The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-01
Fargo operahouss.

The first definite announcement OF
the scope ana plans of the newly or.
ganized Bessie Abbott Opera Co, which
Liebler & Co. are to send on a tour OF
the United States and Canada next
fall, have at last been issued. AS has
been known for some time. the most
notable production of the company will
be Mascagni's brand new opera Ysobel
This work of the composer Of Caval-
leria Rusticana viii be performed In
America before 1t is done i'm any other
country, the first time this has o.
CURED in the case of a musical work Of
foreign origin of like Importance IN
order that Mascagni may superintend
the staging of Ysobel In person. con
duct all performances thereof. and as
sumo his place as premier conductor
for the new company, Messrs. Liebler
q Co. have arranged with the Teatr
Costanzi of Rome, of which MascaEri
fs sole managing director, that the
composer may have leave OF absence
until the opening of the international
exposition at Rome, which Is set for
some time in the spring OF 1911. The
date of this opening will determine the
length Of Mascagni's stay in America.
The first act Of Ysobel has now been
completed, and portions of the score
are in this country.
The story is taken from the legend
OF Lady Godiva, the oldest known YER
sion Of which dates back to the thir.
lteenth century, but which is most ia
miliar through Tennyson's ballad of
Peeping Tom. The action is set In the
town OF Coventry, during the eleventh
century. Luigi Illica, the librettist.
who was also responsible for the
libretti of Tosca, Madame Butterfly and ,
other well-known operas, has departed
FRI m the original legend In MANY in
stances It is Ysobe, the daughter Of
the earl of Chestar, who makes ;he
fSrous ride to save her townfolS. TO
protect her during her act Of sacrifices
an edict is issued condemninr anv RI
the loss Of eyesight who do not remain
behind closed doors while Hsobsl makes
Fer ride. The hero Of the opera. a |
young huntsman who has worshipped
Lady Ysobel from afar, takes advan-
tage OF the only chance to bring HIM |
self to her notice by tiefying the edict. |
lie remains on balcony ana palts her |
With flowers as she passes lTer4 be-
gins the love story around which the |
CT era is built.
in preparation for the composition OF |
this libretto, Illica spent some time in |
the town of Coventry, and made en-
beavers to trace the legend to it's orig
inal source. He found thu tale i'm the
writings of Matthew of Winchester. an
ecclesiast who aourished in the thir-
teenth century. Moreover, he disrov-
cred that Leofric. first ea:l uf Chester
was the feudal lord who told his wife
Cdaughter in the operate yersionl |
when she plead with him to remit an |
onerous tax, that he would do SO if she
Rad the welfare Of her people suf1-
GENTLY at heart to ride naked through
the streets Of Coventry.
The opera is not light opera in the
sense of comic opera, but its music Is
light to permit Miss Bessie
Abott, the prima doni.d of the com IA
n.y. to sing the title role five or 81.
times in the course of single week
Miss ABBOTT, who is an American girl
born in New York state of the famous
south California family of Pickens. is
best remembered by her countrymen as
one of the prima donnas of the Metro
polttan Opera Co. in 1906. She made
her debut at the Paris opera in 1901
scored an instantaneous triumph and