New-York tribune., 1922-01-28
Japanese Story
Well Sung by
Chicago Troupe
Excellent Presentation of
BUTTERFLY Banishcs Any
Echoes Lingering From
Puccini's Girl" Opera
Miss Mason in Title Role
Charms With Acting and Has
Voice of Dcwy Freshness;
Johnson Has Tenor Part
By II. E. Krehbicl

II there were any echoes OF Signor
Puccini's aberrant American "g;rl"
haunting the hooks and cranni.s Of the
Metropolitan Opera House yesterday
they were sent away gibbc-:nc By the
voice of the Japanese maiden Cho-Cho-
San last night. 4 disappointed com
poser's utterances are not always to be
taken seriously. and when. after the
failure OF ia Farciula del West" at
the Metropol;:an-a failure that was
soresecn by all discerning observers on
the night of the word prc,niere"-
Signor Puccini told his English admir-
ers that he had put into the opera the
bes. dramatic music he had ever
written. i. was possible to tax him
with eredriity born of affection for ar
offspring that had gone wrong wltho".
charging him with moral ob,iqu;ty OF
sny sort. Moreover. he provided al
answe- 10 his accusation that there
vas nothing useful 10 him in popular
music OF an American favor by char
;erizing II in manner which showed
his ignorance Of it and taneously
pointing TO his use OF an Indian tune.
lie lad heard American melodies n
performances of Mr.. Belasco's meio
drama, moreover, and we are a bit in
arese color which he put 10 such ad-
ra.rablc use in "Madama Butterfly" had
also been supplemented by the clever,
even if unambi.ious, incidental music
by the late Nj Fuerst. which he heard
n London when he wa summoned
thither to see tAc drama which Nj.
belasco had maGe out OF John Luther
Longs story lie had less promising
material in the popular music of Japan
thar in the popular music Of the
United States; yet he accomplished
romething only a little less than a
miracle with il. la Fanciuila de!
Nest died a-borniHe. Bat it's pred
ecessor is stl, = thing Of beauty and
JOY.
i. proved to be that again last ligh.
wacn ~ Chicago Opera Company
gavo i 81 admirable representa- ion.
Mss E&.th Nason va the imperson-
ytor G.; the ll...e Japanese lady whose
type never lived IN Japan. but Only il
me maelnations o. Mr. Long and Ny
belasco. and though actin. W Only TO
thc conventions she made 2 charnllre (
creature out of Niads'na Butt erI1y. both
;.ueic9iiy AID dramatically. here was
De- freshness ~ her vclce. especially
iae hcs o. move and mcl 'tnou
siosue, md though sce fell into The
efssr NF cA oari,,a y sfflicts the pei
'.cu'ces 81 tie harmonious company
% ta'c~goans OF ~ bst.tutiIs vloien'
irter IT,. for ecstatic rapture "a ir
lie sa'c curt rf ,te frs. act. 81.
s8r, vi;a ot'erpjee Aue tas'e AND IL.
tell rer~. eJd with q sportane'.y tha'
"a ee4.e .et.1lI. SIC Won the enth..l
ss.ic r4aatDv of tnc audience at one
ed oo'd g.
- tiwu. Johrson's conception c.
" efs7 r' Ger Is Gre one, -.0d :hrr'
a. nrope: pose IN his singing a
're'e V"s IL hs appearance sn6 bear
ing o. ~ American naval o5icer NJ.
Rain ai.h, he "a 10 have prceenter
l'u,c.a's sQue Corsu. Snarpless
tu' ta; IS TO cause ser wonder ant
oH'rs - occssion .oY particuisr com
mont We are used to seoh. On Ia,
Nhoic. tie opcrs r.s good TO look q
frc hst-l 20. al, 'or ttis. besides ~
o'nl's stagc management, the cor
clet ~ a. Mr.. Polacco ard tie 'lacfu
ans NJ of 'ho chorus arc entitled t.
tuoir share Of credit