The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-01-21
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE SUNDAY MORNING JANUARY
DRAMATIC NEWS
AND COMMENT

AND COMMENT
What inspired Puccini TO compose
his masterpiece, ''The Girl of the !
Golden West?' The plot of the Be-
lasco melodrama appealed to him;
Blanche Bates. AS the heroine, fasci |
mated him with her artistry; the theme |
haunted him and demanded OF him mu-
steal expression. But il was the west,
with its magnificent distances. it's
sweeping areas. its stupendous heights
that gave him his inspiration.
fuccinl had come to America IN
January. 1907. TO take hand in the
initial performance of his Madame
Butterfly at the Metropolitan opera
house. New York He Witnessed while
Girl of the Golden West and as thu
drama unfolded itself, Puccini dreamed
melodic dreams, Here was something
new. Here was chance 10 attack a
novel subject and discover greater dis
tanccs in his art
Puccini began at once to delve into
thc historv aud life Of the west. OF
which he had but vague idea. His
Italian soul expanded in contempla-
tiou of the grandeur Of the west, and
motives Of befittine bigncss occurred
and recurred TO him necessarily. cx-
pressive Of the magnificent areas of
this country so new to him. lie
dreamed -'open harmonies.' and de-
terminCd TO put the fascinating, Wig
bis music So the story Of "The Giri'
sowed tho seed in his fertile mind, and
the inspiratlve influence OF The won
derful world hitherto unknown TO him
nurturcd the seed, which flourisded
cud grew and led Pueclni s genius
higher up the slopes Of Paruassus than
any other living opera composer has
assembled.
Most of all. Puccini was delighted
Ut the thought that, at last, he had 4
plot with a happy ending. 1t is said
OF Dickens that he wcpt when he had
20 "kill' Little Nell. She had be-
como daughter of his dreams. and
vet reality. Victor Hugo is said
TO have suffered similarly with the
fate OF his characters, and Belasco was
hearted. too. Likewise, Puc-
cini says it moves him profoundly to
write the catastroDhe Of his operas,
But in "'Thc Girl of the Golden
Vest Puccini is happy to find his
first opportunity of ending an opera
IN the major mode of peace and joy,
rather than in The minor key Of sad
uess. Critics declare with much una
pimity that there is evident through
out the score a spirit Of eXaltatiop and
Of abopnding beauty. which runs the
found iii any other work of the great
italian maestro. lie has revcled in
the greatness and vastneSs Of his
theme. he has brought 10 its treatment
a maturcd ard still expanding genius,
he has found a story of surprising
charm and interest, aud finally. he has
been inspired by an optimistic JOY,
growing out of the reassuring end Of
the tale s happy conclusion
would be his successor has fulfilled
in I" The Girl Of the Golden Vest the
prophecy of the grand old man of
Italian music, and the mantle of the
composer of "Othcllo' and "Fal-
staff docs not slip on the shoulders
Of the composer of 1.-The Girl Of the
Golden West
The opera will bo sung in Salt Lake
during the first week of February.
Alice LLOYD, who is shortly TO appear
in this city as the star in Werba g.
I.ucschcr'S musical gaitey. "Little
Miss Fix-It.' has . distinction ac-
corded her that no other women of the
world can claim, She is an honorary
member of the Elks lodge Of New
ork City. Miss I.loyJ won the graft. |
try by her Willingness to appear at
their benefits. without her know- |
edge in 1905 she was made au honor
airy member the nearest thing TO being !
real member in the organization |
whose bylaws does not permit women
TO JON,
Re9nold Wolf in his CHRONICLES OF
Broadway. in A recent issue OF the |
Green Book. relates the following.
As week by week William A. Brady |
tolls off the profits of "Bunty Pulls the |
Strings. wonder If occasionally he |
doesn't shudder at the recollection of The |
narrow margin Of circumstance by which
he won this prize. The American rights
pf "Bunty' were anybody's for the ask
inS. Mr. Brady happened To ask n
moment or two sooner than his com
pctitorS.
lie Was in London last summer. en-
gagged In that mysterious anaGcrial
pursui, Of looking around" lie never
had heard OF "EUnty' nor bad any
other American manager, SO far as the
records disclose. In fact "Eunty" had
not been produced in London.
Graham Moffat and his Scotch PLAYERS
Mere 1T Cyril Maudc's playhouse pre-
scntinG curtain raiser. Mr. Moffat |
had asked permission 10 use the thea
ter one afternoon for n special perfor-
nance OF now picCe. which Was called |
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