Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-04-10
HI. M. q. PINAFORE.
A Sketch Of ;the Opera which is
Creating such q FuFOre.

A Sketch OF 1.-THE Opera which is
Creating such q FurOre.
The libretto is the most readable litera-
ture of its class that has ever come to us
tackled on to an opera. 1t is simply lus-
cious to read, and almost sings itself. Its
sweet, good-natured satire is sugared all
over with smiles, and its buttered humOr
melts in the mouth. The rhythm of its
numbers is dancing, as the roll OF the
waves in a quiet harbOr and the rhymes
ripple and sparkle with bright conceitS
like the spray that dashes on the shore.
They recur again and again in repeti-
tions and refrains with variations bub-
ling over with the humor of the situations
and at every repetition they come with
added force. The dramatic treatment is
delicately farcical, and happily steers
clear of broad burleSque. The musical
structure is in admirable harmony with
the literary idea, and the air seems to
have grown as naturally to the words as
| ivy climbs and clings to the supporting
wall. There is no doubt that W: ,.
| Gilbert's wall was built before Arthur
Sullivan conceived the musical decOra-
tions that embellish it. The building
began right and it is beauty OF It's
kind.
The object of this comical, nautical
operatic trife, on a subject OF such pom
derositee as the queens navee, is to snow
the hollowness of official pretentlons and
the bombast that holsters up rank and
station, and to laugh down ignorance and
stupidity in high places. The deck OF
\ the Pinafore becomes The baltle ground
of comic naval engagement between
hard-fisted sailors, service and official
bombast and emptiness. The action on
board is brisk, and is continually inter
rupted with the bursting bOmbshells OF
1 laughter. The farcical element is always
present in variety of guises and happy
! surprises. 1t stalks abuet on deck In the
lord high adniral-always accompanied
| by his sisters, his cousins and his auntS,
and the whole gang of his female rela-
ttions. He is stickler for naval etiquette
.if YOU please" tells how he rose to be
"the ruler of the queens nayee, and
presents the crew with song of instruc-
tions, setting or singing forth that "the
British tar is soaring soul" whose ener'
getic fist should be ready to resist die
tatorial word" He loves the captains
daughter and she loves common sailor
To win the girl he tells her that love
levels all ranks and stations. She takes
him at his official word officially eX
pressed. and instead of soaring up to hin
, she fiops down into the arms of tht
sailor. whom she had previously rejected
because Of incompatibility of rank ant
/ station-a result of the AdmiraPs Officia
blunder. Official pomp and circumstance
| and rank and station are played Will
= like shuttlecock and battledoor. Bah.
forming Buttercup makes regular socla
, revolution on board the Pinafore whel
she sings:
e 1.-TWO tender babes nussed,
81 One was of low condition,
vi The other upper crust,
FL A regular ratrician,
A many years ago.
4 o bitter is my cup!
However could do it
mixed those children up,
And not q creature knew 1t.
Well. the up-shot of the mixing wa
that the patrician became the sailor an
the babe of low condition the captain
startling. Then the admiral decides tina
2 the sailor is really the captain, and. tn
captain is the sailor, and so changes thei
!. places on board according to birth-mOr
- startling. The admiral declines to MARI
the deposed captains daughter, becaus
of her low degree, and officially gives he
to the sailor now elevated to the cap
taincy. The ex-captain now turns t
o Buttercup, who had farmed him as
baby and got him mixed, and being
widower, he tells her:
J. 81 shall marry wife
In my humble rank OF life,
l. And you my own are she
e ] must wander to and fro,
|, But wherever you may go
<, shall never be untrue to thee"
All-What, never?
Captain-No, neverl
a Ail-What, NEVER?
Il Captsin-Hardly ever!
ol All-Hsrdly ever be untrue to thee"
4, And that's where an oft-repeated jOk
T. hits hardest.
le The whole business is a setting up an
knocking down of rank and station, an
It laughing at the wreck. The poor sailo
y who loves above his station, while he b'
n walls his low condition, is proud of bein
a an Englishmen. He sings:
IL 81 am an Englishman; behold mel"
:, Then others chime in:
o "He is an EnSlshman,
70 Fo. he himself has said it,
,S And its greatly to his credit
That he is an Englishman;
. For be might have been Roosian,
ID A French or Turk or Proosian,
Or perhaps an Italian;
l. But in spite Of all temptations
le To belong to other nations,
" He remains an Englishman-
lal Hrtrah far the trnR horn EnOlighmonl"
di That's something to be proud of eve
IL in the shackles of his low estate. Whe
sr the admiral comes on board with b
le retinue of female relations, the humor c
L: the situation flows in song as follows:
Admirsl-I am the monarch of the sea,
y The ruler OF the Queens navee,
1t Whose praise Great Britain loud
"a chants.
le Cousin Hebe-And We are his sisters and b
ID cousins and his aunts.
le Cherus-And We are his sisters and
G. cousins and his aunts.
m Admiral-When at anchor here l ride
,t My bosom swells with pride,
vl And / snap my fingers at a fot
= mans taunts.
~ Chorus-And so do his sisters and his cousiI
and his aunts.
Al Admiral-but when the breczes blow,
10 GENERALLY go below
20 And seek the seclusion that
ii cabin grants.
e, Cousin Hebe-And so do his sisters and b
wi cousins and his aunts.
'e Chorus-And SO do his sisters and his cousir
n and his aunts.
4 His sisters and his cousins,
Il Whom he reckons up by dozen
= And his aunts.
a After the admiral has officially foOle
i: himself out of the eX-captain's daughte
3. and he has officially disposed of the sailo
Is and his love, and the captain and Butter
a cup, he turns to Hebe:
| ,,nnnarnh Of The