Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-08-01
Providence Journal, July IA. !

providence journal, July II.
An audience of between 1000
and 5000 assembled at the Park
Garden last evening to witness the
opening performance of the comic
opera II. M S. PinGfore in the open
air and "on real ship on real
water" There had been fear that
the singing, and especially the
dialogue, might not be distinctly
heard, even by those of the audi
was almost entirely dispelled.
With one or two exceptions, after
they got fairly into it. both singing
and dialogue were heard easily 10
the furthermost portion OF the
audience. The chorus of the sis
ters, cousins aud aunts, as they left
the landing in the small boats to
board the ship, was very pretty.
The good ship Pinafore, moored in
lake, is 10 feet long. She was full
ly rugged, and man. -of-warsman
present pronounced her exceedingly
we'll gotten up. Her sails were
"loosed to a bantline" ergun-deck
ports were closed, but on the main
deck were four broadside guns ana
two boat howitzers; there was the
wheel in front of the cabin, the
capstaI, the ropes coiled up around
the fife rail, the starboafd anchor
down-in short, it was good rep
resentation of ship of war. The
orchestra was out of sight, in the
forecastle, but not tout of sound"
The action was in the center of the
main deck, and when the sail
ors departed they went down the
fore-hatch. while the Admiral, the
Captain had his lovely daughter,
and his sisters, cousins and aunts
disappear at the proper time into
the cabin. When "Little Butter
cup" came on board she came in
boat alone. was met at the star
board gaDgway by gallant tar,
and sang the first stapZa while in
the boat. The sisters, cousins and
aunts arrived in the same way.
When the boat containing "Sir
Joseph" and "Heben arrived there
was a commotion on board. There
was salute, and the yards were
manned by men who were as agile
and evidently understood what
they were about as though they
were real man-of- WarS-men. Then
there was a file of marines who did
their duty, notably the silent drill
so well as to win merited applause.
When the Admiral left the ship
with "Hebe" he sang "pm Mon
arch of the Sea,u after he had
boarded the small boat and while
preparing to start. And over all
and above all was the strangeness
of the surroundings, the water and
the sky, the reflection of the opera
in the lake, the trees, the immense
audience scattered around the shore
OF the lake, giving q novel, not to
say wierd appearance.
And there was all element which
Is no risk to say never before enter
ed into representation of Pin
afOre, and one which created a
good deal of amusement in a quite
way. This was a couple of frogs
perhaps more, but two at least
who played their little part. One
was the father of all frogs, or, bet
ter, grandfather, whose position
was at left of the lake, and the
other was fellow of no mean voice
at the right of the lake. They had
evidently not been at all the re-
hersals and didn't always come in
just at the right time. (By the
way, why not train these frogs and
utilize them in the Frog Opera--no
charge for this suggestion, Mr..
Reeves,) For instance, when
"Ralph" was pouring his "simple
eloquence1 into the ears of "Jos-
ephine,u Grand father rang out,
schuur-ur-roughp three or four
times, which might have meant to
suggest to "Ralphn that he knew
he was giving "taffy." The pres
enoe of the frogs chorus at some of
the tender passages was decidedly
novel, and at one time, while "Jos-
ephine" was singing solo, it was a
matter of doubt whether she or the
frogs would come out best, and bets
were offered quite as freely on the
frogs as on her. 1t was funny to
hear "Little Buttercupn sing:
Bulls are but inflated frogs,
and the "chur-ur-r-unghW in dis
gust from the grandfather, or to
hear "Sir Josephp say, Glove
levels all ranks,u to be met with
i!e-r-r-r.n- await 'rr77 he frogs at
IeI...|. oneae5 ogs' chorus
mHe'4 With
s.. mNd -ae therefore,,
90 -.rlesephH .a
Ul H.t .rt ha he water,
uI.lIaodiFdaiuiH ,der--'Jug-
e.um, luo-0.Ium josephine"
fal t.p A lhhf ne water,
.