Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-05-23
GOUNOUD'S OPERA,
FAUST WELL RECEIVED
Salem Gives Meager Patronage to Tai.
ented Vocal Artists In Musical Mas.
terpiece-Prima Donna Charming.

Goethe Is story of "Faust,v adapted
and set to music by Gounod, was Civ.
en- at the Grand opera house last night
by the New York Opera company to
seant but exceptionally appreciatiVe
audience. 1t was the first time In
years that company of such excel.
lenee has paid the Capital city the
honor of visit, and the artists were
made welcome. Singing of such quail.
ity as that heard in the Chicago Opera
company, which created such a furore
in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle,
was heard at the Salem playhouse.
Enthusiastic applause greeted the
singers, and they responded in a cor.
respondingly warmer atmosphere than
the chill of small house usually gives
the artistic temperament. IL was
rare pleasure to hear the opera, as the
story is a classic in its own right,
while the. music Of Gounod adds a
beauty Of its own, together with tae
charm OF the actor s singing and per.
sonality.
Story Well Known.
TO the great mass of students of
both music and drama the story of
Faust is familiar. In short, il Is
the tale of an old man who has deIved
into books, probed INTO hidden hooks
OF science, and searched into all mys.
teries for occult power. Finally, he
calls on tho devil, and the evil one
intent on securing another human sour,
pror ises to turn his gray hair to the
curly locks OF youth and clothe his
lean shanks with youthful flesh. Faust
IN resurn is to give the devil his soul
Tne bargain Is made, Faust is changed
TO youth, and then he falls in love
with Marqareta. the result of which ia
struggle between Faust q better nature
and the power of the devil.
OF course, the tenor part goes IN
lfaust, and the tenor in this production
was salvatore Giordano. The timber
OF bis voice was strono. His voice was
. clear and made fitting instrument for
Faust's fiery heart to play through
and give expression In volume No
could fill the house without effort n.
was keen in his dis, rimlnntion of the
delicate shadings Of sentiment II.
could with the case of the consummate
artist vary FROM the robustiousness of
love. VI
Mephisto. impersonatod bv Richard
Parks, an American singer, carried the
pass end of the score Il was n do.
light to hear Mr.. Parks sing, mis- yoic,
was so deep, refund, aud vibrant. II,
sahg well and Interpreted the character
In satisfactory manner
Star Has Fine Voice.
Marrareta, the girl with wlb,,
Faust falls in love, was sung by Nora
d'Argel, an English. French singer Who
mas an exceptionally beautiful and eA. |
pressive soprano voice. Complement.
ing her sineing was her natural ond
effective acting. She sang with a zest
and enjoyment that communicated it.. |
en- % the nearer and quickly won sym.
pathy. Her joy and deligh on the
discovery Of the jewels resulted in the
beautiful "Jewel Song" Her WORK |
IN the last act, Just before her death
IN prison, was effective.
Martha, a friend OF Marrareta q
was sung by Ethel Peters; Valentine
q soldier, by Emmanuel Malpico. and |
hiebel, lover of Margareta 's, by Mar.
sarita Hobert. Dressed as n youno
man, Margarita Hobert sang the mr.,
well, Her voice is expressive, lyric in
quality and pleasing.
Ernest Schultz il the director ~ .ho
company. WV
Singer Is Accessible.
Arter the performance Mile. d'Argel
was sought in ner dressing room and /
round to be delightful person. She
was pleased with Salem and Oregon
one said the entire COMPANY liked Ore.
gon--from Grants Pass and Rosehury
10 salem (she pronounced the name,
with peculiar French accent that oavc
.hem piquancy)-much better Than
thev did California.
"oh, you have sucn wonderfpI m65p
tains here, she exclaimed yiyaeiousiv
~ she removed her golden Margarita
wig and folded il up ready for her
.neater trunk, "And you have such
DO You like Oregon better than
farisf" she was asked.
NO, no; not better than Paris. I'm,
better than France she admit,ad H
"Paris haa such an old.time air ami
one meets there so many earnest ar.
iists. Why, one morning I heard boy
VINO was painting a house sing the en-.
tlre score Of one Of the difficult on. |
eras' The French are such musical neo. 1
PIE and music is so cheap there. One
san get a good seat to hear opera for
franc (e0e)."
hou are not American, thenfn she
was asked again, as she was removing l
the rouge from her caeeks and rho nen,
ciiing from her eyes.
Likes Pacific Coast.
|" NO, she replied, .I am English.
french. My home Is in London. but I
sing IN Paris mostly. We came over
on this trip just to see what Amerie,
looks like. And We are delighted wits
the Pacific coast. Do you have much
opera heref' she quered.
When 1t was confessed that musicaI
comedy was liked best and that few
operas ever came to Salem she said
she was sorry.
People must be educated TO nm.
preeiate opera" /" she said. "Howeve-
for me- she confidsd, ~ don't % 10
hear opera when I have n day off. I
80 TO hear musical comedy, too. -
BY this time she had removed her
wig and the rouge and the interview
came to an end.