The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-03
Metropolitan 1heatre-An Amateur Opera.


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Metropolitan 1heatre-An Amateur Opera.
Flora, or the Gipsey's Froic," Pastoral Opera in
three acts by Thomas Ward sung the first time
in public at this theatre last night with the following dis
tributon:-
Lady Flora Daughter of the Lord of the
MARIE her Ma: MISE a. rnps
Count Ernest, soldier, her afhanced lover t4sE7
popnjsy Village Mr. Ma,hSx suase
Dame Popinjay, his we-Me zzo soprano. Mrs Smith
jacques, Their son ............Mr Otdie (amateur)
Claude, peasant, her lover-Tnor Mr. W. Fl. Cooke
GIsy GirlMe2zo soprano. ........ Miss Lucy EScott
Paul, servant of the Baron. ..............
Chorus Of Peasants-Men and women.
Scene-France on the borders of Switzerland.
Date-Ihe latter part Of the reign OF Louis XIV.
1iQte Of Actton-Two days.
Leader. Mr.. Mosenthai
The argument ct the opera is described in the lreto
follows
Popipay, village innkeeper, the occasion Of his
daughter birthday invites his friends and neghbors
Wsetc fete during which Count Ernest, wha his
was stops awhile at tie village 70 rest his ss Dot Sc.
and s induced BY the beauty Of the queen Of the
Je and the solicitations Of the hcet TO join the merry
and promote he pleasure or tho guests 'n She ~
shrewd and mschovous, Blu: not malicious creature ADD
the party composed much fitting material for the exer-
cse OF her wit and love Of olc She accordingly sets
Of Dame Popinay bore her HUSBAND or new aneryby
exciting the coquery OF Annette TO endeavor TO
Claude, her ruetc over-and, lasty by drawing the at
tention OF the highly sensitive Lady Flora this seeming
mhdey OF her lover, while rambling te a,ste with the
village queen; all this necessarily produces state of ge
neral enboutllement, which terminates the first att la
the second act the men discovered seeking consolation
in VINE for the estrangement OF their several mates and
the Gypsy having had her rolc begins to feel some re-
morse at the extent 10 which the contenoug parties have
carried their ccntroveI aud resolves to reconcile tbos
tn diutda
induces Claude the village MINSTREL TO soften his CO.
quetsh mistress with enade, and her sf the
Danger OF driving her lover to the by her uoknd
ness She persuades Dame PopDjay that she will more
surely succeed in her wishes her husband by ce,snq
to annoy him with her opportunities and finally in the
third act brides tho farrier to lame the Lazy Foras
horse, so that she obliged leave the chase and dis
mount at the village in the neignbohood Of the Count
where she soIempy warns her that her lover though
guilty Of little pardonabe galantry unfai.hfu TO
her, and shrewdly recommends that his fidelity be tested
by exposing him the Vaccinations of the vii
age belle, who privy to the scheme Marie the conf
danh urges the Justice Of this course and the lady after
highly exciting struggle with her pride, finally coasen,s
10 the pos which results In the complete vindceton Of
the Count and his reconciliation with the lady Their hao
piness soon conagously Affects the rustic lovers and
brings on state of general good feeling to the great
subtraction OF the Gpsy who discovered in the end 10
be ore Of PepDjays Children who was st,en away in
her infancy by band Of rowing gpses that CHANGED
pass that way.
This opera has already been surg twice or three times
for the especial deectaon of the friends of the composer
and Of the very well disposed persons who at that tim,
sustained the principal roles. While the members Of the
composers particular set to bore each other
with 1t, no one was impote enough 10 attempt critical
analysis Of work which presumed TO be the fruit OF
the idle hours Of professional man, who misook the
aspirations Of diletantsm for the fervor of creative
power. He could understand and appreciate music
therefore he could compose IT, That one OF these cond
tons does not follow the other we scarcely need say
In Europe just now there are certain connos
seurs dukes princes and other lustrous persons who
affect 70 write music and who absolutely entrap people
into hearing It, No earthly power could persuade these
brilliant minds that they are quite wrong, is our in
tenton or desire to impress the composer Of Flora with
any such idea Still, for the Information Of the public
bound to say that the affair." far the opera its eli
THAT u.s. such pasiecio could be called opera) is
without doubt, beyond the average run Of must,
written TO vile away the tedious hours thst inter
vene between lunch and dinner in country house.
It Is not In that point Of view, however, that
we are 10 look at It. was sung last
night by artists good reputation with very fine orches
could ensure the success Of new wsrk Added to all
this the audience which was in every way fair included
the warm friends Of all parties u the work
sequence was that every body appauded Justify With or
without special occasion therefor Butthe truth after ALL
must be told once In while about everybody and the
truth that Of the twenty eight pieces in this OPERA there
are only two three-such the solo for Mss Phillips
s 60 in m the secondwhch leave even momeuary
impression upon ones mind There is terrible sameness
about all the music that Is exceedingly dsasreeabe The
whole affair has been very cumsiy constr ucted and in
It's frequent repetition Of parts of old operas led
to look upon -as upon Fry's Leonora-as rehash Of
tie old melodies, without marked Improvement In Hne
the opera exceeding unnterestng utterly e as
defy analytical criticism Ooe only say Il ia very
stupid and 80 dismiss II.
The singers, especially Miss Philips who has wonder
fully improved since last year, and Mr. Cooke, deli
cous light tenor were good Mss Lucete new English
singer is artist whom should be glad to hear under
better auspices than those which have so far surrounded
her in this country. Miss Escott would be much better
II she did not try to sing much The amateurs were,
usual, mild and inolensive. The performance was,
altogether, lengthy and drowsy.
The recepts-the prices having been regulated at the
Italian Opera tariff, which circumstance smade the az
tendance hmed-coud not have more than covered the
expenses
A MISSING HUSBAND HEARD FRoM.-William B.
HILL farmer OF Bridgeport, Conn., has been missing
November last and week his wife had his portrait pub