Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-04-28
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE OPERA.
Emma Abbott IN d" Paul and virginia.,

ginia is an attempt at dramatizatiOn of
Bernardin de st. Pierre's idyllic story of the
same name. The latter is an old-fashioned
French romance, the scene alternating be-
tween a picturesque island off the coast of
Africa and under the dominion of France,
and the gilded society of the French me-
trOpolis. One only catches brief glimpse
of the latter phase Of the story in the oper-
attic composition, and to all lntents and
purposes the scene of the opera is confined
to the tropical island. The work is not an
entirely familiar one to patrons of the
opera hereabouts, inasmuch as but one
prima donna in the country has ventured to
give it, and that the little lady who favored
this city with her presence last
night. Briefly the tale runs about as
follows: Paul and Virginia are the chill
dren respectively Of Margaret. a widow in
lowly circumstances, and Madame de Ia Tour,
who many years before, at her marriage,
had been discarded by her rich family and
gained the friendship of Margaret and
shelter in her home. The boy and girl
have grown up in innocent childish COM
panionship, and the first act of the
opera develops the ripening of warmer
feeling, which is viewed with satisfaction
cessiOn of events, having no bearing on the
plot of the story as reproduced in the
opera, a letter is received by lime. de la
Tour from relatives in France, expressing
their forgiveness, and asking that Virginia
be sent to that country in order that she
may be made the heiress of her grand d-aunt's
estate. The latter proposition fills the
maiden's soul with anguish at the thought
of leaving Paul, but her mothers advice at
last induces her to obey the wish of her
grand-aunt, and temporarily conceal her
love from her companion, at least until her
return to the island. Plulnoticing at once
the change of demcanOr, thinks her affec-
ton for him has been destroyed at the pros
pect of her riches and station, which she
denies and promises to do as he would
have her. The beautiful love duo in which
they pledge their affection for each other
is one of the prettiest melodies of the opera.
Subsequently Virginia falls asleep on a
messy bank and is aroused by the ap-
proach of the governor of the island, bear
ing the royal mandate that she return at
once to France, and she is borne fainting
to the ship that is in waiting to carry her
thither. The third act affords view of
the bereaved lover mourning over tho loss
of Virginia, and, during his passionate
grief, a vision opens on his gaze. He sees
Virginia the centre of a gay circle in
French salon, and at their request she sings,
with her thoughts reverting, however, to
her lover in his far-off island home One
st. Croir, slave owner in the first part of
the opera, enters and asks her
hand in marriage, but is scorn-
fully rejected. At this her relatives
become highly offended and bid her return
to the island. All this transpires in Raurs
vision, and he grows joyful, for he knows
his sweetheart is coming home. On the
disappearance of the vision an old negro
slave enters to inform his young master
that a ship with Virginia on board is ap-
preaching the island, but before the vessel
can make the shore terrible hurricane
arises, the est. Geran" is wrecked, and
Virginia is drowned,
Anyone who has ever read the story of
" Paul and Virginia" will at once perceive
how very family the beauty of that charm
ing romance is reflected in this opera, thus
hurriedly outlined. AS musical compo-
sition, however, it ranks among the favor
too o,~1 /
was the announcement of the production
of this work of the French composer by
Miss Emma Abbott and her opera COM
pany that crowded Fulton opera house to
its entire capacity last evening, with an
audience comprising at once the fashion
and musical culture of the city. Our
people have previously had the
privilege of hearing this charming
and talented singer in concert on
several occasions, and the fact
that on her every appearance here she has
been greeted with overflowing houses
fully attests her popularity. Until last
night, however, her admirers had not been
able to judge of her capabilities in opera
save through the notices of the metro
politan press. On Miss Abbott's first ap-
pearancc on the concert stage, brilliant as
was her success, the critics expressed
doubt of her capacity for the more ex-
hausting work of the opera, which the
little lady had no hesitation in declaring,
she meant soon to essay. Her small
physique and manifest lack of vital power,
they argued, would totally unfit her for
the rendition of operatic roles, and they ad.
vised her to stick to the concert. Nothing
daunted by these kind suggestions, the
plucky little prima donna adhered to her
purpose, and the tlattering success of her
debut and subsequent career in the opera
pretty clearly that she knew her
own powers better than her critics, and
can scarcely have been more gratifying to
herself than it was surprising to her
friendly advisers. Miss Abbott is certainly
among tho country's most promising sing
ers. AS Virginia last night she fairly Cap
tivated her audience not less by the
freshness and vivacity of her acting, be-
speaking her possession of actual dra-
matte genius, than by the
splendid quality and compass of
her voice, with which people every
where are familiar. She sings with fervor |
md earnestness that materially enchance |
Inc beauty of the music. Her rendition of |
The role of the innocent and affectionate |
;hild of nature, unschooled in the arts of |