The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-26

adaptation, and Is thoroughly original. It's
scene is laid In Giiisertia, the people living
thereon being Gibertian-tbat is, gro.
tcsque, picturesque, and unreal. The story
is easily told. resembling more the story OF
"The Sorcerer" than any other OF Mr.. Gill
bert's works.
EsTHEIIcS ~ A GLADE.
The opera opens with a scene represent
ing a glade close to an ancient castle, where
twenty "rapturous maidens" dressed IN
aesthetic draperieS, playing lutes and man
dolns, sing in the last stage OF despair, all
their love being concentrated on male 3s-
thete, Reginald Buuthorne, played by Mr..
George Grossmitb, Jr. A troop OF dragons
come on the scene OF their former heart
conquests. bot are chagrned TO lind their
old sxeetbearts changed and indulging IN
the gushing largOn OF pseudo-9 ,theticism,
and refusing TO listen to the suits OF nesbly
warriors. They have reached, as one
character says, that transcendental.
ism OF delir.um, that acute accen-
tuation Of supremest ecsfacy which the
earthly might easily mistake for indigestion,
but which is aesthetic TRANSPORTATION. Glove
in the minds Of the rapturOus Is the embodl-
meut OF purity, the abstraction Of refine
|
IL is scarcely possible in a cable dispatch to
follow the details OF the plot. 1t is enough
10 say that The colonel, major. and lieu en-
ant OF the regiment determine in the second
act to become aesthetics with their warriors
in order TO win back their lost loves. BY the
time this is accomplished the girls them
selves have seen the folly Of their ways, have
grown tired OF the aesthetic creed. and have
IN paftlrainpSe and ViVcpitV
GILBERTTAN QUIPs.
The libretto is, OF course, full Of eccen-
tricities. topsyturvydom, Gilhertiana, and
astonishing rhymes. One of the conun.
drums put forth last week in London was
Gilbert's new rhyme for "totally." This
is the solution:
,rhe consequence was he LOST totdiy
And married girl IN the corps de Day.
Mr.. Gilber,'s receipt for making Il heavy
dragoon is the following:
II Won want a receip. for that popular mystery
Known TO the world as heavy dragoon,
Take all the rema rkable people In history,
Rattle them of TO popular tune.
The pluck of Lord Nelson on board Of the Victory,
Genius OF Bismarck devising plan;
The humor of Fielding, which sounds contradic-
Goodness of Psget about to trepan.
The science of julien, the eminent mustco,
Wit of Macaulsy. who wrote of Queen Anne.
style of the Bishop of sodor and Man;
The dash of d'Orsay, dlyeSied OF quackery:
Narrative powers of Dickens and 1nackeiay,
Victor Emanuel, Peak hunting Peveri
Thomas Aquinas and Doctor Sacheverell,
Upper and TeDnyson, Daniel Defoe,
Anthony Trollcpe and NJ. Guzpt:
Take of these elements all that Is fusible,
Melt them all down In plpkin or crucible,
Set them To simmer and take of the scum,
And heavy DRAGON Is the residuum.
AT the denouement everybody admits bis
t. IA s..I D,,n al
mits himself to be
Apilld and thin young man,
haggard and lank young man,
Greenery Gallery, GrOsyeuOr Gallery,
FOOtiu-ihe grave Young man.
THE Music.
The libretto contains some love ballads OF
poetic beauty. Mr.. Sullvan's music is not
strikingly original. II has lots Of ego"
and some Of the ballads are extremely
pretty. A seXtette at the conclusion Of the
first act, al hear the soft note OF the echo.
ing voice OF an DID, old love long dead" is
extremely sweet. Mr.. Sullivan has added
a quantity OF jingle, but it must
be admitted that Mr.. GIlberts words
demand this. There are some pretty
dances aud taking dance music, but
altogether the music is rather disappointing.
One scene OF the opera, where the colonel,
msior, and lieutenant enter In aesthetic
dress, one holding suDflower, another a
tulip, the third a lily, and drill in aesthetic
attitudes, as made popular by George Du
Maurier, is supremey funny. "Patience
was received with much enthusiasm and
many recalls by the audience, whose feet
patted to the iinkle OF the music
ana ITS rhymes. Whether Patience" will
be success in America it is impossible TO
predict, but ii is certainly well worth see