1954-02-01 — Page 4

·Page 4

FIFTY YEARS OF A FAMOUS OPERA

THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1954.

Madame Butterfly' Was A Fiasco

By

GERALD BOURKE

when Madame Butterfly en- a strict quota of arias for each fered to a musical phrase character. vaguely reminiscent of La Bohume', a voice cried out: "Boheme'. Boheme again! What about a new idea for a change!"

R Afty years, 'Madame Butterfly has fitted

H: agreed reluctantly, for he gally from one opera

nan:ldered It his nest score,' house to another along a

but three months later the sun-dressed path. But how

revised version was presented different was the premiere

at Brescia, and immediately ecclaimed. (Admittedly Dome nt La Scala, Milan, 011 February 17, 1904, when Puccint who was waiting people objected, as they do to- day to the Introduction of the chrysalis opened, nud calmly in a room off-stage, music from The Star-spangled Giaccomo Puccini's new did not hear the ensuing

Banner to indicato Lt. Pinker-

allegiance, bom- uproar, ignited by the in- ton's

Mozartions opera underwent a bardment such as that his sulting call. But at the in- that the popularity of the with certain justifica- toric theatre had rarely ferval his reð rushed in, opera wun based to a large followed by one of the degree on is eentimentality. The Germans, In their turn, to the use of rok excepiton

вест.

The 45-year-old composer ibrettist who shouted: "I had not expected such a vin- has suffered the passion of lent reception, "Tosen', pro- death". duced four years earlier, They to Puccini that had shown his mustery of en e impassioned love dramatic subjects, while La duet — today one of the Boheme' had been awarded me

found,

tion,

the name of a famous delective. and altered the hero-If we enn em such--to Lt Linker- tuni)

IN LONDON

...

IN

and one

*

famous in opera — even greater honours as # had not quietened the un- melodious, if too - senti sul mob. For the mob had mental opera.

bviously e me determined During rehrarsa's for the destroy the new opera. Fot. Emmy Madame Butterfly', many shagh who commanded ty of the stage-hands

ل

following year,

Bu tarily Vas

Cereal Garden

Destion

S

1 Caruso 016

arton. performances that had the tack has never been hals crewned Puccini's work stayed on long after hours y tablichesi,

which, od Fy enough, had

be- listening enthralled

Rus

French novel, by Pierre Loti, called

Madame Cyranthemum. Next ltad hecame an English short story- with the final tit.e-by John lastly Puccini had

to th

tragle tale of an American

Raval lieutenant's de ration

THEY JEERED

La Takata

2:

!

of his young Japanese bride WHEN

and child. Musicians had wa.sky complimented him, on

1134

alien.

And seede dering Ing the score, on his sensi- new tive Imitation of gelegd di sively; and later when

Rusina

Storchio. Japanese melodies. So, more Butterfly, moved confident than at any of his into previous premieres. Pucelni had, for the first time, in- vited his entire family to

who

Sung Incautiously a droughty part of the stage, her blowing kimono drew shrill whistles,

Puccio] remained in the wings during

evend net be present on the opening

glowering

audience, night. Moreover, the shrewd

"Splendid muttered:

Laurier already st you b

Yell, jer management advanced him £800 in royal met Bital who un right. Beusi opera haye It is the writen

The cast

becu

taetful to

"That's all for tonight. Miss - you can lot him go now

London Express Service

! SETTLED FOR TEA AND

TOAST WITH ELEANOR

T the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard

and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is the Community Presbyterian Church. Many in the film colony attend the Sunday services and the social functions during the week.

mel it at the Duke of York's theatre in London, as a play by in American, David Belasco.

During the war, the opera was scidom heard in America, since it was thought to portray behaving American officer despicably towards a Japanese

Since 1948, It has some

thought Times Bee sanit the reone of the action from the

the programme, for harbour o Nagasaki hos be come the setting of a tragedy of Immeasurably grenter signific

The wife of one The vance.

blast de- atomic

of my struggied stroyed all trace of the simple neighbours is an ardent

mehow *4

wicker home where per- chose death rather than deser-worker in the church acti- was ready. The opera to

[ minet, Wh.n the curtain on by an American.

vities. house had long heen sold rose again, Puccini courageously out; the critics

tics,

ALL

AN UPROAR

along bravely, managed

finish 10

and cri- the result of a recent serious

silent.

118-

but

'The

forward, still limping as

at least

fical pubile were

car accident, and wa sembled. For the first few pleased to see that his friends, of minutes the audience were led by Mascagni, composer respectfully

Cavalleria Rusikana", approach- ed him applauding sincerely. conductor, Comparini, wi ..rew respectfully, The management, however, refused to risk a repetition et auch dis- graceful scenes, and at once withd.ow the operat Puccin refunded the advance payment.

