Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-07
"PENAFORE,S,, PARENTS.
An Interesting Chat About Gilbert and
Sullivan.

An Interesting Chat Aboat Gilbert and
Sullivan.
MIR. ALFRED cEILIER TELLS HOW SIR JOSEPH
PORTER AND BUNTHoRNE WERE CREATED-HIs
| OPINION OF OSCAR WILDE.
From the Baltimore Times.
Mr.. Alfred Cellier. musical director of the
Comly-Barton Opera company. was in good
spirits yesterday when reporter of The Times
cornered him in the Mount Vernon Hotel and
asked him TO tell what he knew about things in
general, and the prospects Of the operate world
in particular especially of that eSthetic part o.
the globe which acknowledges loyalty to the
lanky-limbed apostle of the aromatic die-away
art. Oscar Wilde.
''Many people. no doubt. think that Wilde is q
| fool" said Mr.. Cellier; 'butit great mistake
| Wilde is in every respect sensible fellow. and
the character of Bunthorne in Patience is only
type of character, not representative of an in
diyidual'
''Do you consider Patience an advance in any
respect upon Piadfore or The Pirates of Pen
zdnce?" asked the reporter.
Yes" said Mr.. Celier sin the musical ele-
ment it is. although the story is no more inter-
esting or ingeniuS than that of Pi,lafose or even
of The iSOrceTer. You know that none of Gill
bert and Sullivan's comic operas have any plot;
they are merely satires upon manners-rhymes
and verse by Mr.. Gilbert set to catching melo-
Il.
''Was not The Sorcerey an imitation of Jules
Verne's Or. OI'S EI,pe7'in,e,a?"
mo" answered Mr.. Collier. ''the story of The
Sorce,er was written by Mr.. Gilbert long before
Jules Verne's sketch was published. But sin
guar mlScOnceptlOu OF the important charac-
ter, John wellington Welles, is current among
your American actors Of the part They make
him beetle-brOwed, pointed-chinned, sinister
eyed representative of the Internal regions.
whose only purpose is to exercise a malignant
| no NO anti of cnpy1iI
sphere. Now, that is not the character that
Mr. Gilbert intended to Introduce. John We'll
lingtOn Welles" was meant to illustrate some of
the quackery of empires in the manufacture
and sale of drugs powders, pomatums phil
tiers, ETC., and he was to be dressed and bear
the resemblance Of a smooth. persuasive smii-
ing, unctuous, entirely earthly fellow, whose
only purpose was TO get his nOstrums off his
hands at the highest prices. These two concep-
tons may be decidedly satanic, but the distinc-
ton between them is wildcat least meant to
be-"
do you think that we in this country COM
prehend PtnGfofe, particularly the character of
the Admiral?"
''Well, the piece seemed to 60 for all it was
worth and | believe that it was thoroughly
comprehended by American audiences. That
the keen satire was appreciated was manifested
by unusual applause of great audiences in al
most every city in the United States
"Who was the character of the Admiral inten-
ded to satiriZe or represent? 1t has been gen.
orally supposed here that the great London
ncwsdealer W. H. Smith, lord Of the Admiralty
in the cabinet of Disrea. was the minister that
Mr. Gilbert was trying to depict upon the
stage"
NO" responded Mr.. Celeg, "Smith was not
in office when Piadtore was written. Hugh
Childers was the lord of the Admiralty then
The character of Sir Joseph Porter. X. c. B..
Lord of the Admiralty, was intended as a repre-
sentative of the class of Cabinet ministers taken
from civil life and put in stations that they were
united for. Why, Childers went down to
Portsmouth, the great naval station on the
south coast of England. accompanied by host
Of women relatives and friends and made the
most extraordinary demonstrations, and gave
orders and Instructions OF such an eccentric sort
that the most diverting confusion followed. The
port was in an uprOar. The marines never had
such picnic before. Chllders finished his visit
by getting himself and his sisters and cousins
and aunts thoroughly drenched before they
reached dry land again Gilbert happened to be
at Portsmouth at the time, and Of course those
events were not lost upon him. He treasured
them up, and the incidents of Ptndfore was the
result. have seen Chlders successor in Office
w. II. Smith, at the theater in London many
times enjoying Pi,sdfore and laughing as hear
lilly as any one at the satire and fun of the
piece. But he didn't stand Tor the picture; the
character only the stage representation of
official absurdities under q lingo administra-
ton"
SIN presenting Gilbert and Sullivan's COM
1c operas in this country. in which city do you
find the readiest comprehension and apprecia-
ton of the pOints?"
well. as to Patience the piece now on at
the Academy of Music. Chicago audiences were
about the quickest and most appreciative. Pa
he'lce was exceedingly successful there. OF
late years, he continued the comic operas of
Arthur Sullivan have received a vast amount of
attention and have permeated the musical feel
ings of thousands of people, and this in man
ner attained 10y different causes than heretofore.
The Italian opera rests on its musical merits.
French opera on its unwholesome suggestive
ness, while the success of Me5srs Gilbert and
Sullivan has been achieved by the alliance of
words and music, and their perfect purity of wit
and artistic simplicity. The collaboration of
author and composer have brought about the
happiest results. The music of Patience Is in
every respect equal, and. in general way of a
higher description than that of Pima fore or The
Pirates of PeazGnce. 1t was not written in such
hurry or under such peculiar circumstances.
1t is more mature AID contains more depth of
musical feeling. This is accounted for by the Pc
culiarity of the subject. Take, for instance, the
music ut the opening of the first act assigned to
the twenty lOye-siCk madens. Its tender pathOs
is in the composers happiest vein, and worthy
to be placed beside the opining aria for Josephine
in Pindfoie, and the love duet in the second act
of the Pirates. Other comparisons OF parts in
the other operas by Sullivan are equally obvious
to the real musician"
"Are Gilbert and Sullivan engaged upon
Not that I am aware of. Mr. Gilbert is in
and about London, and Mr.. Sullivan has come to
Cairo, Egypt. for few weeks recreation. He
visits a colony Of English friends there every
year"
Mr.. Collier says that he has comic opera
ready to be produced at the Renaissance, Paris,
as soon as he can reachtha city. He expects to
start next week.
The Cane and Umbrella Nuisance.
From he prS,orress
In the hands of nine men out of ten on the
streets cane or an umbrella is an Internal ma
chine. 1t is carried under the arm, the ends
sticking far out front and back The hand which
holds it is stuck in the coat or breeches pocket,
throwing out the sharp point half yard behind
the owner. 1t is laid aeross the shoulder ma
king it dangerous TO pass upon either side of the
tiioughtiess creature: Or it is twirled rapidly
through the fingers. 1t is time this nuisance was
abated. 1t IL not trivial thing, and the police
should be instructed TO order the pretty man
with the cane to SO manage his pet that he will
not endanger the persons Of those 70 unfortu-