The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-01-03
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.


MIX. PENNELL > CONCERT.
The weather evidently conspred against tn g
financial success of Mr.. Pencils concert last
evening. A worse night could not have been
selected to draw out an audience. The snow
was mid-leg deep in the drifts, and coming
down with will at the hour for the commence
ment Of the concert, with no signs of cessation.
Those who braved the storm, however, were
amply repaid for their trouble. We have not
attended musical entertainment for long
time in Portland where all the features went 10
make up SO agreeable an evening. This was
partly owing to the well balanced voices of the
quartette, and partly to the admirable selec-
tons, several of which were entirely new to
Portland, and almost all rarely heard here in
the concert room. 1t is true that criticism is in
great measure disarmed by the reverberation
of the hall under the circumstances. In some
respects this reverberation was an advantage,
lending power to the voices. In others it was q
great disadvantage, since it blurred the shading
of the music.
Mr. Pennel made his debut in ronaanzo from
Verdi's opera of ia Forz1 del DeStino," which
was calculated to display not only the qualities
| OF his tenor, but the benefcent results of his
| Italian training. He was encored and sang
Snliivan's Sweetheart. Later IN the evening
| be favored his audience with Schumauns
| "Myrthen," and was again encored, responding
| with the familiar song "She wore wreath of
roses" Mr.. Pencil possesses voice of good
| compass, lacking somewhat in body, but sweet
and flexible. The effects of his European train
| ing were well shown 10 his Tonaonz0 and the
ballads In the former his phrasing and style
| were excellent, and in all his music it may be
said he sang with great deal of expression.
10 the advantage OF a fue stage presence he
added an earnestness that, inlthe short phrases
| OF the ballads, gave fitness and warmth to
the lower notes which were lacking in the rem
dering of the number from "La FOrza'' But,
| on the other hand, his voice displayed clear
o. So 10 the latter that was not so noticeab in
| ballads HIS enunciaton was excellent, aud
| this was feature of all the singers last night
| We congratulate Portland on the addition of
another aItiss, and hope we hshal often hear
him In the concert room, and under more favor
| able auspices than last ee ening
VI the other sololsts we may say that Mrs.
| Cloudy, although suffering from a cold sang
Handel's "Lascia chic pianga'' from "Rinaldo"
beautifully. She was deserving Of high praise
| Miss Nettie Milliken presented a composition
entitled 'Great God Pan" by MillikeD, and in
| response to an encore rendered the Ebay OF
| Dublin"-the music more familiarly known as
the "Last Rose of Summer"-in manner that
| gave great pleasure. Mr.. Coyle delivered both
| of Pinsuti's songs with dramatic fire and in ex.
cellent form. The two Blumenthal quartets
| nnaccompanied, by Messrs. Will Stock bridge,
| Coyle, and Miss Milliken and Mrs Goudy
l
| for many day, the first delicate as a lullaby,
| the second breezy as spring morning. The
| familiar trio from "Belisario''-takeu in rathal
| slower time than usual-was sweet as Donizet
| tbs compositions always are, and the bridal
| chorus from the "R1se Maiden" delightful
Mr.. Kotzschmar accompanied with his usual
skill.
| THE LILIPUTIAN OPERA.
To night the Liliputian Opera Company will
make their first appearance in this city al
Music Hall under the auspices of the Portland
Army and Navy Union. Miss Quigly, thu
pril,aa donna of the dwsrfs possesses an exceed.
| ingly pleasing figure, charming face, good
| VOICE, and IS an excellent actress. Admiral
Dot is familiar to all. The other members Of
! The company are well spoken of, and their en-.
| tertainment OF Jack the Giant Killer is said to
be attractive to old as we'll as the children
| the giant is an immense feature as Fin Ma
| Coon. There will be~a matinee performance
| Tomorrow and an evening entertainment
SHEILA.
There was good audience at Music Hal
last night to see Dollie Bidwell in her new
Irish idyl "Sheila" 1t was an idyl in the
sense that it was an idle waste of time sitting
through it, 1t was about as badly constructed
poor in dialogue, and cheapiy acted as any
play ever produced on the Portland stage
| The story is that of an artist who marries an
Irish girl, carries her to London and becomes
| disgusted with her on account of her brogue,
| She separates from him and goes to live at his
| aunt's. He expects this aunt's money and
! doesn't get it. de then works for his living,
succeeds in making it, goes back to Ireland,
| where his wife has gone from his aunt's, and
they m AXE up and are happy In the mean
| time, before tine aunt dies, the husband gets
| into scrape but the wife gets him out of H.