The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-08
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.
"Eruanr, AZ the Academy or Muni,

presented at the Academy OF Music, with Miss
states az "B vira." sisnor Boettl as "Ernsni,"
Bignor OTjandipi az "Carlo Quinto," and signor
Antopueci as ''sllvio." In many respects the
hest Of verdi's compositions. It was executed
throughout in admirable style, and received by
the audience with the heartiest applause. The
nnale Of the third act especially was rendered
20 effectively that q repetition was lmpera
lively demanded. even after the leading artistes
had come before the curtain In response to the
applause. Miss States made her entrance upon
the operatic stage in This city last winter In the
role OF "Elvira," (" and in all her subsequent ap.
rearances she has failed TO give a more salts.
tory and artistic personstion. Her vocaliza
sion last evening was certainly superior TO any.
'"h she has achieved during the pre-
ing wnI.- Boetii, the new tenor, i'm
sent season. SignV- -orable innro-
nroyed the altogether lN' --- - ~7sIop
FS,u,. h a created ns 49, ,of. ). a., - .,n,t.ta
on Friday evening last He possesses voice
OF many fne qualities, the greatest drawback
10 his success consisting in the fact that he be-
longs to the Brignoli school of actors
which amounts to saying that he no -
not vet picke ed up the first principles OF Z iat
branch of his profession. Yet he succee ~ In
fmprt ssipg the audience with the belief slsas ne
exerts himself TO the utmost, and th' a IA more
than we can usually say for his gree 4 nrototype
Rlgnors Orlandini and Antonucci azere both In
eharmingly adapted to the ~ powers, The
chorus throughout was re Iaarkabiy effective
and thus the most attire <slve portions OF the
opera were rendered In a4tyle which detracted
nothing from their In. .txtnsic merits.
"WOlves at lss.y" at the Arch.
Colonel Fitzger aad>s new drama of Wotcss at
Boy was prod .oeed last evening at the Arch
street TheatIe, with all tho accomplishments
Of pew scenery, startling sensation effects
spirite1 acting, and an immense audience In
an immense state of'enthusiasm. Indeed all
that was necessary to make this performance
the MOST Huccessfu ever given in this city, was
the dsstltDltion among the audience OF q few
doHen bottles of the ColonePs special Carte dor
witch figured SO prominently on the STAGE If
ahis feature should be introduced In the future,
we hope that due notice Will be given, SO that
we may be there to do honor to the occasion.
Seriously, sowever, Woiuesot Bag was su ccess,
and we think chat Col. Fitzgerald is to be con
graduated on that fact well as on his efforts to
create distinctive American drama. As a
pioneer In this field who has TO contend against
many ojbste cles, his works are entitled to be
Judged with a certain amount OF leniency, and
TO be considered very much in the light o.
experiments. Future playwrlghts m ay give III
more elaborate and finished productions, when
the way Is made clear for them, but Colone
Fitzgerald will still deserved recognition of his
to perish In the abyss of uHe, and their names
and titles be remembered only in tradition. A.
the same time, in justice to the public, to the
author, and to ourselves, we feel 1t to be on
duty TO give our impressions Of the piece pro
duced last evening. without partially and to
point out what we consider its weak points
Wolves at Bay is in some respects superior to
either of the other dramas given to the public
by Colonel Fitzgerald. IL Is more enter
tsiniug than Light at List and more
carefully constructed than Tangled Tnreads
the plot is quite simple and not altogether
novel, but the great bulk OF the drama Is made
MP of mass of extraneous matter which has
no direct connection with the main issue
Indeed this irrelevancy of the substance TO thC
subject is carried somewhat 10 an extreme, and
In his efforts TO introduce little of everything
In order to crafty the tastes of every body, the
action is delay ed, the cimaxes are weakened
and the play unnecessarily length
ened, without any corresponding adVan'
tage being gained. Judicous pruning
suoh as usually follows hrs
performance, will make the piece act better
Thus, the scene in the third act, where Jack
somerville" and "Tom Dolyer' get hilarious
over couple of bottles of Carte d or. was unue
cessarily prolonged, until 1t became tantalizing
to the audience, most of whom were strongly
convinced that the bottles were selected from
the choice collection in the authors cellar
Under the circumstances, the c0nS1deratt
action of "Tom Dolyer" in summoning each o
the ladies to their chamber doors after they haG
retired for the night, in order to present glass
OF the foaming beverage, is easily understood
although it had no particular bearing on the
plot. This feature, however, will probably bC
omitted in the future, unless Indeed, the Colo
mel intends to keep the thing up during the run
OF the play.
In Wosves at Bay there is q discussion of the
labor question. and the main points of the plo
turn upon O strike by the men engaged in "Mr
Drayton's" mill, under the leadership of
villain, "John Lipp." who aspires to the hant
OF the rich mans daughter. This fellow no
Only instigates the men TO strike. but he plie
them with liquor. and encourages then
to effect the destruction OF "Mr. Drayton'
and arthur lowering" by cutting away
the celebrated trellis bridge on the Catawisss
Railroad SO as to precipitate into the chasm the
train of cars which is bearing them with 6
party of soldiers, to the scene Of strife. "Lucy
Drayton" hears OF the plot and betakes herSel
10 the bridge In the middle of the night, climb
upon IL and waves q red lantern to stop the
train. The train is saved. but the locomotive Il
precipiIated over the broken bridge into the
chasm, thus producing grand sensation ettec
for the concluding tableau of the fourth act.
There is considerable love-making, and thu
ingenious manner in which the lovers come Il
Tho point and make each other aware of thei
feelings is particularly charming. The idea o
an amorous bachelor making advances to a no
100 reluctant widow while laboring under
cam.fritter Indigestion, is certainly novel, If no
alapant Mr.. Craig who su6Lained the mart N