The Portland daily press., 1881-10-04
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.



Last evening the Ideal Opera Company
opered their fall and winter season with per-
formance of Audrans 'Mascotte" at City
Hall. 1t was also their first appearance any
where in that opera, and consequently they
were themselves as much interested in the rep
resentation as the audience. 1t is well to say
here that the performance was success, and
that it was remarkably smooth for such an oe-
casion. There were very few hitches and
these were unobserved by the. majority of the
spectators. The orchestra and singers were
we'll together, and, in the ensembles especially,
fault finding would be hypercritical.
Audran's opera possesses great opportunity
for scenic display and magnifcence OF cos
tume In City Hall but little could be ex-
pected as far as the first was concerned. And
yet, owing to the rishness of the dresses, such
scenery as was provided enabled the manage
ment to furnish several stage pictures OF great
beauty and effect. Especially was this the
case at the opening of the third act, where
background representing a lake, from whose
CLASSY surface uprose the Apprentices, was
framed in a setting of rustic simplicity, while
in front were grouped the old gold and blue
uniforms of the guards surrounding the grace
full figure of Fiametta, in her Gypsy dress of
white, brown and red, relieved on either hand
by the low-toned costumes of Prince Lorenzo
and Rocco In every c ise the dresses were IN
the best of taste, those of the pages particular
ly showing an admirable combination of colors,
although they could hardly be said to agree
with the general idea of pages costume
We have already. on previous occasion, re-
ferred 10 the melodious and brilliant character
of+ +bo of sMacaaffa a ~ The miSf0r-
tune is tnat the dialogue preponderates to such
an extent over the musical numbers. Last
evening several of these latter were cut out,
noticeably an aria of Fiametta's and song OF
Prince Frederics and some OF ms couplets.
The reason given was that their rendering
would have added nothing to the pleasure OF
the audience, as the music was not attractive
The second act, in consequence OF tnis sparsity
of airs and concerted pleceS dragged little,
and would have proved somewhat tedious II
Barnabee aud rockingham had not convulsed
the audience with some excellent gags. Prob
ably in future renderings the dialogue Will be
cut still more SO as to enable the curtain to fall
at half-past ten.
The cast of the opera was very good; @nat
we should expect from the Ideals. The charm
ing song of the Mascotte, "When | beheld
your manly FORM" sung by Bettina miss
Stone) and Pippo (Tom KarD were deliclously
sung and deservedly encored, as was their
duet "Know'st thou these robes,o and Pippo's
aria. II near the prize" All the concerted
music w IS give with dash and spirit and the
chorus was admirable. The delightful waltz,
"Wise men in all ages" sung by Lorenzo
Barnabee) as a solo, with the chorus, came as
near perfection as possible, and the .ourang
Outang song'' brought down the house. Fes-
senden (Frederic) and Fiametta miss Carrie
Burton) b ID little to do as soloists. The form
mer gave his "Song of the Drum" with spirit,
and the latter was very graceful and PIC
turesque, and sang with good tasee and effect
@ha oto nf4 4ba 0utanp ~ Er0fhInV-
hams Rocco was excellently acted and well
surg. In fact the acting was good throughout,
Tom Karls being marked with much passion
and fervor, and both Barnabee's and Froth-
ingham's full either Of quiet fun or absurdi-
ties that convulsed everybody. Miss Stone
sang exceedingly well, and acted with che,
but she is hardly an ideal Bettina.
The orchestra should be praised for their
good work adding greatly to the success OF the
opera. Mr.. Studley conducted with skill and
taste, showing himself capital leader. The
audience was of course very la, ge In point OF
numbers, and very brilliant.
BAIRD's MINsTRELs.
Tomorrow this excellent minstrel troupe
will appear at Portland Theatre in large and
varied entertainment. They will offer many
features of special interest. such rs the church I
choir boys, the London quartette, the Zoiave
Cadets, Jubilee sextette, and the pedestal clog
dances. Get tickets to-day.
WIDOW BED0TT.
Thursday night Neil Borgess. will appear as
the "Widow Bedott' at Portland Theatre
The Albany Argus says that in makeup. man
ner, acting, movement, and in all the little
by-plays and "business" which go to make up
the Characterization, Mr.. Burgess is irresisti-
BILE. In the Widow Bedott he has evidently
struck part for which he is, BY nature, incii-
nation and talents eminently fitted, and the
Widow Bedott in his hands cannot fail to be-
come fully as famous and forcible character
ization of well known but fortunately some
what rare type of humanity, as is the Colonel
Sellers of Mr.. Raymond or the Bardwell Slote
of Mr. Florence.
Next Saturday Coles great Australian cir
Gus with its many interesting features Will eX-
kibit in this city.
Manager Stetson, of the Globe Theatre, Bos-
ton, has an elegant room at the theatre sappro-
priated to the journalists, where they can write
their criticisms and thence send them to their
journals.
Western critics speak many kind words
about the acting of Mr.. George It. Learock,
Mr. Keen's chief support. Mr.. Learock was
leading man at Fanny Marsh's Theatre.
1t is said Louis James is to assume the parts
Charles Fechter made famous. Good Hsav-
ems!
Miss Flora E. Barry takes Miss Jennie Wins
toms place with Mahn's Opera Company. That
is unfortunate.
Rossi, the .reat italian tragedian, appeared
in Boston last night.