The Portland daily press., 1879-03-01
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

W6 1851 10 u65lJaGlOn IN saying Gnat C0i. CuSu-
man never bough bit q religious paper in bis life
GREENBACK CITY COMMITTEE.
Names given If desIed.
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
H. M. s PINAFORE.
No comic opera has provided brighter or
more charming music than Pinatore which
was produced last night. Mr.. W. s. Gilbert's pen
has furnished the most ludicrous text and Mr..
Arthur Sullivan has produced thu most deli
cious melodies which are. in many cases, the
most delicate satire on well known composers,
aud are 80 contradictory to the words that,
with the effect produced by the Homogeneous
acting, they help out situations irresistably
funny in themselves The libretto is nom
sensical hodge-podge from the "Bab Ballads
by Mr.. Gilbert. The Musical Trade Re-
view, IN speaking of the opera, says that Sui.
Ivan has attempted to burlesque the sentiment
al muse, but # the parody were placed side by
side with hIs "Once Again" "Let Me Dream
Again." "Looking Back, ct id onane genus
no one could tell which was the genuine and
which the imitation.
1t would be impossible, with the pressure on
our columns at this special time, to review all
surd aria of "Little Buttercup," the (bum-boa
woman In the first act,) aud going through the
list to the admirable finale in which the prin-
cipal themes of the work are Iehearsed in
grand potDourri. Every recitative, says one of
the best musical authorities, has trumpet and
horn passages and ends on the dominant, fol-
lowed by cadence, in true orataro manner.
The captain has a ludicrous aria, to bagin with
MY gallant crew, good morning." where,
with the utmost solictude, he and the crew
mutually inquire as to each others health.
Then follows palpable parody, when the adj
mirai's boat is heard coming with chorus)
from the distance, and the sailors crowd to the
rear of the stage in very similar style to that
knight and swan come down the river. This is
not the only hit at Wagner, for Mrs. Grips
(Little Buttercupl, the peddlar of wares to the
sailors, and the admiral have their telt motlOen
as well as the most heroic Characters OF the
trllology. The admiral is always followed by
group Of fe u ale relatives, who echo his s-nti-
ments and wander into every part OF the piece
as aimlessly as Greek chorus in tn classic
tragedies The admiral is a mud edition Of
Prince Paul of "La Grande Duchesee;" and
gentility.. For example. he requires the captain
say "If you please when addressing sailor.
''For hold that on the seas,
The EXPRESSION If you please
particularly gentlemanly tone impants."
And we are his cousins, and his sisters, and his
aunts.
Handel Is freely initiated; most exactly in the
aria, Gle is an Enslshman," where the POM
pous run and rOulode is most amusing to the
musician. Plzzlcato effects are freely scattered
about and give a mOck-my ,terlous style to
many numbers, but precisely where one would
expect it. In the scene where the villain warns
the captain of his daughters intended flight
the effect is made very laugh able by their sing
ing about it 10 duet QUAINT English style,
with a refrain) which is beloved out with i'm
mense force.
While the satire of the opera appeals more to
the English, with the red tape of their naval
service, still it is sufficiently applicable to our
own to make It appreciated in Americs. The
music is far in advance of the ordinary r 1g-
lish opera, and the orchestration very fue. The
time OF the opera is the latter part
of the last century, and the costumes are very
accurate.
1t is rarely Portland hears an opera better
suog or acted than Plnsfore was last night
From the raising of the curtain upon the deck
of Her Majesty ship. with the town of Ports
mouth in the distance, everything went off
without hitch. The cast differed somewhat
from the original at the Museum, bat it was
good enough. Mr.. Wilson's Admiral was a
most artistic effort; the mock dignity was kept
up to the end aud the part never allowed to
descend. Miss Ames as Josephine, the Cap
tsin' g daughter, sang swith true prma doona
effect rather then with the voice of buresque
Miss Martinot was charming as Hebe. She
improves every day, and she was very pleasing
when with StetsOn's company. Miss Harold
had a bad cold, but she possessed an agreeable
voice, and she was lawfully saucy" as "Little
Battercup" Mr.. Graham was capital "Dick
the opera was the trio of Ralph, Dick and an
other, in which Dick, .s the buss, growls away
on bis own hook. Mr.. Pau was very good
"Rslph," and displayed an excellent tenor
voice, while Stanley Felcb receivedsa deserved
encore for ssHe is an Englishman." "Sir
JOssph's"
81 am the Monarch of the Sea-
set feet and hands to beatng Time, meta
phorically speaking. All the rest of the char
acters were we'll taken, and the opera may be
set down as great success. The matinee and
to-nights performance will be crowded by as
brilliant an audience as last evening.
HUMPTY DUMPTY.
The good old pantomme, Humpty Dumpty,
was brought out surprisingly we'll by the Tony
Dener troupe at Music Hall last evening. 1t
has never been better presented in this city,
| and long since so good performance was given
The troupe is large and has in it many good
| specially artists. Many Of the tricks are new
and all the old ones very clevsrly done. The
| mechanical contrivances are novel, the music
| and songs tolerably fresh, the variety business
| new and entertaining. Above all the clown is
| excellent of his kind, the Columbine as
beautiful as a-well as somel dreams-she il
/ AooAy FOty PAos1y oouAn UNUSUALLY agile,
and the Pantaloon decidedly fuuny-a thing
novel and refreshing
| Mr.. Adams (the new Grimaidi) is certainly q
worthy successor to the title of the famou:
old clown. He is gifted with rich and
unctuous humor, an astonishing power Of
l facial expression, and is an accomplished
acrobat. Miss Ada Boshell, always favorite
in Portland, was pretty and very pleasing both
as Columbine and Goody Two Shoes The in
PRODUCTION OF the attendant fairies, "Bloudinetts
| and Brunetta," was novel and taking idea
The other parts were all we'll taken.
The variety business was of the best, Venus
| and AdOnis making very happy hit in the
velocipede act, Mr.. Heath, the veutriloquist
Introducing many new and amusing things
and the acrobats performing their dIfficnl
feats to general satisfaction.
The performance will be repeated this even
ing ard at the matinee to-day. The matinee
which is given at 2.30, will afford ladies ant
children An excellent opportunity to see tht
| show. No child certainly ought to be deprived
Of the chance to see the famous old panto
m.me-a pantomime to W hich they will NEE
illusions time and tple again If ever the,
read books. The house last night was full ,ant
the prospects of another great audience thil
/ evening are excellent.
GILMORE's BAND CONCERT.
Attention is called to the opening sale o
tickets for the Gilmore concert at Stockbridge'
Monday morning. We sincerely wish tina
this effort on the part of a we'll know
| charitable association TO please the public ant
l help the Door may meet the success IL deserves
both from the merit of the concert 10 itsel
and the noble work the q MON have done and
are doing among our poor.
/ Wiudham.