Evening star., 1940-01-21
By ALICE EVERSMAN.

frankly weeping, the large audience
at the National Theater yesterday
afternoon followed with absorbed
interest the exquisite performance
of the title role Of Madame Butter
fly" by Hizi Koyke. The San Carlo
Opera Company had reserved this
Japanese singer and the dramatic
opera of Puccini for its second from
the last presentation, but undoubt-
edly the same audience would have
gladly returned, could there have
been another performance Of 1t, to
witness again this lovely and au-
thentic deliniation Of the much
sinned-against Cio-C -Cio-San.
After one has seen the perform
ance of this gifted japanese artist.
no other Interpretation will be sat
isfactory. Forevermore, the obvious
gestures and studied posturings Of
other Butterflys will seem gauche
and coarse beside the graceful,
delicate movements Of this charm
ing singer. A picturesque pose Of
her willowy figure, with a carriage
unattainable by an Occidental. and
a slight expressive movement of
fragile hands were all that were
necessary to stress the poignancy of
this beloved operate character.
There were few moments Of high
drama in Miss Koyke's impersona-
ton, but when they came they struck
home with swift force and deep
meaning. The contrast between the
gentle, submissive bride of the flrst
act and the deserted mother Of the
second, who stood watching at the
window the night long In confident
faith OF her American husbands re-
turn to her, was narvelously drawn.
The despair Of the last act and her
death scene formed a gripping cli-
max shared emotionally by the au-
dience, who only then realized how
superbly and gradually the dra-
matte elimination Of the opera had
been attained.
One would like to dwell minutely
on each OF those scenes where Miss
Koyke's deep understanding Of the
sentiment was so vivid. No act IN
opera is so full Of changing emotion
as the second act of Butterfly" or
so dramatically developed to a high
point Of suspense. Miss Koyke's
Interpretation was so realistic and
so plant as to accentuate the ten
sion while the tragedy Of the last
act was profound and irrevocable.
Miss Koyke has q sweet voice Of
adequate volume for the part but
it was not her singing which, with
the exception of few scenes was
rather conventional, that impressed,
but the manner in which she lived
the part. Her art is as the other
arts of her country. content with
an indication, relieved now and
then by sudden, brilliant and power
full strokes of color.
Not least Of the enjoyment Of the
performance was the picture she
made in each act. Her gorgeous
costumes were alive with color and
there were authentic ornaments In
her hair instead of the customary
chrysanthemums. Her beautiful
wedding garment of white and scar
let was exchanged for a kimono Of
pink satin embroidered in rhine
stones while in the second act she
wore one of delicate gray and rose.
In her death scene her magnificent
hair fell loose to her knees and it
formed a veil around her as she
stood, bowed before the storm Of
applause that burst forth when the
final curtain was raised again.
Her demeanor towards the audi
ence and her artist partners was
equally charming. At each ovation
that she received, she sank to her
knees and bowed to the ground
and when a huge bunch Of roses
was passed to her over the foot
lights, those on the stage each re-
ceived one, and one was flung out
to the orchestra. Before Carlo
Peroni, the conductor, whom she re-
peatedly brought out to share the
applause, she made deep obeisance
She inspired her colleagues to q
complete collaboration so that the
story unfolded realistically. Dmitri
Onufrei was a splendid 1t. Pinker-
ton, tender In manner and singing
the role fervently. The American
Consul, 'Sharpless, was a compass
sionate and loyal friend in Mario
Valle's depletion of him while Char
lotte Bruno gave q memorable por-
travail of Suzuki. The shorter roles
in the opera were also excellently
taken by artists who understood
how to stress their character both
in makeup and action.
It is . real pleasure to see q
chorus that can act convincingly
as well as sing, and In this the