POCKET CARTOON by OSBERT LANCASTER

"I'm SO Sorry for poor Mrs. Rubiroma having to break her ankle in small

type,"

RE-ARRANGED TEXT morning, Puzebi could hear newsboys shauling "Muestro Puchita flusso." while he wrote to a friend in Ren: "Dear Padre. You must have bech dismayed at the vile remurks of cn cuvious Przs, But nevir fert Busterfly is full of

ezd truth.

Butterfly

Naguib Woos His Neighbours

By PATRICK MAITLAND, M.P.

authorised General Naguib to call a conference of the Heads of State of the Arab It will be the countries.

illah. To the West, too, there is

enjoys relations

now added

Libya, which the Kingdom of with Britain matching those of the British-Jordan alliance.

The Revolutionary Council in

rees of

OF

the

next to

like onk furniture

Cooper is a man you sit with for hours, discuss a few matters of comparative unimportance. drink a few beers with him, cat a simple meal that he will cook on the post-side barbeque, and when you leave him, have a feeling that you've engel a simple, leisurely dime.

Gory

CONTINUING “MY FRIENDS THE STARS," THE INTIMATE, FRIENDLY INSIDE STORY FABULOUS BEVERLY HILLS BY J. M. RUDDY

The terrace at One of Glenn's relaxations is She is Eleanor Powell, Beverly Hills.

his workshop. He has a well- Glenn Ford's wife, a former the back of the house gives a

superb view of the city of Los equipped placo actress and dancer, now Angeles, the Pacific Ocean, and garage. He likes to make small America's Number One Movie Cooper was nomed content to perfectly

be the distant mountain.

favourite in the Annual Screen wife, mother, and "the best

the benches and a setze for the hall. Favourites Poll. form Sunday school teacher at the Community Church.”

In the past three years, she has not missed a Sun- day class. The children adore her and during the week, when Glenn is away on location, shc teaches dancing to the older girls.

AT McDaniels, the big

super-market in the vil lage, a two mile walk from my cottage,

shopping.

I often meet

Glenn Ford likes to shop late on Saturday afternoon

Tall spruce trega walls of the garden and give Eloanca painte-olls and water- welcome shade on hot days be- colours and often has some of the youngsters from her Sunday side the swimming pock.

school to paint in the garden,

I settled for tea instead, and

and

10

in

of

the glamour queem, who was placut-f1 in the poll, told

He led the glamour boys and the glamour girls casily. What is it that thie 63-year-old actor. Opening on to the tenace is

whose hair is thinning and who Glein's library and den, witn

how to watch his waist line, hos that the others haven'!? comfortable and leather chairs, beakers of nut brown ale. good for men to relax to with

"Guess I've been lucky, Same NOTHER | panier:. 14/whơ good plitimes, A

Sort Kreat And he has the beakers, in likes

work

the directors Art-I sucos-peopl silver with glass bottoms. "I park at the ecrncr of my ex wonderful to me," was hila got them in London

aircet is Iwo years

Michael Reunie. reply when I asked him what ego," Glenn told me. "The beer He walks down from his house. he thought was the reason for scems to taste better cut of sets up casel and canvas, As no his popularity. them, How about a beer?" one walks In this district, he paints without gawkers offering Eleanor, bless her, brought in advice. toast and toasted muffins, well I introduced Rennle to Glenn

Ford, buttered.

what they talked MARILYN Monroe, one name Gwyllym, about mest Glen, real

was Scotland and TAGYPT'S all-powerful Re- placed his Regent, Prince Abdul movie people doing week-end was born in Quebec of Welsh golf. Ford, you will remember, ma that she thought much of }, but has lived in played the part of Ben Hogan Mr Cooper's charm les in the Southern California since he was in the golf Gim, "Fellow the fact that he doesn't try to im four.

ouver since he can remember, One day, I'd like to take you, so he just does

press you, To he has wanted to be an actor.

over end Elcanor to play at St 40 and 50 can be very glarnos- Andrews and some of the seaside us." Jinks. Man, that is golf. The

William Holden is cnother greens are like velvet. The alr

star who is a grand companion first time since King Far- Egypt, en the other hand, has

As fragrant with the scent of this

home, Welsumes, broom

or in yours. ouk's departure that there remained deaf to the entreties

and gorse. There's a has been any such meeting. States, of Pakistan, of Turkey joint. of its best friends of the United paste

10 Brenda Marshall, talkative tingle in the air and the 19th Marries not

Renule said Ilves in a red brick house, set well. hole is a delight,"

in spacious grounds the Card an

sle

and of Iraq-not to miss

with Farouk's removal from

10 This is one advantage of moody, likes to sit and contem-

be with enthusiasm.

swimming il es hum the dead....

opportunity of the Brish terms

What do movie

pool that is fenced in.. "We insist· F. en adviesd the composer active politics seemed, at for departure from the Suez the super-market,

that a. grown-up plate, likes to listen to music players do when they are not be present whenever the re-orange the ora and the time, likely to open the Canal Zone.

