The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-04
MUSIC AND DRAMA.


At the great May festival in Boston Wednes-
day night the frat work OF the programme
was Professor John X Paine's sacred cantata
on portions of Miltons hymn from his ode on
the Nativity, The Journal critic says; The
full chorus and orchestra-including the harp,
which played an important part in the score
the organ with Mr. Lang on the bench, and
Messrs Whitney aud w. j. Winch and Misses
Thursby and Mathilde Phillips as sololsts
were engaged In 1t, the composer himself oceu-
pying the conductors stand. On making his
appearance Professor Paine was greeted with
tremendous applause both by the audience and
chorus. The cantata impressed US, as all Of
the authors compositions do, as most learned
and scholarly work, richly scored aud full Of
variety, with effects worked up In mastery
way and showing thought and good taste every
where. Vet 10 WAS on the whole, somewhat
dry and monotonons and seemed TO give little
indication that Its composer was at any time
very deeply moved with the spirit Of the grand
work which no was wedding to his music, II
lacks that In which so many works OF Ambri-
can writer's OF high class music are found 70 90
wanting, Hpontaneity and melodiousness--n
that mere tunefnlness which is so easily caught
and s OF such himsy texture as soon 70 lose the
gloss OF It's interest, but that rich quality OF
harmony which 80 wonderfully fills the mass
OF Cheruhini which followed IL. lt was, IN
deed, rather unfortunate for the success OF
Professor Paine's work that this grand compo-
sition OF tho German-Ittlian was given upon
the same evening, for u exaggerated and made
conspicuous the lack which could not fail TO DO
found wanting in his very interesting cantata,
Further hearings might give better opinion
OF Professor Paines work, but the general I'M
preston to DO gained last evening was that u
was rather peffunctory, and by no means Wof-
thy TO be classed with his best and most sym
pathetic efforts. such as, for example, his mu-
sic for the Greek drama Of "0edipus" IL was
we'll performed, both by the soloists and cho-
rus, and the orchestra did some excellent
work; the conductor, however, seemed BY no
means as able as MIR. Zerrahn TO control and
carry the chorus by the stress OF his personali-
ty, and good deal OF the singing OF the ch0-
rus seemed togo Of itself, and was by no means
as brilliant as Il should have been.
ONLY RARans'n DauaHrrr.
Tonight Barnes "Only "a farmers Daugh-
ter viii BIO produced at Portland Theatre.
There viii BIO no matinee Saturday afternoon,
as announced on the play bills. II win be
played tonight and Saturday evening only.
The plot, as before stated, Is a peculiar one.
4 handsome, ambitious literary man, with d
weakness for iiattery, marries farmers pref.
ty daughter, and takes her into society. Here
villainous friend and a schemng woman
plan their separation, and would have sue
ceeded bat for dream, IN which the literary
man passes through untold misery Awak-
ening from his sleep, and finding he has been
the victim OF vision. his joy Is almost uncon.
trollable, the sehemers ara driven out aud
peace and happiness reign again in the
household.
sAM'L OF PosEN.
Tonight Curtiss long expected "Saml Of
POsen' will be given at CITY Hall. The To-
lede Telegram says: "The audience which
crowded into the Opera House last evening 10
enjoy Curtis's successful travestry on the COM
mercial traveller was such one to make glad
the heart OF the man In the box office. Every
seat was occupied and great many were viii
ling to undergo the Inconvenience of standing
up all the evening. in order to see the incom-
parable Sam'l. Curtis has certainly made
wonderful hit, and last evening he kept the
audience in continuous roar Of laughter.
The cool, shrewd, self possessed drummer,
who, in the most critical moment, never for
gets that business Is business" was capitally
portrayed. Mr.. Curtis Is very fortunate in
having, this season, the support OF a specially
strong company. Miss DeMer, as before, took
the part Of HAflle. Celeste and in the strong
emotional parts she won deserved applause.
Tie Worth costumes she wears are very rich
and expensive, and the third act she APP
pears with lavish display Of diamonds.
TEE LYcEUM,
This weeks bin at the Lyceum Is strong and
steadily draws large houses The little vaude-
Vile theatre Is one Of The happiest enterprises
ever undertaken in the city.
NorEs.
Miss Clara Poole, who parsonated Iolanth
during tho long run OF Gilbert & SuiIivan's
comic opera at the Bijou Theatre, Boston,
sailed Wednesday for a summer vacation in
Europe. She will rejoia the Biion Theatre
company Ia the autumn,
Mrs. Langtry appeared as Kate Hardcastie
IN '.She Stoops TO Conquer" In New York, on
Monday night, and the New York press ap-
near 70 have given mp the Langtf1 eonundrnia.
The general verdict Ia the theatre, which wa
veil filled, WAS that the performance was siua-
ply tiFes0me: IL was Mrs. Langtry reciting tho
words q Kste Hardcassle, Instead Of Rosa
iind's
Dir. jerome Hopkins-thanks TO bis latest
opera Of 'Tsffy and Old Munich has been
able 10 pay off the last Of hts debts on account
o. his "Orpheon Free Singing Glasses 10 New
York. he has been hampeFed by these debts
for thirteen years, and he hopes now 70 reop.
en- his free schools next autumn, in a room In
tbs uew National Opera House.