The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-05-05
THE DeCrOR OF ALCANrARA.
A. Given BY the Pupils Of the Blind
lnssitnte at Austin.

Corresp ondence Of the Herald. -. 3
AUSTIN. May let. 1881.
We went with crowd 10 see it, prepared
to criticise a. we'll as enjoy. Getting there
early, we had our choice Of seats, and settled
ourselves to enjoy the rare performance. /
believe some creditAble authority informed
Us that this vas the second institution of the
kind in the United States which had st.
tempted to give an entire opera. Very good
for Texas TO bs 40 far advanced.
Professor Herzog's orchestra was in A.
tendance, with Mics Zoe Bartlett, pupil
of Professor Klolz, at the piano. OF course
We knew that part Of the affair would be
good, 90 we didn't trouble ourselves about
them. Jf-daSl.1 olil lll5W ,Hll
Well, punctuslly at Q quarter past eight
the music began, the curtain rose, and We
were charmed With the lovely sersnade OF
"WAke, LAZY. waxe," with which the opera
opens. We saw no one, only heard the plain.
tive strain and the chorus Of good natured
friends who assisted the lover in his appeal to
the fair inamorita. fHf
Suddenly from each of three doors near
the balcony peep forth Donna Lucrezia, Miss
Jenny OJ the mother, her daughter
Isabella, and maid Inez, Misses Lsura NJ.
and Annie N.Y. Each one supposes the sere-
made to be addressed 10 her, and tiptoeing
about in the dark come across each other,
when q most amusing QuarreliHg trio ensues.
II was excellently we'll given, and called
forth many roar Of laughter, as in fact did
the whole opera. The audience was ready
to laugh at every line almost, Lucrezia's
husband, the quack doctor, Par.
scelsus, was On admirable character
as personated by Mr.. Allen. rs has quite a
reputation as singer, and ably sustained it
Friday night. He took the two characters
of the doctor and Don .Pomposo. The
change was very dextereously effected ard
did not interfere in the least with the bar
mony of the play.
Mr.. Turner as Don Carlos 1.-THE serenading
lover) was brought into the honse in an
enormous basket, during the absence OF
everyone.
By the way | must not forget how well
Messrs. Bates and P. played their part and
sang their laughing song as the porters.
The doctor, and lnez in trying to hide
the basket from the quarrel, some Lucrezs
dropped 1t into the river. Before this, how,
ever, Mr.. Turner had jumped out of the
basket, and filing it with books, had hidden
himself again. The solo of "Love's Cruel
Dart" by Don Carlos, and duo between him
and Lucrezia was most enjoyable. The
screams Of lnez when she looks out on the
balcony and imsgines che sees man in the
basket kicking and trying to get out, were
given with an energy an old performer could
not excel. The cries being heard, the might
watch" with Don Pomposo at their
head. He sings 10 good style
the taking air, "I'm Dor
Hipolits Lopez, Pomposo, Antonio Ricar.
do Doloro."
The chorus Of "Away," which follows,
was good, very good-in fact it was decided
by number OF critics that many regular
opera troupe could not have done better
This closes the first act, but before the cur
tain drops l must say something about thu
costumes. They were pronounced on al
sides lovely. Lucrezia the would-be youth
full mother, wore pink and gold overskirt
black and pink underskirt, powdered hair, over
which hung the long Spanish
veil. Trsvells, In orange and silver
\ and white lace overdress, with black skirt
y white lace veil caught with crimson and or.
\ ange, made an attractive picture as she sto cd
Z singing "Ah, Woe is Me-" in the second act
Don Carlos shone Respondent in green and
8 silver tights and jacket with flowing mantle
sleeves, pink hose and slippers, and Dor
i Pomposo with black, orange and silver
4 Palthazar(fAther of Don Carlos, Mr.. Willie
Pfouts) in old Spanish style, black trimmed
in ermlne, grouped together under the gas
light They made most effective pic
3 ture.
But to return to the play. The doctor ant
N lnez find out Carlos to be the son O
an old friend, Bathszar, and also the be
3 trothed of Isabella, though unknown to eacl
other. The doctor through mistake give
Y Carlos some wine, drought by Inez), which
proves to be one Of his poisonous decoctions
and Carlos falls into death like swoon. Tn,
ecene between 1nez and the doctor when tie,
Quarrel over the supposed dead body, ant
finally roll him under the sofa, Is full Of smuse
ment to the lockers on. Mr.. Pfouts nov
Y comes in as Bslthazsr, and we must compli
B ment his acting as we'll Is speaking. He cit
i down calmly on the supposed dead body o
h his son, and finally goes to sleep, to the grea
horror Of the poor doctor. When thu
father sleeps, the doctor and Trez came 10
armed with pair of shears TO cut the body
from under him, but they wake up at thu
right time, scream murder and police,
+ rouse the household and neighbors who com,
rushing in, and grand chorus finishes thu
y play. During the singing mutual explsna.
y tons take place, and Isabella and Carlos
prove to have been loving at cross purposes
We cannot speak too highly of the rendi
ton of the opera. The pupils Of tn,
Blind Institute not only die
themselves credit, but gavt
epjoyment and satisfaction TO a crowded
audience, in proof of which DR.. Rsiney hs
been solicited from various quartn-s ~ law
the opera repeated. We d, not mention
that gentlemsn's name 10 connection will
the careful drilling evinced by his pupils
because Il has been written 90 often Of hin
before. We conclude to leave II out thi
time and only say be leaves nothing undon,
for the improvement Of those under hi
charge. Hell very careful not TO allow th
etate TO pay for any Of these entertainments
The pupils have concert fund Of their OWE
His object in.allowing them to get up opera
to cultivate their taste for good music, :
improve their manners and movements, an
% teach themthat they can do 10 others.
VI "OMAR."
! GYsp lns~s ma