The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-04-12
The Opera.
CARliSS At THE MATIyEE-PAULA AND VIRGINIA
xtuar-raan-urp

CafMen was sung Tor the 1rsf time In
richmond ut the Theatre ut The muttlee on
saturday 10 full house. II Is not ustonisli-
Ing that this work has become so popaIar.
me author has selected everything THAT
could please al eye that loves to dwell on
tbe picturesque. The scenery, the wild -
sor'S OF the Spanish gy psies, and the snug
giers' cave; the 4" Plaza de Toros," where W
hear the shouts ut the buil-ight; all these,
as well as the richly-coIored costumes,
please The eye. while the ear Is enchanted
with The most exquisite music. THE charac-
ter OF Carmen was taken by Mrs. Seguin,
who looked ber best-that is, beaBtifuI-in
andmbtrof gorgeous costumes OF red satin,
cloth OF gold, yellow, white satin and gold,
black and white lace {; all set of by most be-
coming Spanish cOiftTes. Carmen IL dare.
devil gypsy girl who seems ITO transfer her
afiections with the greatest ease and sang
fr0id from the handsome soldier Don Jose
(rom KarD, to the Toreador Tor bull.
1ghterl A. G.. Stoddard. Like all tickle
ladies, she gets into trouble, and the fierce
Don jose slabs her to the heart at the end
OF the play. Mrs. Seguin and Mr.. Karl
sang magni6cenily and acted their parts
perfectly. Mr.. Stoddard, however. bore
of the most hODors, receiving a double
encore after the Toreador's song. Indeed
this gentlemanh had not bad chance TO show
what he could do until Carmen was put on
The boards. He has one OF the sweetest and
most sympathetic baritone voices we have
ever heard. His gestures are exceedingly
graceful, and the character OF the Toreador,
with its picturesque costume, is finely suit
ed to his manly bearing. The audience
seemed quite carried by storm. and the APP
plause awarded him was loud and long.
Miss Marie Stone, as Don JOse's first love,
and then rs the deserted but still faithful
Micaela, sang and acted her part beauti-
fully, and was also accorded the most gene
rous applause. The remainder OF the com
pany acquitted thems elves remarkably well.
Indeed, the opera as q whole was the equal
Of, il not superior to, any Of the season.
Miss Abbott and her excellent company
bade us adieu on Saturday evening in Paul
and Virginia. There was another fine
audience to enjoy the opera, and the enter
tainment passed off pleasantly-nay, charm
ingly. To our mind Virginia is Miss
Abbotts greatest role. She appears
to greater advantage in it than as Juliet, al
though there is more hard work in the lat
ter. She seems peculiarly fitted for the
character OF Virginia. She was sweet and
girIish in manner and style, and acted with
charm that we have rarely seen. Her
singing was as good as her acting, and alto
gether the evening was one OF much pleas
ure. The rest OF the cast was as follows:
MeaIa, Pauline Maurel Mdme. de la Tour,
ErOiy Gilbert; Margaret, Mrs. Ryse; st.
CroiX, w. ii. Macdonald; Domingo, Ellis
Hyse; Bordenuais, Harry Warren; Ne
gro Boy, \. L. Archer Grant Aunt, Jes-
sic Wright; Paul, William Castle.
Miss Maurel, after rendering very accept
ably her part in Carmen as Frasqulta-a
part iii which there is some difficult mu-
sic-sang at night that OF Meala with
freshness aud yigor qaite surprising. she
has a remarkably line voice, and viii, we
believe, make great reputation some day.
Mr.. Castle (PauD, one OF Ricbmond's
greatest favorites, and an artist OF wide
reputation, seemed as young as he was
twenty years ago, and many OF his audience
who heard him in past years declare that
they could see no change In him.
The rest OF the company were equally at
tractive.
The opera OF "Paul and Virginia" is
founded on the pretty story written by Ber-
hardin de st. Pierre, and the scene Is laid
in picturesque island off the coast OF Az
rica. But We need not repeat the familiar
story.
The last act opens with scene upon the
seaShOre, where Paul, consumed with grief
at the loss OF Virginia, is wandering. sud-
denly beautiful vision appears TO bim-he
sees Virginia richly attircd, the centre of a
gay circle in French salon; she sings
with her thoughts on him; the hated
st. CroiX, who has followed her TO France,
enters and offers her his hand she
RI iecs him with seorn; the rest insult her
and bid her return to the island. Paul
grows joyful. for he knows now she is COM
ing back to him. The vision disappears,
and Domingo, the old slave. enters to an
nounce that the ship bearing Virginia has
been signaIed, but that hurricane is
rising. A terrible storm ensufs, and the
Saint Gelan is wrecked. In the last scene
Paul. frantic with grief, clasps his dead
darling to his heart and yainly strives to
bring her back to life, while the islanders
knecl around, softly chanting a solemn
melody.