El Imparcial. (San Juan, P.R.) 1918-197?, 1919-03-14
iODOPERA;
IbR THEATER
=.


:x:4--:x: aesthetic expression OF the hui
man heart-Or mind, if you like
thikord better. DO you remember the NEUROLOGICAL
led of Orpheus? 1t is said that his flute playing was
sohrvelols that the wild beasts. when hearing it in
thfoos, went through something like hypnotism and
cal to lay amely at the musicians feet He even went
did to- the dark regions of Haes, in search Of his wife,
abf course the internal detes had to bow and acceed
to request when they heard the melodious notes of
hhagic flute.
land OPERA or lyric drama interpreted by means
Obals and music is the finest spectacle offered by the
ntrn theater and having had the fortune to see GER
tlof the best operas properly performed, we don't
dbt for moment the yeracity Of OIpheus story. Ind
ekye shall never forget what went through our soul
thght years ago when saw and heard the dance
die Hours, of the opera Gi0c0ndd at the metropolitan
Ora House. i'll New York. friend OF ours had a
Ill laugh when we remarked to him that we would like
1ake this experiment. to take q primitive man, Il ne
fof darkest Africa for instance, and let him behold
heavenly spectacle Our friend explained his laugh
Saying that very similar thought came to his mind
In he first heard the overture of LohcnGlh, III the
he theater
the Mancni Grand Opera Company now playing at
Municipal Theatcr, after tremendous difficulties
ceeded in bringing here some fine opelatlc artists.
kbt before last RigOtCffO played, and our honest
fnion is that in general the performance was very
bd. We always careful in the use Of adjecyes,
1T we don't hesitate to say that the ensemble
iarkabe. Particularly wish to mention the sopra-
TO- Madame Iegat and the baritone Mr.. Baester. Our
Intelligent public made them full justice at the temna
ton of the second act when both showed well their
really artlStlc value.
Tt is a pity that opera prices in San Juan are such
that the humblest of our people prevented from
joying the pleasure and from receiving i'll their mental
and moral selves the educational impulse given by sound
refinement to the human being. The small size of the
house makes it impossible for the great mass OF our
people to go to operate performances when good at
all, the prices simply prohibtve.
70 correct that of the leading residents of the
city, are about to form corporation, the purpose of
Glh is to make substantial alterations to that
structure in order that it is possible for it to accommo
date say twice people the present house can
take Of Night before last noticed that about
half of the orchestra. seats empty, many OF
those who usually fill them being up in the gallery,
whose occupants, the popular class could not
afford the price of dollar seat It should be arrang
ed in such way that the size of the house makes
it possible to sell those seats tho more than fifty CENTS
while orchestra seats should be sold at about two dol
lars We speaking about first class performances,
OF either good opera drama OF the highest
class.
Incidentally the house should be equipped with
arefrigeratng plant with some other efficient means
for cooling the place. With the of ammonia they
have succeeded at other tropical cities i'll making thea
tels and similar places little more comfortable than
is during our ten months Summer.
We all must realize that are living in Il demo
cratic age and more and more every day the
>cessty of bringing the whole of the people to enjoy
the benefits of the Worlds civilization AS it is now,
the humbles in society rightly complain that refinement
and culture only belong to the comparatively few who
afford to pay for them. But Latin people, artovng
and muscay inclined must keenIy resent the m Justice,
and the only manner to avoid here envy and clSshatred
is put the enjoyment of those high marks of refinement
within their reach it be easily done in this particu
lar instances and hope that the progressive citizens
who plan the theater will push the matter to an
early realization.