One afternoon recently,

rather than convertation, and working before the someras? children and their friends use to custom by dividing way to greater cohesion be-

Gary Cooper, whom I have the pool," Bill told me. "And prefers his library to parties and ile retard up which had taken tween the

known for many years, likes to

it." hearted a half, far longer

Arab League generous as compared with Mr his Mark VI Jaguar convertible. P was a side of him that get-away fren Hollywood

cur youngsters know Eloaner had to then was usual. They also sug-members. That hope has Herbert

homes (Esther get ured 10. dies and vint huming, fishing Williams, for example) there's But he shout write been disappointed. Indeed, Morrisin looks, in retrospect, street, across from McDaniels, is Fortunately both like their home and shooting, friends,

Drywhere ah ditional pieces for the tenor one of Egypt's aims today ilke a robust imperialist beside the car dealer for Beverly Hill. and profer to have friends at from Canada to Mexico.

electrie warning device which informs the houshold the author of the present

customers Among his pro-

Or he'll relax. in the

the sun that the pool is is to bury the League.

When posals. For Egypt is now offer-Humphrey Bogart, who bought Their 10-year-old son, a lively beside his swimming pool and the gate is opened, an electric cd the total departure of nil two,

Milland Robert lad, brings his school pals up to think of the places he's been to eye sounds an alram. A grown- Until the King's departure, British soldiers and technicians Strcok, Virginia Мауа

Glenn and where and play at the house, and Egypt had been undeniably the

Clark Gable, and

he'll

go next. from Mithar! O'Shea,

Eleanor ke within seven years this

children

day

oub at once to leading Arab country.

He'll spend

tinkering swimming pool." But the an international responsibility Steve Cochran, Claudette Colbert, around them. presence of Farouk meant that

with his car, a souped-up job, in the Joan Crawford, Michael Rennie, acknowledged

It was ni Patadena Community the Arab League was

They both play tennis and with special carburetors, that torn by freely dynastic dissension.

Treaty of Alliance.

James Mason, Jerry Lewis and gif, and recently have taken up will de 125 m.ph.. Hell clean house that I first saw. Bift Helder. His name then was reading aloud to each other. His

check e fshing Bodle, William Bezdle, en (Sorry to disappoint you. This tackle,

and repair

lubricata |rambling house on Cove Way, im't the wild part section

But he does little talk of humour about hired ced aspiring actor, who, had a conso a short street in a quiet part of Illywood and Beverly Hillst)

could chuckle when kidded about his name.

ية

in

Fewed

failan

whom ho had rather summarily chismissed, audience at the time demandri

Since

CHINESE

NEW YEAR

OUR TWO STORES

WILL BE CLOSED ON

WEDNESDAY FEB. 3rd

and

THURSDAY FEB. 4th

OPEN

For Business as usual FRIDAY FER. 5th.

Whiteaways

HONGKONG & KOWLOON

at McDaniels after the rush is over. It's a pleasant and

every easy place to buy thing you need, from tooth-

the to

IKE many week-end Glena

until ha knows He often

seems

Those OrC unbelievably drove back with Glenn Ford in

the opposite side of offer, On

Morrison's

More Isolated

His general object was to prevent the drawing together f Jordan, Hk and Syrin, For. liise King Ibn Saud of Arabia, he

To the relief of those feared Jest those three countries eventually united in

confodera question

who

both the wisdom of

Govern-

tion and outflanked the rest. the British offer and the bona Such t union would, of course, fides of the Egyptian reach from the Mediterranean to ment, Gen. Naguib has held the Red Sea and to the Persian cut for more. Gulf.

Evidently to bolster It was a familiar feature of

waning Arab Egyptian policy in its regal daya

support for his intran

now invites his that close links were maintained algence, he

fellow Heads of State to assem- between Cairo and Damascus, the Syrian capital, on the one ble.

יִן

.

Ray

the

This

You

are their home rather than go out.

