Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-25
MuSiCNOfeS
Bv FIorence Bosard Lawrence

+" HE public school concert yester-
day afternoon was we'll attended
"A and the pupils and teachers who
met in Simpson auditorium after the
school duties for the day were finished
enjoyed an hour with that delightful
Wagnerian opera, "Tannhauser."
Owing to the continued lines of DR..
Bruce Gordon Kingsley his portion Of
the program, the lecture part, was
taken by Miss Marie Elliott, while Mrs.
Bertha Vaughn in soprano and Mrs.
Hennion Robinson at the piano inter
preted the music with which each
theme of the opera is so closely allied.
Taken in Individual parts this way
the music of the great German COM
poser is seen to approach very closely
to so-called program music-that IS,
music wherein the tones seem to mi
tate as well as suggest the actions
they accompany. Miss Elliott gave few
comments upon the music of the opera,
conflning herself to a simple resume
of the story of the adventurous Tam
hauser and Elizabeth.
Mrs. Vaughn sang these songs from
the opera "The Praise Song venus
Entreaty; "Bllzabeth's Greeting ana
"Elizabeth's Prayer" Mrs. Robinson
included the motifs for the Pilgrim S
Chorus" Venusburg music; THE AS
cent to Earth" Wolfram's story; the
march, "Intercession;" chorale, 1.-The
Evening star" "The Pilgrimage" and
the Finale" in her piano interpreta-
tions.
Preceding this Wagnerian lecture
Mrs. Vaughn sang group OF tolk
songs representing Irish, Scotch, trehch
and English nationalities.
The Lambardi company offers what
is practically an all-star cast for the
production of Faust tonight. The
singers will be Adeberto, Giani, Maui
rini, Sabellico and Maggi or Antola IN
the Part of Valentine.
The opera, which is built upon
Goethe's great poem, shows the allure
ment of unlawful pleasure ana the
bitter results of indulgence therein.
The story in brief is as follows:
Satan obtains permission Of the DEITY
to tempt DR.. Faustus, learned
alchemist who has attained nearly the
height of human wisdom. Faustus is
bored and melancholy and is on the
point of taking poison when he is in
terrupted first by a chorus of girls
passing by the window and then by
the songs of the laborers as they pf<
his house on their way to the fields.
Finally he curses life, joy, hope, pa
tience and faith. He abandons his
trust in Heaven and calls on Satan
who instantly appears in the gulse OF
Mephistopheles, courtly mocking and
devilish. They enter into an argument.
In the end Faust is offered for sea-
son the vigor and pleasures Of youth
on condition that upon his death ne
shall become a servant of Satan.
vision Of the beautiful maiden Mar
guerite of Rouet finally appears before
Faust's eyes, and enraptured he signs
the compact.
Valentine, the brother of Marguerite,
is going off to the war and leaves his
sister in the care of Siebel, who is
timidly in love with her. By the AID
of splendid jewels, wonderfully plan
ned meetings and every art which the
devil can use, Marguerite finally be-
comes interested in Faust, and the
friendship ripens rapidly to love, with
tender avowal of which the garden
scene ends.
Some time elapses before the next
act and Marguerite appears, having
been loved, cherished and deserted HeI
brother returns from the war and
hearing Faust and the devil, the lattel
singing in most insulting manner out
side her window, rushes out, fights ano
is killed, cursing his sister as he fails
The church scene which follows shows
the poor girl trying to pray. She Is
! tormented and terrified by the voices