Imperial Valley press., 1916-05-09

ton of his ride on the reindeer, from
scene /.
Peer Gynt goes to wedding
feast where he meets Solveig, who
makes an indelible impression upon
him by her meekness and innocence.
Although she favors him from the
first, she repels his advances. He
in fit of spite carries Ingrid, the
bride, up into the mountains. Next
day he deserts her, and she returns
to the village. For this brazen out
rage he is eXiled to the mountains,
where he comes in contact with the
troll folk, who are wicked mountain
fairies 1t seems Ibsen uses them in
the play to represent evil thoughts
and weaknesses and all the infl-
uences that drag down human ma
ture and keep it from the higher
life and happiness.
The head of the trolls is the
Dovre King, whose daughter tries
to inveigle Peer into marrying her.
Upon his refusal the Dovre King
orders all the hobgoblin subjects to,
pursue and torment him. Finally he
is overpowered and buried in heaps
of little imps. This mad chase is in
terpreted by Grieg's composition,
"In the Hall Of the Dovre King"
(which Miss Higman rendered in
most pleasing manner.
When Peer falls under the power
of the imps, the church bells ring
suddenly, which according to north
ern legends, makes all the fairy
world powerless. AS a matter Of
fact Ase and Solveig, with her little
sister have been searching for Peer
and they caused the bells to ring to
save him from the trolls.
When Peer is thrown on his own
resources he builds cabin and while
at work is surprised by the sudden
appearance of Solveig, who having
left father and mother, has come to
him of her own accord. After she
enters the cabin, however the daugh-
ter of the Dovre King comes up to
! him. by whose presence, 1bsen doubt
less suggests the Intervention OF
evil thoughts which make =. reai un-
ion impossible between him and the
spiritual Solveig.
In the scene between Peer and the
Dovre Kings daughter Ibsen has
effectively worked out the idea that
thoughts have results and may be
themselves powerful obstacles to
happiness.
Finally Peer goes back to the cab
in and says, before deserving SolVeig
the second time:
"Be patient, my girl, be my way
long or short-you must wait"
eyes, I'll watt
At this point, Miss Chestnut sang
Solveig's waiting song in the origi-
nal German in a manner very pleas
ing to her audience.
Asses death as a reading by Miss
Nath and as a musical number by
Miss Higman we're much appreciated.
Next we find Peer in Africa, a
wealthy middle aged man. He has
posed as a prophet and as such has
been received by an Arab chief,
whose beautiful daughter, Anitra
dances for him and fascinates him so
that he falls in love with her. This
love episode is very different from
the Solveig episode which is spiritual
and eternal as this is physical and
passing. This sensuous love and
beauty Grieg has interpreted for us
musically in: "Anitra's Dance Civ
en- by Miss Higman
After many adventures, Peer Gynt
an old man, returns to his home. Or
the way he is shipwrecked and loses
all, making him realize the frailty
of material gains. A strange charac-
ter a button moulder, who represents
death, crosses his path and tells him
he was sent to get him to be melted
up. Peer objects saying he is not
such bad sinner to be treated thus
The button moulder tells him he Is
mo sinner at all in the higher sense,
that is why he is excused from tn
sulphur pool and put into the casting
ladle instead
After long arguments, Peer insists
that he will not consent to give up
being himself. The button mou'der