Scan 28
Musical Courier 1906-12-19: Vol 53 Iss 1395, 1906
146 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1"Madam Butterfly" Breaks the World's Record.
2After a Run of Fifty Performances in New York, Mr. Savage's Company Starts on Western Tour Next Saturday.
4Despite the Old World traditions against the production of grand opera in English, it has remained for Henry W. Savage, an American manager, to produce Puccini's "Madam Butterfly" in the English language at an American theater in an American city and apparently break all grand opera records.
6When the run of "Madam Butterfly" is completed with the last performance next Saturday night, Mr. Savage's production will have registered fifty consecutive performances, a hitherto unheard of achievement in the annals of grand opera.
8The popularity of grand opera music is generally confined exclusively to the lovers of classic compositions and for this reason only one work of any composer from the days of Mozart to Wagner has been able to reach twenty consecutive performances. Strangely enough, the honor for the longest previous run in this country of any grand opera is also due to Puccini. His "La Bohème," when first sung in the United States in 1898, had a season of four weeks in San Francisco.
10Opera lovers who have been following with interest and encouragement Henry W. Savage's success during the past ten years, are especially elated over the fact that notwithstanding the prestige heretofore enjoyed by opera in a foreign language, such a record is made by a grand opera in English. Mr. Savage gave one hundred and twenty-seven performances of "Parsifal" in English two seasons back, many times more than it has been given in German in all countries combined.
12With the close of next Saturday's performance "Madam Butterfly" will have had eighty-two performances in English since its première at Washington on October 15. Before the close of its first season in America the number of performances in English will have reached nearly two hundred.
14Mr. Savage has arranged to give music lovers throughout the country an opportunity to witness this record breaking opera. Engagements have been booked in sixty cities reaching to the Pacific Coast and including the musical centers both in Canada and the United States. This cross-continent tour will embrace nearly fourteen thousand miles.
16The entire company of 125 people, including the orchestra of nearly sixty musicians and the pretentious production, the same as shown at the Garden Theater, will be carried, requiring a specially chartered train for the extended trip.
18Although Mr. Savage's corps of prime donne now includes an array of successful talent, he is negotiating for still another artist to alternate in the title role. The cast for the tour will be as follows:
20Madam Butterfly, Cho-Cho San…………………Elza Szamosy
21Suzuki, Cho-Cho-San's servant………………Florence Easton
22Kate Pinkerton………………………………….Harriet Behnec
23B. F. Pinkerton, Lieutenant in U. S. Navy……Estelle Bloomfield
24Sharpless, U. S. Consul at Nagasaki………….Ethel Houston
25Goro, a marriage broker……………………..Ada Saecker
26Prince Yamadori………………………………..Joseph F. Sheehan
27The Bonze, Cho-Cho-San's uncle………………Francis Macleanen
28Yakuside…………………………………………..Thomas D. Richards
29The Imperial Commissioner…………………….Richard Jones
30The Official Registrar……………………………Francis J. Tyler
31Cho-Cho-San's Mother………………………….Henry Gifford
32The Aunt…………………………………………..Margaret Cowan
33The Cousin………………………………………..Jessie Carroll
34The Son…………………………………………..Wimberd Baldwin
35Trouble, Cho-Cho-San's child…………………Ethel Guilford
37On Saturday night, December 22, the company will board its special train en route for a week in Cincinnati. There will then be engagements in Columbus, Springfield, Indianapolis and St. Louis, followed by a two weeks' engagement at the Illinois Theatre, in Chicago, before "Madam Butterfly" starts on her journey to the Coast. After Chicago the route has been arranged as follows:
39"Madam Butterfly" Route.
40Dec. 24 (week)………………………………….Cincinnati, Ohio
4131 (week)………………………………………..Cleveland, Ohio
42Jan. 7……………………………………………..Akron, Ohio
438……………………………………………………Youngstown, Ohio
449……………………………………………………Wheeling, W. Va.
4510…………………………………………………..Springfield, Ohio
4611-12…………………………………………….Indianapolis, Ind.
4713 (week)………………………………………..St. Louis, Mo. one of two readings
4813 (week)……………………………………….St. Louis, Mo. one of two readings
4921 (week)………………………………………..Chicago, Ill. one of two readings
5021 (week)……………………………………….Chicago, Ill. one of two readings
5128 (week)………………………………………..Chicago, Ill. one of two readings
5228 (week)……………………………………….Chicago, Ill. one of two readings
54Feb. 3, 4, 5, 6………………………………….Milwaukee, Wis.
557……………………………………………………La Crosse, Wis.
568, 9……………………………………………….Duluth, Minn.
5711, 12, 13………………………………………St. Paul, Minn.
5814, 15, 16………………………………………Minneapolis, Minn.
5918, 19…………………………………………….Winnipeg, Man. one of two readings
6018, 19……………………………………………Winnipeg, Man. one of two readings
6120…………………………………………………..Grand Forks, N. Dak.
6221…………………………………………………..Fargo, N. Dak.
6323…………………………………………………..Butte, Mont.
6425, 26…………………………………………….Spokane, Wash. one of two readings
6525, 26……………………………………………Spokane, Wash. one of two readings
6627…………………………………………………..Tacoma, Wash.
6728, Mar. 4, 7…………………………………..Seattle, Wash.
68Mar. 4…………………………………………….Vancouver, B. C.
