The bee., 1883-06-02
Story Of an American Onera.

\ novelty in t. comic opera lint
is "Don Fillibusi D." The scene Of
the opera is laid along the Mexican
frontier, and the action introduces
picturesque elements of Mexican anG
SouthWesser life. The characters
are an old Mexican ranchero, his
beautiful daughter, brilliant but
wicked adventurer, captain of the COW.
boys, an army lieutenant, Indians and
various others. The play is full OF
bright melody and piquant humor.
The following is one of the songs by 9
cowboy:
FIRST COWBOY.
| I'm howler from the prairies of the West
If you want to die with terror, look at me.
Pm chain lightning. If Il amt, may be
blessed,
I'm the snorter OF the bound e;S perarie.
Chorus-He's killer and a hatsr;
He's the great annihilator;
He's the terror of the boundless peraire
SECOND COWBOY.
I'm the snoozer from the upper trail;
I'm the reyeler in murder and in gore;
l can bust more Pullman coaches on the
Than any one who's worked the job be-
Chorus-He's a snorter and snoozer (:
He's the great trunk line abuser;
He's the man who puts the sleeper on
the rail.
THIRD COWBOY.
Pm the double-jawed hyena from the East !;
I'm the blazing bloody blizzard of the
States;
I'm the celebrated slogger, I'm the beast
lean snatch man bald-headed while he
waits.
Chorus-He's double -iawed hyena;
He's the villain of the scena;
He can snatch man bald-headed while
he waits.
There are also songs by the old
ranchero, by an Indian chief, the girl,
the lieutenant and the adyenturer.
The author of the libretto is A. G.
Wheeler, a well-known New York
dramatic critic, and of the composer of
the music the Boston Herald gives the
following account:
L. l. Darling, the composer, is
young man only tweaty-one years of
age, whose parents live In Vermont.
They are honest agricultural people,
with very few ideas of music. From
them lie broke away two years ago,
and came to New York, impelled by
musical genius. Penniless and with
out friends, he landed in the great
metropolis and set himself to work
with the bravery of true instincts TO
carve his fortune in musical way.
Without money to pay for his board,
he was compelled to accept position
in Cladin's dry goods establishment,
in the packing box department, where
the superintendent once found him
writing music over the boxes and neg
lecting his proper duties. His utter
inability to adapt himself to any kind
of commercial work resulted in his
discharge from that place, with great
deal of good advice. He informed the
superintendent when he left that he
was going to write an opera. This
statement, of course, was received with
incredulity and laughter, but in less
than Il year lie had composed the work
now known all over the country as
"The Jolly Bachelors" which has run
for over year, its chief and perhaps
its only merit being in Mr.. Darlings
charming melodies. While this work
was being performed lie was advised
never again to attempt an opera until
he had secured good libretto. Mr..
Detrick, Well-knOwn as one of the best
musicians of the country, took him in
hand, and under his care Mr.. Darling's
musical talents brOadened out in all
directions. lie was then supplied
with ibretto, written in New York
on an American subject, full OF local
color, strong contrast and romantic
Incidents. This was the opera of
{" Don Fillibusto,' his second work.
All who have heard it declare that in
many respects it is the most original
and brilliant OF any native work ever
produced here, and it is diStinctiyely
stronger in every way than any opera
we have had here for the last year