El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-19

TTO THE several hundred men ana
women whose eyes were rendered
too dim to be of much use during
the final moments Of poor little Minis
life. it will be welcome news that she
was restored to life after all. probably
by Rodolfo's medicine. and that her
sparkling wit and dainty charm assist
ed much to entertain a considerable
company of FL Paso music lovers after
the opera Saturday night until a stern
and maleficent trainmaster insisted on
following out some hateful railroad
schedule that fell due at a. m. and
W*hisked the whole company off TO Los
rreJty, petite, graceful. and gracious.
Maggie Teyte is good to look at. and
ner sweet and expressive voice in keen
ing with her personality, so well adapt
ed 10 the part Of the embroiderer of
the Paris attic, won Fl Pasoans COM
pletely. La BohemeF is melodfous
ana dramatic, skilful weaving OF
human emotion and musical interpre-
tauon- The story is rather 4 success
sion Of episodes than fabric It
brings out scenes in the life of a little
group OF artists and their friends. Be
ginning with JOY that, like so many
Joys IN this world. IS intensified even
WhlIe being rendered poignant by a
IS.
the course of these little fIotsam lives
OF men and women has its storms and
calm
La Boheme" is generally regarded
as the work of Puccini at his best
W nile not so simple and direct as
Madam Butterfly II is no less dra-
matte, and its psychological appeal
IS Tar deeper. The composer has writ
ten music almost purely emotional to
1T the various character parts and
make musical setting for the action.
II IS music that should never be dis
connected from the action. unless mere
~ 10 refresh ones memory and aid
one 10 strengthen the lines of the pic
Lure seen IN the mirror of recollection.
Inc emotions, the passions, the feel
the stage in la BOheme" are rather
elemental and, as IN real life. some
are superficial, ephemeraI kaleidOsco-
PIC, while others are deeper and last
Until Mimi had tasted for herself the
bitter cup that alone rewards those
Who trifle too long with love, she did
not know that her heart had really
Deen placed in RodolfO's keeping when
tney were happy together. The lure
u relIef from drab poverty, held out
20 her by the tempters, was too much,
ana II was only when il was too late
that she realized the worth of what
she mad tossed so carelessly away
Then, dropping, she came again to
where her heart was, and for a very
little time, she found there a joy she
had not known could be. Death
Claimed her quite a s simply and as in
evitably as the law of the flowers claims
It's toll after the golden primrose has
hVed It's little joyous day in the sun.
Intense Realism.
There was realism in the opera: in
deed the stage director might have
spared Us the lifting, however rever-
entity, OF the weary lids Of sightless
eyes at the end. and might have let
US believe they still shOne blue and
clear in all their innocence as they
did when Mimi. so slender and modest,
nalvely ardent in her budding youth
but already beginning to weaken under
wasting disease. flushed rosy with
her There was realism from the be-
ginning to the end. The atmosphere
Of the play was perfectly conveyed,
down to the minutest detail. Con-
scIentiOus fidelity to a composers idea
could 20 no further.
Maggie Teyte lives the part. Her
acting IS superb, and her beautiful
voice never loses its power TO thrill
through all the varying moods of
eventful days which consume Minis
body while they shrive her soul In
the last act. her work with that Of
all the others in the cast rises to COM
handing heights The closing moments.
the stricken friends. sOrrOwing
the boys 50 helpless to assist,
SO genuinely wounded in spirit; the
tenderness OF ROdOlfO. the clumsy low
ing efforts to assuage pain; little Mimi
herself TO sleep with her
chill hands in the muff, the boys dis
cOyery that Minis sleep is likely to
be prolonged beyond the day. and the
night. and many other days and nights;
the shock to RodolfO. the dull Swallowed
room from which its brightest Light
Of Life is gone; full reconciliation /
sealed only with lips cold in death as /
all that is left of Mimi is embraced {
in the shuddering arms OF her lover
all this, as one member OF the audience /