The Detroit times., 1912-04-02
Arguments of Operas
Sung by French Company

Donizettfs La Favorite" will be
given, Tuesday evening. in the Gar
rick, by the French Grand Opera
company. with Mines. Ferens and
Sylvestre and NM. Grainer, Closet,
Silvestre and Eternod In the cast.
The story OF the opera follows:
Fernando, about TO take VOWS In
the monastery of ST. James, In Spain,
falls in love with Leonora praying in
The cloisters. He tells the superior.
Balthazar. OF his love and Is ordered
from the monastery. Alphonso. king
of CASTLE, also loves Leonora, anu
has given her retreat on the island
of st. Leon. The king Is determined
TO set aside his queen for Leonora.
although TO do so Will mean excom-
munication from the church. Fer
nando goes TO ST. Leon and tells
Leonora OF his love, which she recip-
rocates. He begs her 10 ny with him.
but she will not and bids him go TO
war and make a great name frst. In
act second, Balthazar, the father SUI
perior, goes to st. Leon ana de-
nounces. the king and Leonora and
declares her attendants also will be
cursed unless Leonora leaves the
king. In act third, Fernando returns
victorious from the Moorish wars, ana
the king fearing the wrath OF the
church, not only, rewards Fernando
with wealth, but gives him the hand
OF Leonora. and Fernando, not know
ing that his brideto-be has been the
kings favorite. eagerly accepts the
coveted prize. Leonora, remorseful,
sends her attendant, lnez, TO Fernan'
do 10 tell him the truth, but the king
intereepts fnez and insists that the
marriage take place. In act Tour,
Fernando learns the truth and seeks
consolation in the monastery, width
er Leonora follows him TO expire In
his arms as he grants forgiveness.
Gounod's Faust" will be sung We'd
nesday afternoon. The story follows !:
A student named Faust after life oil
mediation, wearies of the emptiness
of human knowledge and inyokes the
spirit of the Evil One who appears
TO him in the form or Mephistopheles.
Through the supernatural power OIL
the latter Faust is restored TO youth
with all its passions and illusions. In
a vision Mephistopheles reveals 10
him Marguerite, village maid, noted
for her beauty, virtue and piety. Inc
two seek Marguerite, who has Deen
left in the care OF Dame Martha While
the girls brother, Valentine, goes 10
war. At first Marguerite repulses
Faust but under Mephistopheles' spell
Is made 10 succumb. Valentine, re-
turning, learns what has occurred and
challenges Faust 10 duel In wnlch
Valentine is slain because OF Me-
phistopheles' power.
Marguerite. horror-stricken at the
calamity. loses her reason, and In
frenzy kills her child, for which she
is thrown into prison. Faust, AIDED
by Mephistopheles, gains access 70
her cell, and begs her TO fly with MIN
but she spurns him and seeks com
fort in prayer and repentance until al
last overcome by her sorrow, she ex-
pires, with Faust heartbroken and Me-
phistopheles triumphing. As Mar.
guerite's pure soul is waited upward
tn eternal life. a chorus of heavenly
voices is heard proclaiming pardon
for the repentant sinner, ana Mepnis-
topheles is foiled and overcome.
Puccini's NINE. Butterfly VIII De
given Wednesday evening. The story
follows: Pinkerton, an officer In the
United States navy, is in command Oh
a ship in Japanese waters. he taxes
a bungalow at Nagasaki, and mar
ries. in Japanese fashion, pretty Go
Cio San. who is known to her frienos
as Butterfly. Pinkerton Is ordered
hack TO America, and in leaving But
terfiy. tells her he will return when
"the red-breasted robins nest again.
Butterfly awaits him and turns many
a Japanese sutton away.
Sharpless, the American consul
who had warned Pinkerton against
the AFFAIR with Butterfly, goes TO see
the waiting Butterfly to tell her that
he has received a letter from Pinker-
ion announcing his marriage to an
American girl Sharpless is astound-
ed TO find that Butterfly has chilu'
the son of Pinkerton, and determines
IN write 10 Pfnkerton. presently
Pinkerton's ship returns. and Butter
fy and her faithful attendant, SUZUKI
prepare the house with flowers Tor MS
coming. After watching at the win
dow all night with her child In her
arms. and no sign OF Pinkerton, SUI
znki persuades Butterfly 10 seek rest
and while she slumbers. Pinkerton'
Sharpless and Mrs. Pinkerton arrive
AS Pinkerton hears from Sharpless
the story OF Butterfy's love and de-
yotfon. he canont face her and goes
leaving Sharpless 10 tell her the
truth. AS the hapless Butterfly real
ICES all. she gives her son to sharp
Tess TO take to his father, and Kills
herself.