The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-27
GRAND OPERA HOUSE---'IE ROI CAgOTTE."

HrsI nfgnJ everything ran Win WOnuerlul SMOOTH
ness, and there was only one interruption to the
general verdict of enthusiastic approval with which
the piece was constantly greeted This occurred
through unfortunate suggestion in Mrs. John
Woods part, that il she ran the government she
would remove every relative from Office storm
OF cheers and Kisses was at once raised, and the
management WILL beyond all doubt, take the hint
and cut Off this political excrescence from the dia
logue. With this exception. the piece was unmis-
takably stamped with the certainty OF q very sue
cessful future.
lie R0i Carotte" promises to make q new de-
parture in the production OF opera boufe and spec
tacle in New York. Although depending largely
for success upon scenic effects the temptation to
brighten the stage with nude female limbs has been
sternly resisted. There is not a single ballet girl
who is not decenty attired and the charms of fe-
male beauty though frequently suggested are
never exposed. Then, again, those insutferably
long dances, which theatrical critics and all other
sensible people have come to regard as infections
much more terrible than long and stupid sermon,
have been ruthlessly excised In the whole
piece there Is only one ballet, and that
Is o country dance. OF no great length.
Yet another abuse has been abolished. In q
spectacular piece there must, OF course, be long in
tervals between the principal tabeaux to allow the
carpenters to arrange the scenes and traps, and
such gaps have to be filed up with something that
will keep the audience in a state Of amused good
nature. The orthodox way of doing this in the
past has been to throw In lot Of variety business.
Egyptian jugglers, acrObats, trained dogs, and
even in one instance negro minstrel troupe, have
all been employed to bridge over these gaping
chasms but in the 'ROi Carotte," with the eXcep-
ton Of the Majiltons, there Ia absolutely nothing
introduced foreign to the subject matter OF the
story. How then-perhaps will be asked-is the
time filed ups Nothing can be more simple. The
plot OF the ''ROi Carotte" not only serves
as the groundwork for the display of fine
scenery and handsome dresses, and gorgeous
transformation effects, but, strange as the state
ment may seem, it is actually Illustrated with q
witty and interesting dialogue rendered with
spirit and address by competent company. No
limbs, scarcely any ballet, an utter absence OF
the variety business and fair acting cast-this
Is indeed o revolution in the world of spectacle
And judging from the behavior OF the house last
night, the public hail the change as a needed and
pleasant one. In London, as already stated by the
theatrical correspondent of the HERALD in a
recent letter, 'leggy" burlesques and sensation
dramas have both gone out OF fashion, and perhaps,
we in New York are on the verge Of the same
Even the youngest and most foolish OF
fast young men, and the greensst of
rnstics ought by this time to have discovered
without one, and that the line 'beauty unadorned,
adorned the most" has but limited application.
fantastic but it is at least consistent throughout
its own vein Of extravagant improbability.
A worthless young Prince (Frdolinl, reduced TO
the last stage of impecuniosity, is taken in hand
by the good genius OF his dynasty robin Lur0n),
who determines that the best way to reform him Is
to let him pass through course OF adversely The
Prince Is going to be married to CunegOnde the
daughter of neighboring monarch, who is as
hard up' as himself and is consequently unable
to pay the usual dOWry. The Princess
having entered the domains OF the Prince,
np his mind whether he shall marry her sans doi
or seize the excuse OF no money being forthcoming
to declare the match Off He therefore DISCUSSES
| over ''Zwei lager" interviews Cunegonde, who is
also playing an incOgnito part, so as to find out
| what kind of a character the Prince bears among
his people 1t ia needless to say that the reports
| given on both sides are conceived In strain OF
in love, and only one thing stands in the way OF
! the immediate celebration Of the marriage-thc
want OF money. At this point Robin Lur0n appears
| on the scene and offers hundred thousand crowns
for a ruined castle, which contains, among other
things, some suits of old armor that were the battle
thought OF thus dsposing OF the souvenirs OF
"three centuries OF honor, courage and glory" but
soon succumbs TO the temptation. He has, however
a keen enough sense OF shame left to as soon as
possible thereafter proceed to stine the pangs OF
remorse in the flowing bowl, and he holds carouse
he does not know 1t, there hangs upon the posses
sion Of this armor the fate Of his dynasty, and
In the midst of the festivities. Ghostly and indig-
nant faces suddenly glare from the opened visOrs
OF the suits of mail He and his courtiers hurriedy
run home and pay q visit of ceremony to the Prin-
| cess in the grand reception hail. There CoIOqunte,
the wicked fairy, appears calls up King Carrot in
vests him with sovereignty, and, by a charm
the usurper Fridolln is driven away. but
soon finds friends. Robin Luron releases Rosee
COlOGunte, and who has learned to think with a
tender passion for the Prince by seeing him walk
An thp ynrde hpn m w md and har
with magic spool Of gold thread, which leads her
wherever II is well for her to go. ROsee du Soir,
and the court necromancer and the good genius
come also to his aid. The four then make a Jour-
ney TO sne h o t Ter. a. te
latter will assassinate him he will give him magic
lamp, which has the power OF taking him to wher-
ever the ring OF Solomon, the most potent Of tails
mans, may happen TO be. The method Of assassi-
nation adopted is singular, Fridon tears or
first one leg and then the other, then the
| is deposited on the table. The detached members
are thrown into the furnace as they are snatched
Also young man springs out rom the flames
This is Quirbibi, who has regained his youth but
lamp, and the party are ut once transported to
POmpc, which, when they arrive there stands In
ruins. But Fridolin commands the city to appear
again as It was before its destruction, and In
moment the scene changes and living Pompefi,
crow ue with people Is before the eye the ring
by an eruption OF vesuvius at the bidding OF Fri
dolin. FridOlin now has the game In his own
hands, and could turn King Carrot out without
trouble, but allows himself to be caOled by
the simulated fondness OF Cunegonde to let
her hold the ring. She betrays him to King Carrot,
and he is exiied by the bad fairy to q desolate
island. Again he is rescued by the devotion Of
Rosee du Soir, who has procured fve-lcaved
shamrock, which gives her power to have five wishes
performed She wishes FridOlin to have ship,
and then, naturally, wishes TO be with him, and one
or two other things, until the party find themselves
In the Kingdom OF Monkeys, where the faithful
necrOmancer has some very strange and amusing
experiences. Prince Fridolin RECEIVERS his throne
ignobe end. Fridolin marries Rosce du Soir, Is
congratulated by representatives from the King
dom Of Insects and then figures In the closing
tableau OF a gorgeous Transformation scene.
This tale Of fairylan Is Illustrated with finer
scenery costumes and spectacular effects than we
have ever seen in New York before. The Pompeiian
tabIeau cannot indeed be too highly praised The