Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-22
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE OPERA.
ANNA Abbott In Lancaster

The crowd that surged around the inner
entrance of Fulton opera house last even
ing resembled in many respects that fire.
quently seen at the circus tent, only that the
eagerness displayed by all was tempered
| 10y good manners. 1t is long time indeed
since such scene has been witnessed at
our opera house, and the explanation lies
in the fact that the great body of the
people, vino had secured seats in advance,
OF course, used their pleasure as to the Sc
lection OF the time for coming, SO that from
quarter before eight until eight o'clock
there was perfect crush around the door,
| ana the ticket-taker had his hands full in
cndeavoring to bring oder out Of chaos
aud successfully discharge the task of adj
mitting the wcll-dressed mob, comprising
the most fashionable and highly cultured
! OF our citizens.
1t was certainly a royal reception Lam
| caster accorded to her favorite prima
donna, Emma Abbott, and by the time the
curtain rose the scene within tho opera
house was ono OF dazzling beauty and ami
nation. The rich dressing of the ladies'
was au especially noticeable feature, and
has not been surpassed at any similar en-
tertainmcnt witnessed here The uncOm-
mon character Of the performance had to
do with this, the fair sex evidently deter
mining to signify their appreciation
OF the treat in the most pro
nOunced manner. The bell rany
promptly, and while yet much con
fusion reigned throughout the hall owing
to the continued arrivals, the curtain rose.
Much OF the effect of the initial scene Was
marred hy this cause, a constant hum of
varied sounds prevailing over the audience,
tn 1,ipr II fI,o Il "a,
stoned by being frequently obliged to rise
to admit the passage of tardy arrivals.
The opera was Faust" Mr.. Castle
sang the title role in the manner that has
given him name and fame on the lyric
stage. Castles voice is poem. Its tex
ture is soft, flexible aud sound to the core;
in sweetness Of tone it stirs tn. imagina-
tion with thoughts of the music of the
spheres ; i'll range, compass, volume, it is
grand. As an actor he proved his mcttlc
i'll tho rendition Of the trying role he was
called upon to perform, and made good
his claim as one Of the few
male actors that America now has
on tho lyric stage. Mr.. Comfy
sang -Kephistvphcles. lie j.; no stranger
to the people OF Lancaster, and the quail
ties OF his wonderful bass, pre- eminently
the best that has ever been heard here,
arc too well known to need even passing
reference. Thorough cultivation has
rounded out the perfect proportions of a
native talent that has placed his voice in
limo with the worlds great bassos His
acting of the part was mastery, and his
make up i'll entire keeping with the quail
ity Of his work. Mr.. Stodlard, who sang
ldlcntthe, is the poSScsSOr of q fine, rich
baritone that answered every requirement.
of the score, and he acts we'll, too, while
Miss Maurel performed her part of .Siebel
in excellent form, and used her tiue voice
to advantage.
But the name that led all the rest was
that Of Miss Abbott. Since her last ap-
pearancc hero, this gifted lady has i'm
proved vastly. Her voice seems to gain
with maturity, and succeeding days develop
undiscovered beauties, and new sources Of
pleasure. There is nothing to he gained in
an attempt at analysis of the qualities of Il
voice that has long passed to the from t
rank OF the worlds lyric stars and beyond
the domain of ordinary criticism, such as
report within the narrow limits of 4 hasty
resume must necessarily be. But her last
nights performance can not fairly be
dismissed without special notice of the
surprising gain manifested by Miss Abbott
i'll her acting. Naturally endowed with
the physical attributes calculated to inspire
g correct idea of Goethc's heroine, her
Marguerite was not even u photograph,
but more living embodiment of the poets
own creation. The personality Of the
actress was completely transformed into |
that OF tho poets conception, ard the man.
ncr in which she succeeded in cnvelopins
herself i'll the part was q triumph of con-
art. Miss Abbott received a |
perfect ovation from the audience, and |
when finally she did make her appearance
before the curtain there was IN outburst of |
prolonged clapping to which the artist |
bowed and smiled recognition in her own
inimitablc way.
A word as to the afternoon performance.
The matinee, though only modestly at
tended, was none the less a thoroughly
pleasing entertainment. Balfc'S BOhc-
lnian Girl is rich i'll pretty tunes that
catch the ear and find permanent place in
the memory, and they were all charminsly
rendered. Miss R0scwald displayed. 4
fine soprano in the rendition of the part
Of -1rliae, and is full of the animal spirits
ind vivacity necessary to proper cxecu-
ion Of the role, whilst Miss Maurel sang
md acted the part of the Gypsy Queen in
thorough style. S;gnor Fabrini won the
lnstinted admiration of tho audience as
Ihaddsus, His voice is q tenor of ex-
,ellent quality, and is full of promise.
in the softer passages or the more
stirring strains, as in his concluding solo.
t answered every eXactiOn of the score.
The part ofthe Count was very acceptably
endered by fine baritone voice
which was incorrectly cast on the bill rs
hat OF Mr.. Comfy, while Mr.. Olmi found
mple scope for his splendid bass in the
'art of Der,lshoet. The choruses were full ,,
nd of even balance at both performances,
nd the orchestration all that could bc
csircd.
The High School Pupils.
The pupils of the boys and girls high I
chool, accompanied by teachers, turned {
ut in great force this morning, aud made I
IL excursion to Chickies and adjacent t
Oints Oh the Susquehanna. They went 1
y rail, will spend the day in gathering
otanical aud neurological specimens, and I
eturn this evening. \
The SnarP Shooters q
On Monday next the old members of t
he Sharp-shooters and Rifle club, will {
oc fo, :,,:k n l a