Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-12-03
A FOUL MURDER LAST NIGHT.
SsThc MikadO', Assassinafed in View
of a Full Audience at the
Opera House.

The first appearance of the Grau Eng
lish Opera Company at the Walker Oper;
House was delayed till nearly o'clocl
last night on account of the compan,
being on board the Utah Central train
which only arrives here at o'clock The
audience sat through the waiting spell
patiently, however, and when the curtain
did 90 up as pretty stage setting as has
ever been seen in Salt Lake caused muir
muir of appreciation to spread throughout
the house. But the weak and inefficient
opening chorus OF the gentlemen of Japan
quickly dispelled all the good hopes en-
tertalned for an artistic performance; and
after Pish-Tush, Nanki-Poo and Pooh
Bah had encountered the orchestra in
two or three rounds, which resulted in a
clean Knockout for them every time, they
retired covered with confusion.
/ Miss Amy Gordon, as Yum Yum, dis
plays much better kicking ability than
she does capacity to interpret the charac-
ter of Japanese maiden, and she has a
Japanese girly-girly laugh which, it must
be admitted, is entirely her own. Her
line of business-which we take to be the
vaudeville-was aptly shown by the in
terpolated and spirited solo which she
gave at the commencement of the second
act, which was recalled over and over
again. In fact, what wasn't in the opera
was the feature of the opera, so to speak.
In other characters Miss Gordon's talents
may be better brought out, but she is
hardly passable Yum Yum, possessing
neither the mental nor physical require
ments to carry out the delicate and deli
cious satire intended by the author;
although her voice will carry her
through. successfully whenever she
shall understand the difference between
broad burlesque and the spirit of comic
opera. OF Mr.. Max Figman's Ko-Ko lit
tie can be said, the points shown up bv
our local Ko-Ko (Spencer) beng appar-
emily in the background along with the
imported Japanese costumes and the SUI
perb orchestration Titwillow' was
his feature, and deserved the recall. The
Pooh Bah of Mr.. Kent eXcelled in voice |
any one who has played the part here,
and his magnificent baritone went a great |
way to redeem the deficiencies so mani
fest otherwise all around. Mr.. Will Nor
gan, the Nanki-Poo, has light, very sweet
tenor, but it does not encompass the part,
no matter how carefully he may use it.
katisha was poor rendition, but the
Pitt Sing of Miss Anna Barrett is worthy
Of mention. Howard's Mikado fell be-
low the amateurs, but his attendant in
reduced some business which convulsed
The house, and showed more genuine
comedy than did either of the principals.
The second act did much to redeem the
allure of the first; but the fact remains
and the Grau Company might as well
eallze it in Salt Lake as in San Francisco
that the company is not one adapted to
'lay The Mikado''-they can play an
infinitely good burlesque on the piece.
'ut the opera in its classic purity-never
Lit is to be regretted that the Grau Conn
ANY opened in "The Mikado,' as thew
ave evidently put it on before going
trough the formality of even slight I
cquaintance, in order to avail them !
elves of the spreading "Mikado''
raze, and here in Salt Lake, where MANY '
I the amateurs surpass their profession s
Is, adverse criticisms must naturally f
blow such performance as the one they f
ave in this opera C
In the "Mascotte," which will be Q
layed tonight, cast better adapted to t
he voices is promised, and as burlesoue u
a prominent feature of that opera, a q
edltable performance is promised, with a
ISIS Amy Gordon as the red-headed b
ascotte and Kent in role where his C
he baritone voice will be given chance. a