Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-01-13
CARMEN IS One
OF The BEST OF
ALL The OPERAS

| No opera has the popular appeal o
Carmen" which the SAN Carlo Crane
| Opera company will present at th
4 Grand theatre here Thursday evening
/ With it's fire Warmth color anC
passion it is lyric drama whicl
can be grasped and understood b.
] anyone and it's story is SO vigorou:
matte and interest commanding thar
most plays. There is melody anc
sweep to it's music that can be ap.
preciatted by the muslcally untutoret
as we'll as the critical 1t is hailed
as the greatest opera of the French
school and it is surely the most pop,
ular opera ever written.
Carmen" has been played on the
stage, been the subject of poetry and
even the movies took the story of the
opera to furnish one of the strongest
of screen dramas. Geraldine Farrar
and WalIce Eeid played in the screen
version several years ago, only to
have Charlie Chaplin make bur-
lesque of the famous opera which
was a classic in itself.
One does not need to know any:
thing about music or opera to enjoy
Carmen" Anyone who likes a good
play, fast moving motion picture
with emphasis on the heart drama
will enjoy Bizets composition.
The company which Fortune Gallo
is bringing here is the same San
Carlo company which will start a
three week engagement in Los An
geles the following Monday and which
just completed a four week season
in New Orleans
Rea Toniola, the ravlshingly beau
tiful and exotic South American pri-
ma donna, will be heard in the title
role Toniola is the very embodi-
ment of the cigaret girl heroine of
the opera. Her bright flashing eyes,
her 1sensuous body, her tantalizing
smile, along with her wonderful voice
make her a Carmen that will not
soon be forgotten. Ludovico Tomaf-
chic will sing Jose, with handsome
Mario Valle as the staggering tor
hears the Habanera and the Toreador
Song, sung by the San Carlo artists
will be an opera fan from then on
Commenting on the work of the
San Carlo opera company players in
that city Monday night the Ell Paso
Times says in part:
El Paso's opera season opened Mon
day evening with an excellent pres.
entation of Puccinis La Boheme.
Blanca Saroya, who was to have sung
the part of Mimi, was i'll, and Olga
TX argau did fine work in the role,
rising to splendid heights of passion
ate song and realistic acting in the
third act especially, and living
through the always ungrateful final
scenes with more humanness and Tar
less offensive agonizing than many
better known Minis. The opera as
a whole did not suffer by the substi-
tition. Philine Falco ro1licked and
soorched through Musetta's part to
the final melting in the common
grief, with SO much spirit, comedy
sense and musicianship in the daring
episodes and with such, friendlinesS
at the end, that she won the audi
ence.
OF all the men there is no word
but words of praise. Such fine
quartet Of actors and singers is raer'
ly seen in the operas. Natural IN
their frolics, whimsical in their pow
erty, sincere and lovable in their
friendships and moving in their for
lornness at the final stroke, Taturo
as Rodolfo, Vale as Marcel, ponder
GUS de Biasi as Colline, and Inter
raute as Chaunardi, all sang with
satisfying beauty, power and lntelI1~
gent submergence in the general
movement of the opera. CerVi shone
in thee lownish parts.
The orchestra under Peronis baton
gave a distinguished Interpretation OF
the music which is full of dramatic
passages and, poignant sweetness. one
enioys such music best by listening
for the little fleeting harmonies, the
nicking out of few notes here ana
there on one viola or cello, the re-
fined and mellow tones of the harp,
a little flourish of flute notes to COM
ment on passing episode, the
breathing of the undertones, the
plucking of a string like touching a
nerve, the plaihtive intersections OF
the oboe or the English horn. Inc
sorrowing music of the death scene
seems to speak a philosophy of It's
own. and the gray Little tragedy en@
acted in the cold attic does not lack
thie note of Courage" along with the
reverence for souls passing. 1t is
lonely with Mimi gone, yet life flies