Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1883-04-14
The Bohemian Girl.

| Our musical amateurs can, collectively say,
in the language of Casar's celebrated dis
patch, 'sI came, I saw, l conquered" Their
presentations of the Bohemian Girl at the
opera house, this week, have been grand sue
cesses. They have had crowded houses, ap
preciative, sympathetic listeners, and have
acquitted themselves more than creditably
On Tuesday, the opening night, the house
was filed from front to rear with q fashion.
able audience, the very best people of our
city, county and neighboring towns being
present.
We have said so much, recently, Of the
opera that we will not stop here to describe
its plot or merit. Suffice it to say, that the
Bohemian Girl is a legitimate opera Of the
highest class. not merely light burlesque
The music in it is of the highest order, and II
may be said that it contains more special airs
that have become classic In music than
almost any other opera. 1t is not necessary
to enumerate them as they are familiar to all
lovers of music. The opera has much in il
that is picturesque; its dramatic effects are
unsurpassed, ard Its humor irresistible.
Miss Lula Martin astonished everybody in
her presentation of Airline. 1t was known
that she would do well, but she surpassed the
most sansuine expectations Of her friends.
With full, warm, sympathetic soprano
voice, she combined the quickest appreciation
of every detail of the part, and acquitted her
self in manner that would have been credit
able to . practiced actress. The audience
seemed especially enthusiastic over her, II
dreamt that dwe!t in Marble Halls, }" and her
duet, 1.-The secret Of my birth, J" but SO much
Of her work was good and received with ap-
plause that we cannot well psrticularize.
Mr.. Chiles, as Thaddeus, supported Miss
Martin admirably. Always good actor, he
seemed thoroughly to enter into his part, and
he made capital lover. The first night
his voice was not ut Its best, but on the second
night it was. and he scored several decided
successes.
Capt. Conner's Florestein was comtcsl. as
indeed everything must be that he does on the
| stage. and nothing was funnier than his love-
| making. He got . decided setback from
Airline, but was warmly received by the an =
| dience.
Mr.. Fegert made frat rate Devilshoof. His
makeup was inimitable. and his drollrry ex-
quisite. HIS voice; heavy and deep. suits
| the character. and he made the most OF it..
Mr.. Smith, of course. stands at the head OF
our male voices, and as Count Arnheim sus-
| tatned his well earned reputation. The charac-
| ter suits him. and he rendered 1t well through
out. ''The Heart Bowed Down. ID probably
| the finest solo in the part, and it was warmly
applauded both nights.
And now, though mentioned last Of the lead
ing parts. we scarcely know how to do Justice
| to Miss Gould's personation OF the GYPSY queen.
While not the first part in the opera she made 1t
| by her splendid acting and comprehensive voice
the most striking. The gem of the opera was
her. solo, 81 Never can Forget,'' and 1t
needed no libretto to enable the merest tyro as
regards opera to understand 1t. 1t was received
with rapturous applause. Miss Gould has sung
this part on the operatic stage with Kellogg and
Cary, in this country and In Europe, and she
| did credit to her knowledge of 1t.
The chorus was very fine, throughout, show
ing not only good material but admirable train
ing. 1t consisted of Misses Maggie Salmon,
Emma Petty, Carrie Kerr. Ella Avery, Prudis
Shinn, Lula Martin, Ella Pitts. Lula Dameron.
| Ella Bcdior Zulie Dale, Lula Herring, Emma
Dunmann, Bette Waddell. Mary Weber. Kate
| Chrisman, Nellie Weston. Mary McGrew, Fran
kie Stone aud Messrs. Jac. Thomas, G. Walk
e. Winkler, h. Sinauer, Robert Hlcklin, NJ
| Graham, John Smith. W. Winkler. +. Ludwigs,
H. Mehl, O. Winkler and others.
With any other pianist than Prof. GImbel an
orchestral accompaniment might have been
missed. but with him nothing was lacking. He
filed in every pause, emphasized every effect,
and covered every coEtretemps. No one not
| familiar with the opera can tell how admirably
he did his work.
The Airline Of the second night, Miss Ella
Pitts. had to equal expectations raised by the
admirable work of Miss Martin. and she fully
sustained herself. The two young ladies are 80
different. in appearance, voice and manner, that
it Is hard to compare them. Both made delights
| full Arlines. Miss Pitts won the hearts of her
| audience In her first solo. and retained their
warm feeling to the end. gaining applause at
every appearance. Her rvolce is very sweet and
| sympathetic. Her acting was sparkling, spon-
| taneous and effective. and altogether natural
and pleasant.
The costumes were beautiful and remarked by
| arrayed In truly gorgeous apparel. the en-
| broldeiy Of the silk skirts alone being works
of art.
In conclusion and much more briefly than we
| would like to treat it, We may say that this
opera has been the finest work ever done by our
amateurs. 1t was genuinely artistic, q legiti-
mate opera, presented by amateurs in manner
that would be credtable to professional com-
pany, tie voices averaging better than one usu-
ally finds on the lyric stage. Miss Gould deserves
| rare praise for her eminent success in the vocal
effects. and Prof. Gimbel for the harmony and
| continuity Of the whole.
NOTES ON THE OPERA.
Next time We must have librettos.
The Arlines were just two sweet and pretty.
MIR. Boothhan's new scenery added much to
the general effects.
One little girl said exultantIy, 80, l know
Capt. Conner, by the top of his head"
Henry sinauer made peculiar looking villain
with his white hair and black mustache.
The ball room scene was ever SO much better
done the second nlgnt, as was most of the stage
work.
Miss Gould's beautiful suit of hair attracted
general attention. 1t /, all her own, not by
purchase. but by growth.
Millard Graham washed his face the second
night before he came into the ball room. The
| frst night he couldn't find the soap.
A little fellow near US said, 81 thought I'd 20
| to sleep, but it was SO good couldn't." There
were few more genuine compliments paid the
performance than this.
| lady IN the audience whose husband was
| rather deep In the love scenes on being cate
| chised saii, 80. l don't care, Pm used to 1t;
| and. anyhow, it's ell Tor the church"
The moon in the opera the first night got Iop
sided. but Tnaddeus d,d't care. He could have
seen the sma!lest imaginably poi mt by the light
Of Arline's eyes, judging from the way he
lookei.
During the course of long and rather check
| cred career We have seen some pretty hard
cases, but the most villainous looking villain we
ever saw was MiIlard Graham-in the Bohemia
| Girl. He was Daisy, sure.
We don't quite hardly know whether or not We
| are right In making Miilard Graham the mo.
| horrible looking villain. Devilshoof on Thurs.
day night after he powdered his face was sight
| to behold.
DR. Taibird Is quoted as saying that the skip
ping about in the Tambourine chorus ia not
! dancing. but simply such calisthenIc exercise
as is taught in all female schools; So that al!
consciences easy on that score.
| We heard a number of complaints regarding
| the stiff and narrow chairs In the opera house
Mr.. Hagen should give us opera chairs, wide
enough Tor men weighing 100 pounds, and ladies
who are robust as we'll as charming.
1t would take column to describe all the
beautiful dresses 60 We cannot begin, but we
Can say that they have never been equalled on the
| stage here. ana far as the chorus goes, we
have never seen them equalled on any stage.
| Ths solo. 81 Never can Forget" sung BY
| Miss Gould, and mentioned above, is an inter.
/ polation, not belonging to the OPERA 1t is one
| of Cary's favorte songs having won her gres,
! applause. Miss Gould having yely similar