Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-17
Twenty lovesick maidens We
Lovesick all against our will;
Twenty years hence we shall be
Twenty lovesick maidens still.

/
! They are all, o, perverse fate, in love with
fleshy poet called "Re2 inald Bunthorne, y
and they all droop wiltedly abou. him and
| follow him yearningly wherever he goes
! He, however, though he lives on admiration
| and is very much grsti6ed at their passion,
| or rather their absence of passion, loves
| Patience" the pretty milkmaid, who does
not know what love is. They are
''all rivals in the affections of their "Rsgin-
| aid, J." the very hopelessness of their love be-
| ing the bond that binds them to each other"
Patience" is not an asthete, and is, accord
| ingly, not at all bilious. In her simplicity
she asks Lady Angela" the ingenious ques
ton, "What is this love that upsets every
body, and how is it to be distinguished
from insanity" "Poor, blind child"
says angela, ''Why, love is of all
passions the most essential 1t is the en-
bodiment OF purity, the abstraction of re-
the whirlpool Of grasping greed~ At this
Patience" begins TO cry because she has
never experienced this passion. Shortly after
she meets "Grosvenor," the idyllic poet,
modelled after Oscar Wilde. He is the pam
pered lah-de-dah of all the girls, he is per-
lection, "trustee for beauty" and he recip-
rocates the affection of Patience" She dis
covers there is nothing unselish in loving a
being who is perfection, and so she parts
with him and Processes to love "Bunthorne,"
who is overjoyed. The idyllic poet immedi-
ately on his coming attracts the love of all
the aesthetic maidens, and renders "Bun-
thorne" furious we'll the twenty
Dragons who have been engaged to the
twenty maidens. "Buuthorne finally
threatens TO curse "Grosyenor" if the latter
does not become commonplace young
man and cut his hair off. This he atcord-
iDgly does, and then being no longer perfect
"Patience" can love him as much as she
wishes. This throws "Bunthorne" upon the
market again, and he consents to receive the
affections of the ancient Jane" who has
followed him faithfully about. At the last
proposes to Jane" and she giyes up "Bun-
horne" thus crushing that aesthetic
sham again. The other girls are
paired off with the dragons and every
thing ends merrily. 1t is impossible to give
a fuller outline than this without publishing
the whole opera. There is not a dull line in
the Hbretto, not a measure of bad music in
quite up to PfnGtore and the Pirates, but that
is inherently the fault of the subject, which
does not afford such opportunities for bold
and clear-cut musical beauties.
The presentation OF the opera was deserv- |
ing of the highest praise. Miss Abbotts |
Patience" is one of the daintiest characters |
che has yet given US. She was simply a sweet |
little milkmaid, and her innocence was de-
licious. Her singing of the ballad, "Love is |
a Plaintive Song" was exquisitely tender |
aud sympathetic. There is probably no
singer on the American stage who can
equal her in the purity of her softer
notes, which can be likened to moth
ing more fttingIy than the dintiRuepdo |
upon violin. They may be SO faint that
they are half trembling into naught, but
hey are still the dreams of beautiful song.
ID, A.
lion of sly fun. Her occurrences, her arch
acting and her brilliant vocalization made
ler the joint popular favorite OF the evening.
She was simply without flaw in her part.
Her singing of the song
Silvered Is the raven hair
Spreading is the parting straight,
Notified the complexion fair,
Hating is the youthful gait,
vas intensely funny. Mr.. Castle acted
he part of "Reginald Bunthorne1 in
EXCELLENT STYLE while Mr.. George Olmi was
he dreamy idyllic poet to the conception of
he most fastidious aesthetics. Mr.. Alonzo
'toddard as the Colonel" Mr.. Tams as the
Msjor," and MIR. APpleby as the Duke"
we're acceptable. Miss Kate Hatfield, Miss
Nellie Clifton and Miss Marie Hindle, de-
erve good mention for their nice apprecia-
ion of the parts of the aesthetic maidens.
The chorus work was exceptionally good last
light, and the opera could hardly have been
letter rendered.
Coming Operas.
The immense hit made by Patience last
yening has induced Miss Abbott to repeat
he opera on Saturday evening, instead of
2om,eO and juliet. On the occasion of Miss
Abbott's benefit this evening" the entire
pera of Fra DiaroIo will be sung. Miss
>bbott will also sing Sullivan's Love Once
gain" and Mr.. George Comfy will sing his
crowned "Woh Song" by Shields.
The vOkes Family.
The well-known Vokes Family will appear
t Leubrie's Theater next week in Bellies Of
Ie Kitchen and other dramatic trihes. They
ave worldwide reputation, and were the
'rerunners of The Brook, and all such en-
They have remained intact
nd their peculiar form of amusement is pro-
Ounced as good as ever.