The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-10-21
The srosnrt r,anaeore z.ast Night.

The MOzMrs Isnafcre last Night. {
The long and anxfously.expected even
has come at last. Richmond has seen the
Pinafore Of Mr.. Siegeps amateur company
MCZart Hail presented gay and attrac.
tive scene In the first presentation OF the
opera last night, IN the efashionabl audience
OF ladies and gentlemen as well as in the
interesting spectacle which the stage afford
ed. While the house was not as crowded
as we anticipated, still il was fine assem-
blage, and the performance was fully en-
ioyed. We suppose the audience hardly
expected the first performance to go offfault-
leSsly, and that which went amiss was no
doubt excused, and is now wholly forgot
ten; that which was so well done and so
heartily applauded will, as 1t should, be
long remembered and commended. The
reader will no doubt concur In the state
ment that it would be unfair to speak as
critically of the performance of our anna
teur friends as we should OF q company Of
professionals. and we don't propose to do
SO. 'a' ..''
= The entertainment was inaugurated by a
familiar but spIendidy-rendered overture
by the orchestra, which preceded the over.
ture OF the opera proper, in which the or
cbcstra excelled themselves. At last the
opera began and the curtain rose, exposing
10 the view of the audience the deck Of Her
Majesty's Ship, now so familiar to the opera
goers of Richmond, and Professor Sieeel,
beating the iast1bars Of the overture, anX-
iously listened for the rich opening chorus
which followed. The opening chorus over,
"Little Buttercup" (sfiss Beale) appeared,
and was greeted with welcome which the
accomplished and modest little lady fully
deserved, and which no doubt pleased her.
She sang and acted her part, rs all felt she
would do, most admirably, and her sweet,
soft, and well.trained voice afforded some
OF the most delightful music Of the eve-
ming. Miss Beale, while a little nervous
upon first coming upon the stage, recovered
herself ut once, and continued throughout
the opera to win admirers.
We were next introduced to "Ralph
Rackstraw" (Mr. Frank Cunningham,
whose sweet tenor, though narred by 4
cold from which Ralph was suffering, was
one Of the most enjoyable features OF the
performance. Mr.. Cunniny CHAM acted well,
and will no doubt make mark for himself
hereafter.
Josephine (Miss Swain) sang, as she al
ways does, with ease and effect. Her notes
were clear, rich, and sweet, and in the
ehOruses they could be heard even above
all the rest OF the company. We can hard
Iy look upon Miss Swain as an amateur, and
we take it that a lady Of her musical cult-
yation does not care to he so regarded.
But it is pleasure so to look upon such
talent as is found in this lady. Miss Swain
was handsomely attired, and greatly ad-
mired for the part she took in the opera,
and during the evening was the recipient
(as was also Little Buttercup) OF beautiful
bouquet.
Mr.. Ashton starke was the Sir Joseph
Porter OF the company, and while he was
little too fond OF copying" in one OF
his solos was repeatedly applauded for the
capital manner in which he performed bis
part. Mr.. Starke's costume was highly
amusing, and excited the risibles OF the att
dience to q considerable extent. He is q
trump.
Mr.. Louis Pizzini represented Captain
Corcoran in first-rate style. He is good
looking gentleman, and seemed more at
home than some OF the others, and sang and
acted admirably. Mr. Pizzini, it will be
remembered, took 4 prominent part in Gin
derella, In which he won quite reputation
for himself. 49,. ..... .
MIR. N. B. Pleasants sang the part Of the
Boatswain, in which is the baritone solo
"He is an Englishman.' This he per
formed very creditablY, and was rewarded
by An encore, to which he responded. This
was Il well-deserved compliment. In fact
there were but two otuer e7coreS-that ac-
corded Buttercup and the Captain in heir
duet. and the one responded to by Deadeye
and the Captain.
Dick Deadeye, the sailor who thought Sir
Joseph was on the "wrong tack" and
foiled Josephine in her little eloping scheme,
was finely represented in Mr. =. a. Perott,
who was we'll up in the stage business, and
sang his lines with ease and distinctness.
He has good voice and handles it so as to
make his part very interesting.
In Cousin Hebe (Mrs. Gillis), First Aunt
(Miss Peouze), the Marine (Mr. Waggoner),
and the tiny little Midshipmite (Ala>ter
Ralph Clemcnts), the audience were we'll
pleased. They displayed to great advantage
Mr.. Seigers fine training.
The chorus was the best we have ever
heard in Pnafore here. 1t seemed to us,
however, that it was too large for the stage,
or the stage too small for the chorus, we
don't know which.
The stage setting was admirable, all
things considered, and reflected great credit
upon Mr.. Siegel, who, however, knows no
Sucn W0rQ rs IjlI. lie sLaSe Is stlall, auu
is not susceptible of being handsomely ar
ranged for the deck scene OF 4 vessel. and
therefore the taste Mr.. Siegel displayed in
the arrangement CT the blocks and tackle,
&c, was all the more appreciated. Promi.
nent in the background was the barge OF
Sir Joseph Porter, manned by twelve
trusty oarsmen," bearing the Admiral
"and his sisters and his cousins and bis
aua,s," approaching the Pinaforc.
Pinalore will be repeated tonight, when
the imperfections OF last night will no doubt
be overcome.