New-York tribune., 1920-06-23
Opera, as Mexicans
Translate 1t, Wins
Immediate Favor
She Is a Peach,' Sings the
Duke of Mantua to Borsa.
According to English
Book of Nerdi's 'Rigoletto'

The secret of making grand opera
enjoyable in spite of the fact it is
sung IN foreign language has been
discovered. In Matehuala, Mexico,
group of American mining engineers
recently attended a performance of
Nerdi's "Rigoletto." purchasing Eng
lish" translations that they might en-
JOY more fully the opera
Iney report their enjoyment was so
greatly increased that they suggest the
Mexican translator be regularly en-
gagged at the Metropolitan to the end
that no one after this need be bored
no matter how unwilling patron he
may be Of the opera.
"She is a peach" rhapsodizes the
smitten Duke of Mantua in the ear of
his friend Borsa, according to this new
book of the opera"
He refers, of course. to Giida. Of
whose charms "Caro Nome" is but one
"She abides," ne tells his friend, "in
hidden place at the end Of a dark and
lonely alley" Here every Mexican
bandit feels the handle of his dagger,
while the Duke continues:
"The way | dress when going to see
her | bet she thinks | am a plain and
poor student"
'Nutbrained' is what the translator
calls the Duke of Mantua, and we'll he
may, for a girl who is a "peach" and
knows she Is a "peach' never was
fooled into thinking duke merely a
poor student
But the peach" has nothing on the
duke when it comes to matter Of
understanding the opposite sex.
All them girls are alike" he tells
his friend. "They change their mind as
easy as a feather flies in the air"
y1,A <(,,l,@
ease his conscience. for it is plain he
is none too constant himself.
Il love the girl who is nearest me
that's all he confess TO
Borsa. "Anyway. she is wonderfull.'
The spelling is the translators
BY this time the reader is ready to
enjoy the curses of the old Count
Monterone, who puts his feelings neat
ly: Hang me until dead but you have
to hear me- you dirty prince!" Also.
the punctuation, or lack Of it, is the
work Of the translator
Now Sparafucie, the professional
murderer, is Offering his services to
Which is your price," inquiries
Rigoletto."
Gilda is an artiess creature besides
being q "peach." ooh daddy she be-
gins. "Hou are too good to me" BY
which you will note that if she had
lived she woulc nave known how to
handle the men at the Chicago con-
venton.
Then with irresistible spontaneity:
by the way, we have been living in
Mantua for over three months and
haven't seen the town, Just going to
church every Sunday. | should 90 with
Jennie"
Jennie is the 'eoberness.' the same
fsithess one who is "trown' the purse
Of gold by the duke on his arrival
When this happens the innocent girl
IL scare a bit" but not for long. A
few kisses from handsome youth.
whom she has been flirting with for
some time. could not permanently i'm
PAIR the courage Of a tactful speech
Presently she is "robbed' kid
naped), and then her father finds hcr
in her "nightgown" at the palace. "a
torrent of tears flow from her beauti-
full eyes"
Next we find Rigoletto at the thank
less task Of trying to show Gilda what
kind of a rascal the duke is" Through
the keyhole they see him flirting with
Maddelina. He decides to stay all
night, which is good for the plot of
the opera, since it is Maddelina's
brother who, being professional muir
dercr. has been engaged by Rigoletto
to kill him.
"Going the duke to bed. brother and
sister remain alone. She begs for the
life of the man she is lovng'
Finally, the duke "starts to sing the
favorite solo" long before the man who
never enjoyed opera before expects to
hear LA Donna e Mobile,' and the au-
dience prepares to leave the theater
full of admiration for the "tactful
peach" and wondering whether she
ever believed the duke WAS reallN a