The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-04-18
A B0EQJET or CRITICISMS.

The dancing attache of the Patagonian lie
CATION writes to us:
read all the Sunday papers OF Washington, ant
wish there were Just few more OF them. In trying
however, to make up my estimate of the Pirates OF
"Penzance' from their erullte and finished review,
have been considerably confused In what people cal
my mind, and naturally come to You for cucidation.
learn from the aosetts that
With the substitution of n General for an Admiral
Ira,es ana policemen for sailors, and bevy of girl
lor the sisters, cousins, AMI aunts - the play
seems substantially reproduction OF .'Pinafore =
There Is thinly disguised Bu,tercup, similar
Though not the sainc) error on which the action
hinges IN the case OF the young lover and general
resemblance in many other points OF the plot.
And even the capital feels obliged TO say more
genialy
Tue constant reminder OF Buttcrcup. the Admiral,
to the Praes they are old fayorltes that we Iife I,
see masquerad'ng In other garbs and faces The IA
miliarity OF the themes Is rather an advantage.
Passing over the point that there Ia no A,lmira,
In 81 Pinafore, - wish to know whether they arc
right, or whether the Republic is right, which saws:
The plot Is certainly new. Frederick ia M nor,
IKE haiph than one hero must necessarily be like
ahother and General Stanley and Sir Joseph Porter
NV a su na nu,.ereup' Show no greater parity than may
pe round III hundreds OF characters.
Then. regards the music The very scholarly
and critical Journal just quoted which has word to
say ABOUT everything, lays 1t down that
or the two acts the first Is much tho better Til.
music tlongh pleasing, has not the marked orri-
ha,ty which characterizes the airs of 'Pinafore.
ana does not possess the element of popuarty I'm ony
great degree. Probably this Is the reason WHY many
profess to admire It, music being high order in tile
estimation of certain class OF critics lust IN nronor
tlon as 1t lacks melody and Is ncomprehensible The
valse, Poor, Wandering One, - Is one of the
sweetest airs and the Generals pattcr song is de.
cldedly the most taking.
On the contrary the Capital tells me
nhae OF the opera In all respects though the last act
Is better than the first. The most popular numher
seems to be the grand and pollcenen's chorus:
IL Is eccentric, grotesque humorous and In the In al
movement, with soprano SOLO and female yolres Ia
extremely pretty. ~ 20
While the Chronicle contradicts several of the ahove
by saying:
The plot is original and interesting, tho dialogue
nrsht anu nuDbing, and the music catching, spark
ing, and filled with the pnrest melodies. The score
isrepefo with musical gems, which have already
taken the populace by storm, and are whisted and
hummed almost everywhere.
Ihe Gazette takes somewhat of new departure by
saying
49, me Pirates OF Penzance'' is, in some respects,
an improvement upon 'Pinafore ', notably in Tho
music which is not only of higher order but ,cc,dey
more original.
snpposing that was intensely Interested in the inn
portant question whether the first act was better than
the last, or the last better than the first; would cer
y VIC icit III state Oh most harrassng uncertainty
by two of the above.
Finally, as regards the singers, the RepuJlic saws
with lofty scorn doubtless gathered from the writer's
experience at La Scala and II Teatro della Recin,
Haymarket
Mr.. Louis p. Pfau who sustained the role of Fred
ericE, is an Indifferent actor and worse SINGER Miss
Minnie Walsh who appeared rs Mabel has thjn
voice. which comes from her head alone and n necu
ar execution, but she had very pretty things to
sing, ana her acting being rather better than her
singing, she succeeded in pleasing, Mr. Standish
as sergeant OF police, rendered ineffective what might
otherWise nave been good business.
might pause TO inquire whence NJ Rcpublioue
would wish the young adys voice to come other than
her head, but will content myself by bringing to
your attention that the Arstarchus of the Chronicle
differs from him:
Miss Minnie Walsh impersonates the Generals fa
her singing Is splendid. She has a voice OF ren,ark
aDie strength and purity Mr.. Harry sandish proved
an admirable Police Sergeant Mr. Pfau who toi...s
me tenor part OF Frederic, Is an excellent singer and
Ices full Justice to his part. ~
And is followed by the Copftal thus:
Miss Walsh makes charming Mabel. and e,vors
he sentiment with ooquetry and the music with pas
mos. Messrs. Marks, Pfau, Giliow StantIsh and
Parr take their parts well.
What am to believe? Are there no canon, or
criticism; or are mere individual judgments which
ire all In such hurry TO express, forever irrecopI.
'be and yalueless after all
Our correspondent had better confine his
reading to THE SUNDAY HERALD.