Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-05-09
-OBSER VATIONS OF a RETTR-
ED VETERAN.

those nights you can look back to with as
little to mar the memory as can fall to the
lot of amusement goers. There was TWO
minutes alone which was worth twenty
miles ride to catch, and that was the IL
male of the fourth act. Indeed, might
say, that beginning with the romanza,
''Here in deep forest Shadows the rest
of the act was as we'll done as have ever
seen it; but from Lionel's "Heayen may
forgive you kindly, to the close, it was
superb. say it was lucky night, for
have heard Martha many times in other
cities, but have never seen it presented as
a whole as we'll, and have never heard the
beautiful air, concerted piece and chorus,
at the close of the fourth act, given as
we'll. Those who heard it will be fortu
nate if they ever hear 1t given as well
again. | have heard Emma Abbott be-
fore and I am ia little ashamed to say
I was trapped into going by the neaspa-
pers. l had seen many reportorial de-
scriptions of the Emma Abbott kiss. y in
Romeo and juliet, and, miserable sinner
that am, thought 1 would like to see
how it differed from others. l was scrv-
ed just right, for 1 saw nothing different
from the usual stage kissing, and the
whole thing had been well gotten up
dodge of either the newspaper reporters
or her advertising agent. never had much
confidence in newspapers and had much
less after seeing Romeo and Juliet. Miss
Abbott is a fine actress, a good singer and
an excellent little woman, a little too fat,
however, for a genuine romantic love
making on the stage. [ must protest
against her singing of the "Last Rose of
Summer" or rather her acting of it. It
was an absurd performance, but it was
encored and, as usual, many innocent suf
fered with the few guilty. I was curious
to see Mrs. Wallace-Mrs. Zelda Harrison
Seguin, for by those names she has been
NEST loved and patted by the public.
W hen first heard her many years ago,
shan't say how many, she had just mar
ried Edward Seguin, and was one of the
most piquant actresses and delightful con-
traltos I ever saw. Her husband was an
English baritone who was great in buffo
parts, like Lord Allcash. She has changed
greatly since her first husbands death.
In that day she was very bright and very
lovely and her mere appearance on the
stage seemed to give life to the audience.
What shall say about the tenor, Fabr.ni.
except praise him Nothing. Even
without the high G, of which by the by,
am not an extravagant admirer, he is far
superior to any tenor we have had here.
His is one of the most even voices l ever
heard, and it is just as fresh and pure In the
fifth act as in the first, something rare
enough. lie is also an admirable actor. |
think be did good deal towards spelling
the famous Good night quartette, but
no more than Miss Abbott herself did,
and we all can't be perfect. The baritone,
Campobello, has the flexible voice with
which he was credited, but there | stop.
If he were far better singer than be is.
[ could rot forgive him for his clownish
pantomime with Nancy during the whole
of the duet Ia few bars of the Last Rose
of Summer, ~ at the end of the opera, by
Miss Abbott and Fabrini. 1t was gag"
which is not legitimate nor entertaining
and spoiled the duet. There was SO little
to find fault with in the A bbutt company
that perhaps [ am straining this panto-
mime point too hard, but it Jared on me
and I suppose did on all OF the audience
who knew what they would have heard
- IN inf M a not intacfArpd
The chorus and orchestra were of the best.
[ know it isn't the thing to put the
chorus first, but it was 50 good that
think the brass and string instruments
will forgive the transposition. I presume
no man can say he ever saw an uglier lot
of women and men than were in the cbo-
rus, but / am quite sure none can say they
ever saw better choristels in troupe ION
the road" It is hard to keep thoroughly
trained chorus, such as this is, together
On the road on long tour.
And now leaving the success Of the best
performance of opera ever given here, and
as good as can be given anywhere, let me
give the disagreeable side of the subject.
The company carried with it ffty-one per-
SONS, and was an expensive one. The out
lay was heavy, and Mr.. W. T. Powell, the
Manager of the Richmond Theatre, who
brought them here, lost about $500 by the
venture. It is pity, because that gen
tleman has Invariably brought to Stanton
the very best entertain ments Of their
| kind-Langtry. Janauschek, and Emma
| Abbott. Even when he sends minstrel
troupe, it is such a one as Primrose q
| West, a company of people deserving the
name Of artists. | was talking with Mr..
Powell, and was glad to see that be didn't
| take the view of it which is generally
chronic with managers damning the COM
nunity for not giving better support.
He merely said that it was not the peo-
| pies fault, but his own, and that if he had
given longer notice in advance of the
opera, the people would have patronized
| it better. 1 could not help envying the
man who possessed such self-poise as to
speak thus pleasantly of an event that
had given to other people pleasure, but
made ducks and brakes of $500 of his own
money.
| Speaking of self-poise reminds me that
| you are having a very warm local election
| in Staunton, and that self-control has
great value at such times. 1t is now. be-
lieve. nearly ten years ago, since there was
one of the most bitter municipal elections
here that I ever saw anywhere. The most
+! digni6ed and quiet men were IN the field
| firing out handbills every half-hour max.
| ing the most absurd charges against each
other and using the most childish epithets.
T do not exaegeIate the number when