The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-03-11

Tlrst pee1oem00co q 1o00h0W'0
Han.

Every seat in Rensl'aw's Hall Was
occupied last night when the curtain
rose on Laila, the first legitimate theat-
rical representation in Butte's new
opera house.
The audience was not only numerous
but what may be termed in Butte
fashionable. There were the mothers
and sisters Of the little children who
were to appear on the stage, there were
the usual amusement Roers who never
miss first night, aud lastly, the beaux
and bellies Of society, two and two, like
the animals who accepted Noah's hos
pitality.
The orchestra was not rs strong or as
harmonious as it might have been. but
was at oil events faithful. Miss Nc
Jnt,re played the piano accompani-
lnent, and Messrs. Mcmillan and Fits
chen the violin and. cornet respec-
lively.
On the stage were some thirty or
more children most of them under
twelve years of age, and indeed the Pc
culiar Characteristic Of the perform
ance Of Laila last night was
the presence of SO many fresh
young faces behind the foot
lights, which 10 = rule are not az
customed to light up childish innocence
and costumes no more gaudy than the
Innocent muslin of the school girl.
The musical theme Of the operctta,
considered as composition, is rather
tame, modelled after no particular style,
but having strong leaning towards the
Soody and Manky school. This l'eiug
the case the charming entertainment
which the audience enjoyed last even
ing, was due not to the merits IF the
composition or the orchestral accom-
panincnt, but to other causes, some Of
which have already been mentioned,
but the chief of which was the delight
full acting and sweet, clear voice Of Miss
Fannie Mcintyre, u young lady whose
first introduction to u Butte audience, as
I.aila, can not fail to lie a. gratifying to
herself ~ it was proven to be to her
friends and admirers last night. Lack
Of space forbids any detailed description
of the plot Of .aiia. Perhaps the most
effective scene was that in act II, in
which the heroine chitlcs her coin
panions for their rudeness to the beggar
children, who are really fairies in dis
guise, AMI sings the solo "Why thus UNI
kiad my sisters" The reply ofthe larger
# the bcg.g..r children, who afterwards
turns out to be the Fairy Queen was
we'll done indeed, and displayed voice
of unusual sweetness and purity. The
nairc acting Of Laila, who showed
good stage presence and unusual
selfp0ssession in one 80 young,
a much ~ her voice which in the opin-
ion Of musicians is perhaps uncquallei
in Butte, won her enthusiastic applause
all through the performance and a
double encore in the second act. For
her first encore she sang ''When the
Leaves Begin to Turn" with much grace
and ,s.tl,os, and comic song for hel
second encore which left not dry eye
| III the right proscenium box.
| Among the pretty parts Of the score
may he mentioned the classic mi"'1c'
music, which comes in with the first al''
pearance Of the fairies; and is of eOui X
not part Of the operetta itself.
The SUCCESS Of the first performance
and the worthy cause to which the pro
cee<ls of the entertainment are tote Dc
voted warrant the belief that the house
tonight will he even larger than thu
first one, and that the first performance
of Laila is decided success.