forth seeking the sun god
After long wandering while he is In
forest his strength fails him. the clouds
dissolve and Natosi shines forth iu
glory attended by the moon. the four
seasons. winds. thunder and lightning.
Natos tells the mortal To be gone. but
the moon intercedes and tells how the
child OF the sun god Episua, the morn
ing star Is attacked by eagles that are
not 10 be beaten off by the winds ur
the thunders Poia kills the eagles
Natosi obliterates the. scar and would
immortalize Pola, but he asks to be
allowed 70 return 10 earth to wed Ma
toya He goes and takes with him
reed pipe To- charm Natoya.
Pola finds that Natoya has given her
self 20 Sumatsi and is scOrned by the
tribe the curse lalu on fola mas idl-
len apon the world Natoya Us about
10 run away with Sumatsi. but Is de-
tanned by the notes of the magic pipe.
Poia appears: Natuyas love for him is
born again Sumatsi In wild jealousy
attacks Pola but Natoya receives the
fatal thrust Sum8tsi spring again 20
attack Poia IS thrust through by
shaft Of sun light Natosi appears
and takes Poia and Natova TO be with
him in the happy fields
WHAT THE CRITICS SAY.
AS usual. when the work Of foreign
composers is the subject OF discussion,
the critics are uumerciful With refer
eucc to "P1ia" the Lokal Anzeiger
says "rhe opera ls not worth while
exciting oneself about. The legends re-
call German folk lore The music apart