The New York herald., 1878-11-14
ADJUSTMENTS.
ITALIAN OPERA -.'Dox GIOVANNI"


ever fresh and delightful music OF this
work, as rendered by Miss Hauk.
Mile. Parodi. signor Frapolli. signor Del Puente.
signor Foil and sgnor Pyatt. Miss Hauk's Zerlina
is picturesque and charming Interpretation Of
the peasant girl heroine the composer himself
could have wished to see and she to be abso-
lutsly at home in Mozurt's witching music Nile.
Parodi has perceptibly improved her grasp of tho
difficult role of Donna Anna since her first per-
forinance OF the part and. We're she to apply
herself to U strict course of lyric study as
Nine Pappenheim did last season under some in
structor az fat in the exgeneies OF such artistic
work. like Nine. Rudcrsdorff for instance. she would
become more than acceptable in line for which
artist Is greatly needed in Mr. AIaplesons
troupe. Signor F1apolli. who not in his best
aria with such grace and expression to nearly com
pei encore for this rather thankless song.
He sang III milo tessro. also better thnn before
and gave all possible prominence to part in itself
weak. Sgnor Del puente improved his
singing of the drinking song" decidedly and
sisnor Fob and sisnor Pyatt were. as before,
ored with several encores and some appropriate
floral tributes. and the 'maskcr's trio was
Some time before he leaves us Mr.. Mapleson should
give special performance Of this immortal work,
with the addition Of Mime Gerster as Elvira and the
omission OF Mile. Cavaazzi, who does not seem to
know the difference between court minuet and
cancan.
LYCEUM THEATRE.
They gave out giltedged programmes at the
Lyceum Theatre last evening to celebrate the
iftieth performance, excluding matinees, OF the
piece which forms the setting for Mr.. Den
man Thompsons dclincation Of old
Yankee farmer, yclcpt Joshua whitcomb. People
have recently been finding out that such piece was
running over there. where pieces have run OF
;pfn fha A
say to you Have you seen Uncle Joshy'
You would reply in the negative. straightway
he would broaden into grin--the grin of tickled
recollection and say "Go" What is he like; what
is the piece about? .oh never mind about the piece
and the plot all that critical hunmery that keeps
a man asking himself if he ought to laugh just
90 and roar at him. he's Yankee farmer"
After week or two stops you in the street and
saws do you know that Bergh has been laughing?"
Having seen that Knight of the Rucfnl Counte-
nance rise in the Court OF Special Ses-
sions to demand the punishment of the father
OF haf-starved family, who was working
horse with sore ear, IAN unheard OF cruelty, Your
Honor" you deny the possibility You would
that Hoboken ferryboat had been caught grinnng.
He thrusts card from newspaper under your nose.
ut is long time since enjoyed such continuous
feel the better for it this morning. That settles
it, II you cannot see the rare spectacle of Mr..
funny thing in the world. go and see what caused
it. You go, you laugh you chuckle, you grin and
roar. You find something rising in your throat and
something like tears starting to your eyes; IN in
slant YOU are rocking with laughter again. like
thrce-year-old. 1t is different matter TO sit down
and describe 1t.
called on the bills "three-act comedy drama" II is
nothing Of the kind it is series OF loosely
joned together having for object the illustration OF
old Josh whitcomb in number Of pathetic relations
and comic predicaments. For a work of the kind it
is well enough done. You are not burdened with
heavy story il you not helped with q thrilling
one Old Josh is New Hampshire farmer who goes
to Boston to see his friends; this is the story
the st seI se mi. r 1S
story OF the third act When he arrives in Boston he
goes birthday party but before doing SO he meets
charming little crossing sweeper in addition to
the friends aforesaid: Well, the loafcr is
the sepfather Of Little soatS. TSt tho crossing
boy lover. Her mother is dying in a Boston garrct,
and kind hearted Uncle JOSH after giving the loafer
rrnmises to take care 81 Little Tot He takes her
home to New Hampshire where she becomes
very refined young person ana sings and dances
when Uncle josh Is not on the stage All the young
people get married without any dramatic difficulties.
and old Joshs son. who has been wrongfulIy
accused Of TSSeing pes Dant iie, m oerat nt;Ss ey
pendcnt on its contrasts Of character,
its dialogue and it's local color In all these respects
IL is Us admirable it is healthy in tone. 1t grew
into its present shape houses grow to which some
body is always adding story or an extension. 1t has
the dry. quick humor OF the American tngling all
through it, it has the breath of the pastures In it. 1t
ia piece Of New England life quaint is real.
There is old Cy Prince nigh on to eighty. harm
less oia ~, In ads Is the ,fe and them ahove Al,
and pervading all. is Uncle Josh.
Now as to Joshua. He Is not . comical old blum
derer and BORE like the beloved Soon Shinge OF Mr.
Owens, although like him, he misbehaves in high
society and wants to sell pumpkins Solon
wants to and - barl Of applesass He is, Of course
lotfr Ip1..
except in the American popularity OF using ths
humor of exaggeration Uncle Josh looks like
the late Horace Greeley. I except PIT, that & ne wears
the end Of his days New Hampshire farmer grated
on an EDITORS chair. Uncle Josh is close at bar
gain, but generous when his sympathes
aroused whole-souled always. plucky AS u
grizzly bear and frolicsome child.
In his own energetic but at first bcwdering phrase,
he is in the midst Of his extraordinary
bcllicose gyrations preparatory TO knocking
the loafer from Kalamazoo ann, Ma, to kingdom
house. he informs us that he Is q 'red-hot Jackson
democrat" At the birthday party he tells about all
thsu h,s ou rI' sr! who had 'i "a pmple on n' the
right side Of her nose. now has it coming
out under her left ear And then he adds that there
England idiom Is freely drawn on for laughter, and
never without effect. Then he takes part in country
dance and becoming excited kicks of his boots
dancing is fun for month. In the scene
where the poor mother dies Uncle josh
kneels to pray; the brutal husband enters
and ut once attacks the unwary farmer up jumps
Uncle JOSH slings the loafer through the window
ana returns to his prayers No humor could be
more grim than this. To him take down
his foot from the bootblack's box aud ask him
tiously if he had had meal that day,
funny as possible. You see, the boot
black had told him that when he was hun
gry he desperate and desperation with him meant
"charring q countryrhan fifteen cents or quarter "
His drollery Is inexhaustbe, and you find yourself
blessing the play builder tha. gave you such opporu
Solon Shingle and Colonel Sellers bright
American iIdiy iydualitics In heavy and clumsy
plays. Joshua Whitcomb Is the play himself
and you are glad .of it, 1t is new
and thoroughly rounded character added to American
humor, and deserves the warm public recognition ii
is beginning to receive.
srErNwAY HAIL-nEMENYI's SECOND CONCERT.
II is evident that this celebrated violinist has
4arod nnon q ailccessful American career. His per-