Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-12-10
THE OPERA.

There was only q fair turnout at Fulton
opera house last evening. when Mains
company produced, for tho first time In
this city, Won Suppe's comic opera Of
BoccacciO. From AN artistic point OF
view, the execution Of this notable work Of
the genial composer was altogether meri-
torious. Careful and ju,licious training was
evidenced in tho rendition Of all tho num-
bcrs that call for an harmonious blending
of the several parts, and seldom has \
moro evenly balanced or perfectly
propOrtioned chorus been heard here.
Tho music Of BOccaccio" is however,
deficient in the tuneful melodies that might
bc looked for from tho author Of those
delightful waltEes that arc linked with the
name Of tho German composer, and of tho
lively and sparkling airs In " Fatiuitza"
that gave him o still wider popularity.
Not that this moro recent production Of
his versatile conceit lacks in tho viSOr and
the dash that are characteristic Of his
other work indeed thero arc glow and
an energy about parts Of tho score that do
not suffer by comparison with the best be
with here and there an exception, is
not after the style that you would want t.
"catch on to, nor burn with an ardent
desire to retain in mind long enough to in
dulgc the national propensity of wh:stling
after gottiDg outside the opera house. Tho
coOper's chorus, the march that our bands
and Orchestras and the small boys shrill
whistle have rendered familiar, arc notable
exceptions in this respect then, too, there
is at the end of the second act , deliciOus
passage between Boceaceio and Kamstta,
full of the fervOr of love and marked by
exquisite delicacy of feeling and perhaps
q few other numbers that may be included
under the same category. But the general
tenor of the score il eccentric, though here
in it harmOnizcs with tho character tho
composition is designed to represent,
and may be said to fairly reflect the
singularly grotesque humOr of the librettO.
There are evidences Of the master genius
of the author in many phases Of the instru
mentatiOn, and the whole bears tho i'm
press of scholarly treatment that dOes not
fail to commend itself to the critical analy-
sis of educated musical sense. H0wbeit,
the audience didn't eleotrify. The feast
was not what they expected, and the Gle
ment of disappointment was mingled
with the surprise with which they lis
tened. Only once during the entire per-
formance did they wake themselves up to
tho point of an encore, though there were
many portions that deserved the disrinc-
tion. Miss Flora Barry gave very &C.
ceptable rendition OF the title role, Der
voice being full, rich, and combining.
singular sweetness with volume and
power, while in action she was full Of vim
and animation. Miss Renie Reignard, az
Fametta, won great favor with her hearers
by the delicacy and accuracy of her vocal
izatiOn. She met all the requirements
of the score in capital style, and her sweet
face and natural modesty of manner
further enhanced her impersonation sho
is evidently new to oporatic roles, but has
bright future before her. Mr.. Ellis
Ryse's fine bass was heard with effect
throughout the performance and tho
chorus, as before mentioned, was fanltless.
We are pleased to be able to announce
the return Of the troupe on Tuesday evcn-
ing next, when Audran's lively and In
spiriting composition, The Mascot, +" will
be sung. This is one Of the pronounced
successes of recent comic opera, on which
our people have already had occasion to
pass their favorable Judgment. With
Mains fine company, and the excellent
orchestratiop that was wanting in the
former instance, it is safe to predics that
the "Mascot will yet further advance in
the good graces of Audran's admirers.