The Portland daily press., 1876-02-18
The English Opera,


was fairly attended, the body of the house be
ing filled, and sprinking of people occupying
the gallery. The beautiful opera of the Bohe-
milan Girl was given on this occasion 10y the
New England Opera Troupe.
With Miss Anna Starbird the Portland pub
lie are we'll and favorably acquainted. She
sustained the part of Airline with much express
sion, and her clear soprano voice was we'll man
aged, evincing much culture. Mrs. Kempton
made an admirable gipsey queen. looking and
acting the part with great effectiveness, and her
contralto voice, which is powerful in the lower
notes. was all that could be desired for the rem.
diton of that character. Devlshoof (Mr.
Felch), was the most striking and picturesque
impersonation in the cast. Nothing could have
been wilder and more grotesque than his appear
ance and acting, which were in perfect keeping
with the character, and SO funny as to continual
ly provoke laughter in the audience. His voice,
smooth basso, was managed with much ami
nation and was very pleasing. The parts OF
Count Arnheim and of Thaddeus were success
fully rendered by Mr. Rudolphsen and Mr..
Hayden, the former Of whom has an excellent
baritone voice, and the latter is sufficiently
pleasing of voice and appearance to make
amends for the lack of acting. Florestein (Mr.
Clark Buda, MRS. Rink) and the choruses,
were sufficient to fill out the performance and
to carry it along easily and agreeably. With the
exception of the part of the Gypsy Queen and
Devilshoof, the acting was Indifferent and me-
chanical, but the voices were all agreeable and
ample for the rendition of the parts, and the
effect of the performance was pleasing and sat-
isfactory to the audience. Boquets were hand
ed to- Miss Starbird and Mrs. Kempton on the
stage, and Miss Starbird may we'll be satisfied
with her reception last night in her native city.
A MODEL DONATION PARTY.-A pleasant
little surprise was given Rev. Mr.. Hincks oil
State street church, at the house of Thomas r.
Hayes, esq.,, on State street, last evening. The
way it happened was this: 1t had been suggest
ed that in all the cordial relations between the
pastor and people Of that parish there had
been about every Kind of thing to make the
social life of the society pleasant, except having
an old fashion donation party, after the man.
ner of our country friends, and the pastor had
humorousy said he deeply felt the omission.
So large number of the parish got together
last evening and, having discovered that their
pastor was quietly and without suspicion TAX
ing tea at the house of his Senior Deacon, they
followed him there and made descent upon
him en- naasse. They brought all sorts of gifts
suggestive of the rural donation party, but in
miniature. They presented him with barrels
of -four and of meal, containing fully half an
ounce per barrel, cask of nearly quart of
dried apples, petite wheelbarrow full of can.
dy,. churn as big as thimble a brown china
cow, clothes-horse six or seven inches tall, a
crate of good small cakes, larger cake fully
three inches across, beautifully frosted and
evidently not intended for bachelor; then
there were bag of potatoes, of meal, and of
other ''produce" on. a like Lilliputian plan.
Every present was pretty and neat, but not
very able-bodied or with any pretence to big
ness; it was the type of the real donation party
with nothing of its rankness and embarrass.
ment to the donee. Mr.. Hincks entered heartily
into the spirit of fun and made everybody feel
pleasantly by his happy remarks in acceptance.
He was manifestly SO much pleased with the
ingeniously little and suggestive gifts, that it
would not be strange if he should soon preach
from the text: "Dsspise not the day of small
hings.'. Then there were little speeches, some
little songs and supper; and everybody went
home feeling that these little things had done
much to foster the cordiality and good feeling
of the parish, and to show their real regard fol
their pastor.
SEIzURE.-The sheriffs made a number OF