The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-03-18
The 4Chimes OF Normandy"

Was rendered by the Emporia Musical
Union at Bancroft hall, Tuesday evening,
in a creditable manner to an audience
whose size and appreciative character af-
forded abundant encouragement to the
singers composing the cast of this
charming opera.
The performance, taken as a whole,
was fully up to, If not above, expects
ton. The choruses were exceptionally
good, and the mounting of the play was
equal to some of the best we have seen
employed IN larger places with profess
siOnal combinations. The dressing of the
opera was really charming, and every
detail of toilet, from the jaunty costumes
of the peasants up to the elegant apparel
of the Marchioness and Marquis, dis
played faultless taste and keen eye to
effects.
The central figures, of course, were
Serpolette, the good-for-nothing, and
Germaine, the lost Marchoiness, person.
ated respectively by Mrs. Captain Som
mers and Mrs. e. S. Cross, who fairly di-
vided the laurels of the evening between
them. The piquant mischief-makerS erpo-
lette, who figures as the prime mover of
all the social agitation among the viii
layers, and whose pretty vagaries are the
source of constant ridicule among her
half;jealous companions, could have
found no better interpreter than Mrs.
Sommers, whose bright, animated face
and vivacious manner, added to her
splendid acting and singing, rendered
her personation of the character credita-
bic to the highest degree.
In pleasant contrast to this picture,
was the artistic rendition, by Mrs. G. S.
Cross, of the antipodal character of Ger
maine, whose winning attributes found
suggestive embodiment in the lovely
blonde so successfully personated by the
accomplished lady who assumed the
part, and whose dramatic and lyric
qualifications were equal to all the de-
mands Of the exacting role of the lost
| Marchioness.
The subordinate characters of Ger
trude, Jeanne, Manette and Susanna,
were successfully assumed by Misses
Madge Overstreet, Allie Hassler, Belle
Carswell and Mrs. Z. A. Moore, respec-
lively, all of whom acquitted themselves
with much credit.
In reviewing the male characters, we
do not regard it too much 10 say
that Mr.. Charles Holmes, as Jean
Grenicheux, the fisherman, is fairly
entitled To the palm, his acting
and singing being admirable through
out. The very exacting role of
Gaspard, the miser, was taken by Mr..
]. G. Burnett with very fair effect con-
sidering the fact that, owing to change
in the cast, he had but few evenings to
devote to its rehearsal. Mr. r. NJ Bach
eller, as the Bailli, manifested an excel.
lent conception of bis part, and perform
ed it to the great amusement of the au.
dience. Mr.. A. NJ. Hunter, as Henri,
the Marquis of Bonneville, made
a good appearance, but was a
tritie constrained in his acting He
would add to the success of his persona.
alton If he would throw little more
spirit into his manner. The remaining
male members of the cast were d
Wheldon, E. s. Waterbury, Professor
Nutting and David Bins, who took mi
nor parts in a very satisfactory manner
The orchestra, composed of Robert
Elstun, OIL the violin; Miss Anna God
dard, on the piano; J. w. Murphy, OF
the flute; Will Elstun, on the vic
lion, and Thomas Holmes, al
double bass, deserves the highest
praise, for the admirable style in which
it sustained its part OF the programme
DIED.-Sunday evening, March 10
1881, of general debility, Mrs. Nancy A
Childers, aged "a years. She leaves 6
husband and four little children to mourn
her untimely death.
wish to publicly thank relatives
friends and neighbors for their kindness
during the most trying time a human
being can go through with. 1 alsC
thank THE NEWS Company for generous
favors during the illness of the deceased
And to my eleven-year old daughter fol
the energy, kindness and devotion shC
displayed during her mothers illness o
nine weeks duration,