Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-01
GOLD RIP" IN OPERA.
A Greaf Success by the Author OF the
ssChimes OF Normandy
And One Likely to Hold the stage,
Favorite, for Many Seasons.

The New York Tribune OF Sunday says
that Planquette's new comic opera, Zap Van
Winkke. was given for the first time IN this
country last night at the Standard 1heaier.
Ii was received with considerable enthusiasm
by an audience which flied every available
space in the house, and which, by frequent
appIause and demands for the REPETITION oil
mum Der of airs showed its appreciation oil the
musicians work. NJ. PIanquette is well known
here by his opera Les Cloehes de COTneUiAe.
In his new work, however, he shows himself
more ambitious than heretofore and capable
of producing some very effective paFt-w'H-
ing and orchestration of higher character
than one ordinarily meets IN operas Oh 'he
Amber school, In the main the authors OF
the Iibre,to have followed the outlines OF
Mr.. Boucicaulfs well-known play; with this
difference. howeyer-that "Gretchen," in
stead OF being The termsgent and vulgar
scold who drives her husband from MS
home as in the play, in the opera appears
the loving and devoted wife OF kip the
old "Rip," as we all know him, the light
hearted. kindly vagabond. Instead OF mar
rv;ne that old scoundrel Derrick" she dies
of a broken heart before her husbands re-
tnrn. Thus it is clear that the authors had
10 fiod a new motive for "Rip's" visit to the
mountSins.
They accomplished this in the following
manner. Derrick" who has succeeded In
TO forecIose the mortgage on the spendthrifts
home. But rip has found buried treas
ure in the mountains, and he pays Der
rick'sD claim in old French coins. filed
in his plans "Derrick" spreads the report
that "Trip" is a traitor, and has been bought
by French gold. Soldiers are sent TO arrest
him, but before their arrival, warned by some
friendly villagers, HRip" makes his escape 10
the mountains. Here, of course, he meets
aHepdrick Hudson" and his crew, the sprite
with the keg of schnapps guiding Kip" to
the scene where the phs ntom crew are hold
ing their reyeIs In the last act the drama
il Closely followed. rip" swakeus and re-
turns to the village OF WideawakeviiIe
Everything j. changed. The portrait OF
George the Three" over the nm as honest
aVedder" used to say, has been changed into
that of Washington, and "Vedder's" son is
the landlord. Presently the old mans
daupbter enters with her lover, the Little
Hansn who is now "Lieut. Van Slaus," OF
the United States frigste Constitution. 1t is
by recalling the melody which he sang to the
children in bygone years that Alice AN
Wrinkle" is brought to recognize her father
in the tattered stranger she and her lover
had thought mad.
The music throughout is melodions end
sparkling. 1t is not always fresh and
original, however. Many OF the phrases
not only suggesting melodies from Plan
quetts own work.. but also those OF other
composers. The overture introduced several
of the leading motives and IS written In
simple and unpretentIous style. In the nrst
act are to be found several charming meio-
dies. among Others duo between Kip" and
| Gretchen" and "Gretchen's" legend OF the
KsatskiIIs sFroBa -p-sf, fDTeR Ho1y" a
Ltffo for aIiip- and little "Aiice and Ham"
ia worthy of notice, and the audience would
have had an opportunity OF enjoying fully
one of the prettiest scenes IN Inc "hoie
opera had not the Society for the Prevention
| OF Cruelty to Children fond IL necessary to
| prohibit the singing of the children. For
lions of the music intended 10 be sung by the
children were therefore sung IN part by
| Mr.. Carleton, the rip Van Wrinkle"
| of the evening, and in part played
| By the orchestrs; the words were
spoken by the children. The second act con-
'ains many pleasing melodies, the trio pc
| tween derrick" Grip" and bis wIie n-lng
- GOOD. The scene which follows
'hs phantom cIeW-ls
the appearance Oh 49,
much less satisfactory, from a mus :,
of view al least, than perhaps any otnef IL
the work. Three songs are lntroduGeoL
"Blow High, Blow Low" for HUDSON 0ne
aNiue-Pin Song" sung by the second Lieu
TENANT and "My Pipe" the last neihs, Pr.
bans the best of the three. Among Inc
melodies in the third act which are 1IEelJ ~
move popular is aTrue Love from Over the
sea-" .ong for @Alice9 "RiP.. dam, d.1Eh, r.:
Very effective, too. is the TIC vsfis daug sFe
| recoguition of poor old "Rip" by nus oAugn.
,s1 and he lille aHans" of The hrst act
takes place. He endeavors 70 recall ,ne
song he had sung them. By degrees ne re,
| calf. his voice tremulous with eno.l0n' SnAt
charming ballad, "These Little n me- nsI oSv
! From Deep Forests Hoary," tb opera ends