Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-14
MARTHA.
OUR AMATEUR OPERA COMPANY.
a SUCCESS.

The performance of Martha last night by
Washington amateurs was q great disappoint-
ment. Naturally everybody expected to have
TO make good deal of allowan for the per
formers and overlook all sorts Of imperfections,
and in this everybody was disappointed. There
were some faults and crudities, but less than
among the same number Of professional per
formers, and at the end OF the trst act the most
impartial of critics might have felt justified in
throwing aside any good-nstured liberation and
in eding to deal with the performance on
its merits.
Altogether Flotow'e opera was never per-
formed so well in Washington by any profess
sional company as on last night by our anna
teurs.
To begin, was ever there such
CHARMING CHORUS
as filled the stage when the curtain was raised ?
We are familiar with the standard chorus Of the
stage, made up inevitably OF the ugliest people
in the shabbiest worst fitting dresses, standing
like wooden men and women, with their arms
trused down, or poked out with pump-handle
rigidity; but here was stage full Of the bright
beauties of the elite of Washington society,
dressed with special reference to making the
most Of personal charms, vivaciOus, bueyant,
brilliant; and reinforced and plemented on
the male side Of the chorus by q lot of good
looking chaps, who helped to FIJI out the very
the opening chorus was sustained by the sue
cess OF the
SOLO PERFORMERS
in making their debut without susceptible
stage-fright; and as one after another OF the
FIVE passed the ordeal triumphantly the gratin
cation Of their immediate friends was shown by
showers OF boquets, and the entire audience
testified theirs by demonstrations Of applause
that were little less than continuous.
Mrs. Camp, who took the part Of Martha, is
ntfxhh has
the attendants at Epiphany Church. She made
capital Martha, looking and acting the part
Miss Ada Randall has also been apreeblv
known m Washington musical circles, but until
last night no one could have guessed what stage
qualities, in the way Of piquancy, archness OF
expression and bri iisncy Of execution, were
took Gown the house" in the part of Nancy.
Mr. T.. j. Harrington, a gentleman we'll
known in literary circles, sustained the some
shat dificult part OF Tristrdm with spirit, and
Mr.: 8. g. Young was excellent in the part OF
ftunkeft, and made a capital ris d-ris to the
Vivac'ous Money Of Miss Randall.
he grace of his performance of the part Of
Lionel, and he got through the difficult upper
notes OF his part with but single falter.
&e little need be sdde5 fS the
gave few days since in regard to the rehearsal
The affair was every way creditable to the mu-
Sic2l capaolllties and training of the communi-
ty, and particularly to those having the ar
rangements in charge.
The audience, We need not say, was not only
one Of the largest but one Of the most distin-
guished ever gathered in the walls OF an opera
house. President Grant occupied box; Mad
anne Garcia, nearly the whole of the French le-
CATION, and general representation OF the dip
iomatic corps were present; and among the bril-
liant array Of netables were to be seen Secreta-
ries Belkn8p and Cresswell, Gen. Sherman
Gen. Williams and lady. Senator Patterson,
Represe ntative Cook, and others of prominence
in Washington society.