The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-22
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.
'Rip Van wInkIey by the Eagllsh Opera

Grip Van wlnhIs, by ,ho Easilsh Opera
The opera Of RIP Van Winkle, by Mr..
George f. Bristow, of New York, which was
performed for the first time in this city last
evening at the Academy of Music, was probably
an entire novelty to the great majority, IL not
10 ALL of the audience present. It was orlgl-
nally brought out about fifteen years ago, In
New York, by the Pyne-Hsrrison troupe, but
failed to make decided hit, and since that
time 1t has been neglected and nearly forgot
ten. There are good reasons for the nom
success of the work, although 1t pos
sesses many merits aLd while It may
be worth while for competent
troupe to perform it occasionally, 1t will never
be as popular as many other works of perhaps
no more intrinsic excellence. The libretto in
the first and third acts follows Irving's story
with reasonable closeness, but in the second act
some entirely new matter is introduced, and we
are treated to an episode of the Revolutionary
War which brings upon the stage Grips" grown
up son and daughter, and in addition to the love
adventures of the latter gives little sharp
fighting between the Continentals and the red
coats, and other matters of exciting interest. 1t
may be complained that all this is not In the
spirit of the original story, but opera librettos
are entitled to charitable Judgment, and this
version of Rip Van Wrinkle Is quite good
enough for operate purposes. Whatever its
defects may be, it is certainly not greater per-
version of Irving's charming legend than the
tasteless drama by Bouccault in which Mr.. JEFF
ferson has delighted thousands.
More important than the librettois the music,
which is creditable to the taste and culture of
the composer, without being distinguished by
any very marked characteristics that will enable
to take hold upon the public fancy. Most of
the airs are pleasing, and some of them posi-
lively beautiful, and yet none are sufficiently
original to leave any decided impression. As
a musical composition Rip Van Winte does
not fail far below the average of such work as
The Bohemian Girl, for instance. The Bohe-
milan Girl, however, is full of attractive meo-
dies that catch the ear at once, and that cannot
fail to be remembered. There is little or nothing
of this in Rip Vdn Winble, and 1t is conse-
quently easy to understand why its placid flow
of agreeably mediocre melodies can scarcely
make any deep impression upon the average
opera-goipg public.
The performance last evening was creditable,
the various characters being sustained in a rea-
sonably satisfactory manner. Mr.. Drayton,
who personated Grip Van Wrinkle" sang in a
manner worthy of hearty praise. He committed
the error, however, of modelling his "Trip" upon
that of Mr. Jefferson, and as piece of acting
it can only be characterized as an imitation, and
an exceedingly bad one Mr. Drayton is a tho
roughly good artist, and he could do much
better by depending entirely upon his own
resources and by making his "Trip Van Winkle
an original creation. Mrs. Bernard represented
"Alice," the grown-up daughter of Grip in
excellent style, and Mr.. Castle gave a good
personation of Edward Gardiner" the lover of
"Alice." The other parts was fairly sustained,
if we except ''Dame Van Winkle," for the
proper representation of whom Mrs. Drayton's
powers were inadequate. The choruses were
well rendered, and the orchestraton was all
that could be desired.