GUIDE TO THE OPERAS

Evening Star, Issue 16352, 19 February 1917, Page 5

GUIDE TO THE OPERAS

[By Loitbskb.}

' LA BOBE'ME.'

Opera in four acts, by Puccini. Cast: 'ftudolf, tenor; Schaunard, baritone; Marcel, baritone ; Oollin, basso ; Bernard, basso; Mimi, soprano; Musette, soprano ; Parpignol, tenor. Place, Paris; time. 1830.

Act I.—A garret. Marcel is painting while Rudolf gazes out cf the window. Having no fire, they use the manuscript >f Rudolfs drama 'for fuel. Schaunsrd >nter3 with food and wine, followed later by the. landlord Bernard to collect Marcel's rent. They maJce him drunk and divide the rent money for «, carouse. The other Bohemians leave Rudolf, and presently Minii, whose candle has been blown out by the wind on the stairs, comes to Lim for a light. She i 3 a charming griseile, and Rudolf contrives to extinguish both candles. They relate their experiences in the two arias 'Who Am I. Then Hear' and 'They Call Mo Merely Mimi.' His friends call Rudolf. N But* he wishes to remain with Mimi. (Rudolf: 'Your tinv hand is frozen.') She consents to go with him. (Duet, Rudolf and Mimi, ' Love Alone.') Act ll.—The Latin Quarter. Crowd on the streets. (Chorus, 'Come Buy My Oranges.') The friends repair to a cafe, and here see .Musette, formerly beloved of Rudoif. who has come to supper with her rich admirer Alcindor. She tries to attract Rudolf's attention, bong. Musette, 'As Through the Streets I Wander.') Then, to get rid of her admirer and join the Bohemians she pretends to suffer from a tiirht shoe, and eonds him to the shocmakerT (Duct. Mares! and Musclle, 'Break it, tear it. I can't bi'ar it.') Musette and Mavcvi, mutually attracted, embrace. Musette has the whole bill for everybody's supper charged to Alcindor, and Marco! and ColRn carry Musette out 0:1 their arms. Presently Alcindor arrives with the shoe, ar.d is horror-stricken when the bill is j resented to him. and ho finds Musetto unnn. Art 111.—At the Toilgate. Mimi,

cousrh:i;g violently, ar.d far gone on the road to death, spe-sks t-..> Marcel, who is lititii,- ji: s. little tamr, near tho 1011. SI;;- tells bin, of he-.- hard iifo with Rudolf, who thai very night .has .abandoned he.,-._ (Mimi: ' Oh, Uood Ma'rcei.'i Rudolf i» actually jri lh» inn where they ipeak. and now corct-a in. Mimi concsHs herself, and Redo;; speaks of her illness M'.d hi.£ change of heart,. (Rudolf: • Love In .My Kftari was Dying 'I Her coughing betr&t,; Jim prefer.' 9. Marcel retires, p.nd Ru;i-.;: Mimi arc -reconciled. iDu*>; :

' Adie.ti. O.'ad Awakw'.ngs/i Musette and Marce! aj'-proach. Marcel upbraiding her for he; repeated unfaithfulness. (Duet, M-*Hta, Marcel- 'You Were Laughing, i".-,-, Wen? Flirting.') .Act )T.--A garret. Marcel and Rudolf >?■•.■ »i work. (D-.wL'. 'Ah, Mimi! nh, Mc.VitU!'! SchaJinard and Collin arrive vitr. thf dinner. They dance ar.d sing. Musette leads in ths dying Mimi. and she i? !-:ft, -with Rudolf. ' They recall their past happiness. (Duet: ' Have They Left

X'sT) All return, and while Musette ptays aloud Mimi dies. (Prayer : VOh, Virgin, Save.')

' CARMEN.'

Opera, in four acts, by Rizet.' Cast: Zuniga (lieutenant), basso ; Jos© (sergeant), tenor; Morales (sergeant), basso; 'Esramdlo (bull-fighter), basso; Dancairo and Piemendado (smugglers), tenor and baritone; Carmen, mezzo-soprano; Micaela. soprano. Place, Seville; time, beginning of the nineteenth century.

Summary: Carmen is a Spanish gipsy, who plunges from one love passion into another. She is attracted to the sergeant Done Jose, and teds him to mutiny and desertion, so that be is compelled to join the band of smugglers of which die is a member. She soon lows interest in him. and passes her lurid bub brief passion on to the bull-fighter, Escamillo. Jo;o stabs ber to the heart. The lyric eioment in this sornbro but immensely popular opera is contributed in tire character of the gentle girl Micaela. Act I.—A squara in Seville. 'I he girl Micaela appears, seeking Jose, but retires upon being impudentiy accosted by the soldiers. Jose enters with tile guard. Carmen presently appears, the admired of all save Jose, upon whose handsome presence she has cast her eyes. (H.'vbanrra : 'Love is a P.ird.') The blonde girl Micaela (who loves Jose) brings him greetings ryom his mother. (Done Jose: 'Tell Me, What of My Mother.') A tumult takes place in Uie cigarette factory opposite the guard house, ami Lieutenant Zuniga arrests Carmen, who has been threatening her companions with a knife. Jose is put as guard over her, but the coquette beguiles him, and he allows ber to escape. (S^qiridilla: 'Xear to the Walls of Seville.') Act lI.—A smuggler's inn. .Song and dance of the gipsies: 'The Raiding, Kinging Tambourine.' K-camil!o arrives, and receives an ovation. He is welcomed and sings the Toreador song. (" Sirs, your toast.") The smuggler quintet follows, jirid Carmen awaits Jose, who lias been imprisoned for allowing her to escape, the term of which imprisonment has expired. Jose arrives, and is prevented from rejoining his comrade". (Canzonetta: ' Halt! Who Goes There?') He draws his sword upon the lioutenant. The latter is disarmed by the .smugglers, and Jose resolves to fly with Carmen. (Duet and danoa : 'I Will Danco in Your Honor."!

Act lII.— A reeky gorge. Jo?c -irrives ■with the smugglers. (Sextet awl choi'iu: 'Listen, Comrade.') Carmen loves h ; m no longer ; i;he is wooing Eseamillo. (Trio at <-h» cards: ' Shnfile, "Shuffle, Cut therm') oose and Escamillo quarrel, and ;i light is narrowly averted. 3licaela arrivp.s" to toll Jos» that his mother is dyinsf. (Aria: ' Here is the Smugglers' Stronghold.') With threats to Carmen, Jose leaves the band.

Act IY.—A square before iho bull arena. T'rocossicn of the bull-fighters. Carmen promises hersolf to Escamillo ;f in- re-

turns victorious. She is confronted h\Jose. (Duet-. 'ls it Thou? lb is I.") ShV TRtViSCr. to return to him, and he stahs her. £he dies at the. moment tba-t the victorious Eseanrilio returns.