Dean Martin,

Glenn and Eleanor live in a

of roots.

ing

and ELJTS

RUN FIVE OR SIX MILES

TO ESCAPE THE A-BOMB

From DONALD LUDLOW

New York. Chicago-have decided to come lost property office of the United ON'T HIDE RUN! home.

Reason: "Too many females- Why carrings? Women visi-

Nations

up

In

sces

some

use.

the

He's a good "talker, w,good businets man, Shrifly, end invests his large carnioga in various businesses with his father' as his adviser,

E is one star who deen'i 'go`

Uke aleck now convertiblen at 800 dollars a time, or foreign in- ports Hice Mercedes Benz's hand, and Ankara, capital of Whether they will do

14,500 dollars a plece. Turkey, on the other. Egypt used those two friendships to accms doubtful,

"I was thinking of, getting a support her pre-eminence among had done himself no good by with Turkey-and

toned 話 to mý spelling the Turkish, unbass advice on how to meet an ridiculous putting is American en carphones to hear transin-manager, who also Lunlile dor. He has not won Arab atom bomb attack.

women together in the jungle tions.

Ball's manager. Reruli sought and

RE Americans too friends by virtually rebuking

expecting them to be A

preoc- Lucille's 1949 model for a scug" Civil Defence experts will Iraq and Jordan for loyally to tell American cities that, while happy," they said,

cupled with false standards Holdon said. "And saved a few their alliances.

of beauty?

thousand which went into the ACTOR Maurice

Dr Albert Ell, noted pay-trur-Amds for the children."

of Judy Glórleed and husband, Sid

Gen. Nagu This is Washington's and not enough adventure. It is tea take them off when they put new car. a Tex months ago, men-

the Arubs.

Changed Outlook

But, colncidentally with the His invitation is an endeavour deep shelters are necessary for DRITTSH

essential workers manning Evans, 20 years on Broad chologist, attacks worship

Abdullah, victim of the assault, their

systems, power

We now hayo

actors

Erenn

departure of King Farouk, the to counter the trend, in which telephono bread outlook has changed. Two the other Arab States are much plants, and so on evacuation wy and Miss Sarah Churchill, pin-up girls ke Betty Grable Luth have bought a house am

prosent America's televiewers Giler 'mònarchs are gone King Interionships with one an

toward improving on a war-time London pattern today with a new cheers and Marilyn Monroe, and says Mapleton Drive, near Humphrey

Lana Turner is the only real protection for

"Beauty standards levelled on Bogart, based on and King Ibn Saud, Victim of old liver and with Birkunci,

Joan Bennett, Bing most people

unattainable and Durae, standing

"the greater · under- en wonen very few women [Crosby · and Claude'to Calbest. nge. Thdr rospective heirs are

of urvalistic.. Five or six miles from the neurotic people. In

One result of Gen. Naguib's Le case of Jordan, less sublie

target area will be "Old-time

are that beautiful. And the who all five on the same drive.

What do you do when you visit but net less loyal to the British policy has been that Egypt's main

played handful who are maintain their ** | enough, they say. Then if the Richard pa pretty much of a

Judy? Arabla loss 20lation has grown; connection. in

and

There are hard feelings

ing city excapos attack, poople con bad egg: Now," they say, we beauty for only a fow yeark. sensitive to the appeal of purely about her in the other Arab get back to work quickly.

The

Sit with a drink in your hand toll in person resulting dynastic Intrigue.

know he suffered from a Natal satisfaction and sourlty is de colector dy bas elarus (tell-love) complex."

agrees of classical and Instead, then, of Farouk's caplinis. This departure ending a source of die ordinary feruit in view of the TROUBLE has come to the all-TV Richard will run for 100 frightening. It may be seen in popular recordings, including al ension, between the Arab States, we menaced by „Egypt. In other left New York” for, Atrien - 17 Hamlet, is a, lavish-production, Inguincidence, of... womens skriften shelli aint to one "of ther

fact that farad is the count: big-garne parait that minutes and, like Mr Evans our increased divorce rate and her own song

coglie about $175,000 dollari needing parchatficrapy #early recordings, and Her voice (262,500)7!!

Men expect too much beauty, is bitter, today than it was nive kkayay Ellen Women: spent all years arozzeria Nds, by the amie load their lives worrying, over their KAMA KUDDY CONCLUT

yamamedi, ne the appelranos, il es

H-THE-SKRIKE, TOMORI

extre

thoʻraverse has occurred.

The British Walliance with circumstancos, the rest of the days, ALONGBOR Jordan is as firm as over. The Arab world would have been Two of the 14 same holds true of frag, wheem rubbing their hands with Mary Whalen, of

young ⠀⠀ King) Hie

the