Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-16
OPERATTC SOCIETY
SINGS "LA BOHEME"
Joys and Woes of "Tempera-
mentals" Translated Into Eng
lish-A Good Performance

The Philadelphia operatlc Society adj.
ventured into n field seldom tried N ever
oetore by the amateur for the opcnina OF
its eleventh season. La Boheme" was the
.nlrty-e'shth performance of the orgauIza-
uon OF talented and indefatigabio devotees
OF the lyric drama
Though the Pucclni-Nturger transoript OF
& &ns Joys and woes NJ the Latin Quarter
noth In the sheer romance all OF n niece. OF
tne text. touched as II Is with bitter-svect
mlttn ana to tragic ISSUE end the modern
italianate type OF the score. was outside
lne experience OF the performers. tho result
as staged at the Academy Of Music ma rkpd
new epoch In tho history OF the organ
isauon Tho Academy was what Ia some
Vhe7 called comfortably nlled": In other
words operate competition up North
sroad street prevented a full house" but
INC followers OF the fortunes Of the society
were numerousy present, and were aug
mented by a g1odly number of the opera.in-
English fans"
Their trip was worth tho trouble. The
achievement was mcasurably on par with
the ambition Thanks to the courtesy of
INC Metropolitan opera Company, the stage
inNestiturc wn8 not the shabby and make.
SHIFT array OF drops" and prong usual
at n nonprufesslonnl performance Tho
New York company sent over all it's canvas
and lighting effects. Members OF tho phila-
deiphia Orchestra played the glowing and
under the capable baton Of Wassili Lens
Earle w. Marshall was a stage manager to
whom tribute must needs be paid
The work was eXcollently presented after
the customary careful producing methods of
the organization, was substantially staged
and invested with all tho necdful acccs-
sorics OF grand opcratc performance on
the professional stage, with of course. tho
exception OF artists whose contracts call
Tor sums as golden as their notes
The cast was always satisfactory and In
BONE individuals and some respects worthy
of the professional auditorium. II ran as
follows; Mimi" Mae Hots "Musotta" I"
Elizabeth Harrison: "Rodolfo." Paul VoIk-
mann; Marcel" Doctor $ II, Lipschutz
"Sohaunard," George L.. Emes; "Colline."
William o Miller. "Benoit," Charles j
Shuttleworth "Parpignoc," Henry Far
leigh
The singing players for they deserve that
name, handled their parts with uncommon
facility even the test OF vocalized comedy
spoken dialogue. which might reasonably
have been expected not to get across" as
uttered by persons not familiar with the
stage, being competently met The strength
and beauty OF tone Of the chorus and its
consistency to key and tune. which have
from the early days beon distinguishing fea-
tures OF the ensemble were unimpaired
II was almost by way of novelty to hear
Pucclni sung in English since the days of
the Savage Madame Butterfly" and Girl
OF the Golden West" Even in ensemble
passages the words we're more often than
not tntclligible, and in the contributions of
the soloists there was an agreeable clarity
OF enunciation.
Mrs. Hotz was particularly commendable
In her emotional and technical excellences.
Her Butterfly last season with the operate
Society was an admirable impersonation.
Her Mimi last night had oven greater
warmth and moro certain grasp OF the
possibilities Of dramatic lyriclsm There
were. too. lovelness and largesse of pure
tone, and her Addio was triumphaI
Paul Volkmann as the Rodofo may have
been bit too 'robustious" for such an
essentially lyric and romantic part, and I'm
the earlier passages was guilty OF "mufied"
tone. due obviously to cold. But later he
gained the true spirit OF passionate ro-
nance. DR.. s. II. Lipschutz was heard ad-
vantaBeously as Marcel and the rich. suave
voice OF William Otto Miller was well placed
In the measures of Colline. while his inn
personation was Electrically effective Miss
Harrison was gkttish as Musetta and sang
the Waltz Song" blithely. whlo Measrs
Zines. Shuttleworth and Fairleigh (as tho
infatuated and hoodwinked Parpignole)
fitted interestingly into the scheme OF things.
w. r. NJ.