El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-27
TRIBUTE To 4
GREAT ARTIST
Tremendous Enthusiasm
When Navarrete Sings in
Lucia di Lammermoor.

6UOlL III 1d4lllllOl 11OOls
CBY H ID. 50
II one lived always in the great
musical art centers of the world, he
I might have a chance twice or thrice
/ in lifetime to hear the Mad scene"
in Lucia di Lammermoor sung as we'll
as Ada Navarrete sang it Tuesday
night in FL Paso. But most people
have no such extraordinary musical
| opportunity, hence for most people
I this is. or was, the one chance OF
/ lifetime. It is past now, and may not
return.
such exquisite beauty of tone and
charm of manner are too precious to
last. One trembles for the day OF
I their inevitable impairment With
all the fascinating unstudied grace Of
youth, Navarrete joins the pOise Of
I possesses voice that-O most rare
/ has never been spoiled by overtrain-
/ ing or rendered untrue to its native
/ tone colors by an excess Of method.
1t seems useless to attempt to find
I words to express such infinite beauty.
| The greatest poet could never de-
scribe a rainbow or a sunset so as 10
convey a thrill to a reader. One must
see to understand: more than that.
one must feel the beauty OF nature
and one cannot be told how TO love
what is beautiful and true.
A DauntIeEs Spirit.
/ The Herald has told over and over
the pathetic story Of the efforts of
this opera company to render to our
people the purest and most delightful
sort of entertainment in the face of
circumstances so trying that they
would have discouraged. possibly dis
guSted. any other musical organiza-
ton. In Cn1fp nf all thar o. hac
never left them; and the magnifi-
Gently generous. gloriously unselfish,
sincere spirit that moves the faithful,
loyal, loving heart of the great artist
herself has never Quailed.
Would ii have made a difference in
the enjoyment Of the people Tuesday
night. If they had known that Nine.
Navarrete's little child was taken i'll
that afternoon with dreaded sum-
mer malady, and that she went to her
child between the acts2 If they had
known that the prima donna's voice
was not at its best owing to a slight
inflammation and that. having called in
a physician, she was singing through
the evening under his direction2
Navarrete had promised-that was
enough for her. She could not disap-
point the audience and responded to
encores in the most difficult passages
as graciously as II all had been well
with her Such a brave. true spirit of
perfect art and perfect ladyhood is
born but seldom in this world And
more seldom still does the world COM
prehend what it has won at such
birth. Navarrete is joy >fncarnate
Therefore. our little narrow world
neglects her, TO choose the dust when I
II might so easily have for its play
toys the brightest Jewels in heavens |
diadem.
An Enthusiastic Audience.
Such recreation as this opera com
pany gives. and especially the con-
tribution made by the prina donna /
herself is restful and sweet, a per-
manent gain to the spirit that comes /
under its spell
Tuesday night the audience was
the largest of the entire engagement. !
Evidently FL Pasoans are beginning /
TO value the opportunity now being
offered them TO hear one of the
worlds great singers in fsvOrite
grand operas. Best OF all. the audience
was enthusiastic beyond anything
ever heard in FL Paso. Ordinary ap-
plause would not DO, and there were
shouts and cheers for the singers.
The whole opera was well sung, well 4
acted and the orchestra and chorus
showed improvement
Between the acts, Nine LeovalH. a
charming singer and finished actress.
the artist who gave such a fine inter
pretation of Media in Pagliacci and
Mimi IN La Boheme, sang thrice
for the audience, her offering
including Paloma and Cabanitos,
as well as a favorite operatic
aria She was appiauded and
cheered to the echo, and her response
was captivating
The Benefit Performances.
ii Pasoans are again invited to re-
member that the company has played
at heavy loss ever since coming
here, and needs funds urgently. All
the main floor seats are S1.5O. and box
seats 81 Tickets may be had from
James G; McNary, II. VI. Andreas, Ju-
Illus Krakauer, W. Cooley. Sam Ore
ben, and others, and at The Herald,
office, the Crawford box office all day
and the Texas Grand at night
Aside from the benefit nature of
these performances, heavy patronage
by Il Pasoans would be a graceful
recognition OF the generous spirit and
noble unselfishness with which the
Mexican people on both sides of the
river, from iaborer to social leader.
have cooperated in raising funds for
the American Red Cross. We have a
renewed neighborly good feeling and
mutual understanding, which have
been made manifest by tangible con-
trlbutions as well as by friendly ex-
pressions.
Tonight, Ga SOnnambuIa.-
To night Navarrete will sing the
role of Amina in Bellinfs wonderful
opera La Sonnambula-" Assisting
ner VIII be senoritas Ruanova and
Sr- Lopez Gontis, ST. Cor
raj and other principals.
The story OF the opera. placed in
switzerland, is pastoral in type. and
Bellini has fitted it Up with entranc-
ing melodies Upton says of it, 1T is
eXqulsltely idyllic throughout. and
the music is as quiet, peaceful. simple.
and tender as the charming pastoral
scenes it illustrates.
Amlna, an orphan, is about TO
marry Elvino. a wei to do villager.
Lisa IS also in love with Elvino and
jealous of Amina.
Rodolfo appears to look after his
estates, and meets Amina. He in
furlates Elvino by his compliments
to the girl.
Amina is subject to fits of sleep I
and the villagers fear her s
as ghost Rodolfo retires. and Lisa ;
NH m TT