Show Boston Grand Opera I Company and Thrill Great Audience I By GORDON H. H PLACE Iv the Boston Grand Grand' WHETHER v Opera company in in La Boheme was more mor pleasing pleasing pleasing pleas pleas- ing to the ear or Im Imperial tin tin- m- m penal Russian ballet was more pleasing to the ey eye in the opening opening opening open open- ing performance of df the engagement engagement engage eng ment of these c combined companies companies com corn of artists at the Salt Lake theatre last night is a a debatable qu question stion But no m matter how that question may be answered individually by those who heard and saw the performance the position position position po po- po- po I filled by the orchestra swayed by the baton of Roberto cannot carmot be questioned It was a notable and brilliant audience that buzzed with conversation conversation conversation con con- until the conductor took his lis position and gave the signal for or silence And the audience obeyed him even as the orchestra f followed his will and as the chorus filled with vocal richness tater later obeyed Amadeo Barbieri the he famous chorus master naster There is nothing of scenic splendor in the opening scene of Puccini's La Boheme It is a sordid garret cobwebbed bare cheerless But the spontaneous gaiety of the light hearted Bohemians Bo Bo- and their friends flood the he place with a splendor of spirit that that chases chases' away the sh shadows ado ws The story of the trials and ancl jo joys s 's and sorrows of the little circle who enact the tho drama is familiar It Is of those thos who live the scenes cene th that t we e would speak 0 There are the half dozen lozen principal characters Maggie Te te as Mimi the flower girl Bianca Blanca Saroya as Musetta Guiseppe Guadenzi as Rodolfo Ro- Ro dolfo the poet Thomas Chalmers as Marcello the Dainter and Giorgio Pu- Pu liti lit as th the musician Voi Voices es Uniformly Fine Ja 1 Maggie gie has been heard in in incon concert concert concert con con- cert in Salt Lake Lalu and and andas as asa a a concert singer she revealed the secrets of her success on the operatic stage Her voice has the charm of a well played flute lute it its range is ample for any so soprano soprano soprano so- so role and the purity of quality is apparent through all the registers As Asan Asan Asan an actress Miss is as effective as in her vocal work the two being combined in a natural and thoroughly delightful manner Bianca Saroya was striking as Musetta Musetta Mu Mu- setta particularly in the quartet in inthe inthe inthe the third act at the city gate of Paris Of the voices of the other principals it may only be said that the high standard set by Gaudenzi in the first act where he lie strikes the depths of feeling in the narrative is maintained throughout the opera So well balanced in fact was the entire cast that it is extremely difficult difficult cliff cliff- cult to point to one of the principals as overshadowing any of the others Throughout the tho score from solos and duets through through- the various combinations combinations combinations of voices to full chorus the work of these musical artists was beyond reproach I The most brilliant scene the Cafe reflected the gaiety and abandon abandon abandon aban aban- don of or a street throng on pleasure bent The kaleidoscopic play of colors in costumes and lI lights the action of the drama Itself the mingling of ot the voices in song and above all the im impelling impelling impelling im- im beauty of the orchestral score held the audience in a maze of ot delight If lt La B heme could end in a major note of or joy instead of te minor note of or sorrow there would have been no regret But in life the sorrows are remembered with deeper tenderness than the Joys BO so in that respect the opera is built to keep its memories and become a joy forever Orchestra and Ballet Superb and and his orchestra fulfilled fulfilled fulfilled ful ful- ful- ful filled as important a part for the Ballet Russe Busse as they aid h zd for the opera From the opening measures of the Nut Cracker suite the conductor exercised his sway over the organization org n in the pit as asa asa asa a a master 10 to the tho baton bat born The swinging lilting Jilting music intoxicated by its magic strains and beautiful tonal color combinations that the car even as th the pictures i s 's that were to follow delighted the eye When the curtain rose for Snowflakes Snow Snowflakes flak flakes s it was on an a snow covered forI forest forest for for- est scene with the snowflakes falling I as a a. a veil that heightened the charm ot or the visions that later were wre re re re- Anna ia the genius of the ballet appeared only after aUe- the dramatic dramatic dra- dra matic e setting ing had been prepaid The Thery or of Introductory ry ballet was wai such a 11 revel motion and o ot of grace that only a could have h heightened the theo effect Her entrance was the th begInning begin begIn- fling ning of o a a. cycle cl of ot delight that Held the audience in Its spell the final nal or of the be orchestral climax told the reluctant ct audience that the performa per per- forma ce was ended Society Out in Force The audience was one ot of the most brilliant from a social standpoint that has ever assembled in the Salt Lake theatre Every box stall and loge was filled with men and women who have attained their places In the city's The life social parquet accommodated an equally brilliant throng and tier upon tier above a tower of faces looked down upon the scene from the to the floor Social roof lines were forgotten and the prejudice against the third circle was burled b by those had not been prompt in who their ap applications applications ap- ap for tickets Lovers of or mule music mu mu- sl sic le and of the beautiful were crowded to the top row in the last circle all Intent In iii I t tent nt only upon the delight of ot the per per- 0 Madama 1 Butterfly fl y P Puccini's ucc I n i s mos most I I lyrical ical opera oper with Tamaki i ElJ El Elvira El- El J vira a Leveroni ni RIccardo Mart Martin Gra Gra- ham Marr 1 Paolo Ananian Romeo Maria Marla Lara and Giorgi in the cast was begun at 2 o'clock this afternoon before an audience as great as that of last night The Ballet will present a brilliant and colorful colorful col col- col- col group of Spanish Dances The final performance of the engagement will be Le Leoncavallo's to to- to night The artists are Felice Lyne Thomas Chalmers Portico neo Boscacci Georgia Georgio and the dancers dancers dane dane- ers will present Coppella a ballet in two acts by Delibes |