695……………………………………………………Victoria, B. C.
706……………………………………………………Bellingham, Wash.
717, 8, 9…………………………………………….Portland, Ore. one of two readings
727, 8, 9……………………………………………Portland, Ore. one of two readings
7311, 12, 13………………………………………San Francisco, Cal.
7414, 15, 16………………………………………Oakland, Cal.
7518…………………………………………………..Ogden, Utah
7619, 20…………………………………………….Salt Lake City, Utah one of two readings
7719, 20……………………………………………Salt Lake City, Utah one of two readings
7821, 22, 23………………………………………Denver, Col.
7925…………………………………………………..Lincoln, Neb.
8026…………………………………………………..Sioux City, Ia.
8127…………………………………………………..Omaha, Neb.
8228, 29, 30………………………………………Kansas City, Mo.
84Apr. 1…………………………………………….St. Joseph, Mo.
852……………………………………………………Springfield, Ill.
863……………………………………………………Decatur, Ill.
874……………………………………………………Columbus, Ohio
885……………………………………………………Ft. Wayne, Ind.
896……………………………………………………Grand Rapids, Mich.
908, 9, 10………………………………………….Detroit, Mich. one of two readings
918, 9, 10…………………………………………Detroit, Mich. one of two readings
9211, 12, 13………………………………………Toronto, Canada
9315, 16, 17………………………………………Buffalo, N. Y.
9418…………………………………………………..Syracuse, N. Y.
9519, 20…………………………………………….Rochester, N. Y. one of two readings
9619, 20……………………………………………Rochester, N. Y. one of two readings
9722 (week)………………………………………..Pittsburg, Pa. one of two readings
9822 (week)………………………………………Pittsburg, Pa. one of two readings
100A score that is full of charm.
101The performance one of unusual excellence and skill.
102Stage pictures which not only charm the eye but captivate the fancy.
103The performance was a triumph for the poetic atmosphere of the stage pictures, the witchery of Puccini's score and the singing of the principal performers.
104There are turns of melody and harmony and methods of treatment which could not be mistaken for those of any other.
105Puccini's score is one of unquestionable charm, with a delicacy, a refinement of touch and skill in the marshalling of the lyric stage such as is possessed by no other Italian opera writer of today.
106As Madam Butterfly, Elza Szamosy triumphed by the fullness of her conception of the role, and by her excellent histrionic interpretation of it. She was enthusiastically applauded and she deserved it.
107A successful production and one that will please the public.—New York Sun.
108Nothing so charming as the duet of Cho-Cho-San and her maid Suzuki, in which Szamosy and Harriet Behnec blended their voices with the scattering iris and cherry bloom at Lieutenant Pinkerton's return to Nagasaki Bay, has been heard here since the birds of "Pagliacci," the stairway top notes of "Bohème" or the "Hansel and Gretel" player. It was all rose color. The dean of the Broad-
110Scene in the Second Act of "Madam Butterfly."
112New York Criticisms.
113Puccini's new opera wins its way from the start at Garden Theater.
114The wonderful quality of Szamosy's rich tones and her intelligent use of her lines indicate that she is to become unusually popular.—The New York American.
115Elza Szamosy acted with remarkable dramatic meaning.
116Butterfly's child, "Trouble," was delightfully acted by Master Joseph Hughes.—The New York World.
117Henry W. Savage's presentation of "Madam Butterfly," it may be said at once, is no less successful and commendable than his notable "Parsifal."
118Mr. Savage with each important English production brings nearer the possibility of general operatic performances in English.—Evening Telegram.
119"Madam Butterfly" proves delightful.
120A fit companion piece to the art works that have preceded it from Puccini's pen.—New York Herald.
121Melodies and harmonies are exhaled like the odors of the flowers.
122The opera is given beautiful raiment.
123The audience was one of the largest that ever packed into the Garden Theater.
124There is no doubt of interest in the opera.
125An audience of hushed attention and enthusiastic applause.—New York Tribune.
126way critics capitulated like a General Stoessel, saying: "It has the very fragrance of the flowers."—New York Evening Sun.
127Mr. Savage has maintained a high standard in this new opera.—New York Evening Mail.
128It was indeed an attractive production of "Madam Butterfly," with singers, a good chorus, all under the leadership of the reliable and temperamental leader, and with charming stage setting.—New York Press.
129A work of great charm.
130Large audience deeply pleased.
131An excellent performance.
132Beautifully mounted.
133Puccini's orchestration is more refined, more pointed and delicately colored than ever. He has ventured far into new and adventurous harmonies, and some of his effects in this direction are captivating.
134It certainly has abounding charm.
135The delightful and versatile art of Mme. Elza Szamosy, the Hungarian singer, who took the part of Madam Butterfly, dominated the performance upon the stage.
136Admirable character studies were contributed by Robert Kent Parker as the obstreperous Bonze and by Wallace Brownlow as the Prince Yamadori.—The Times.
137Japanese opera a hit at the Garden.
138Beautiful stage pictures.
139Delicate and poetic atmosphere.
140Madam Szamosy a dainty and bewitching beauty.—Evening Journal.
141A triumph.
142Stage settings of remarkable beauty.
143Puccini has caught the spirit of the Flowery Kingdom in his music.—Evening World.
144An unequivocal triumph.
145Let no man say henceforth that there can be no opera in English. Henry W. Savage has settled that point once for all.—Musical Courier.
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