The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-04-12
The MikadO.

1uC SuCGGSS VI dIlCIlCO 14dS OAO0EA1
the names of Gilbert & Sullivan so
prominently into note once more that
the musical public is sure to feel
an interest in the latest composition of
these gentlemen. The following des
cription is taken from the last number
of the Dramatic Times:
Our London correspondent writes of
the last work of Gilbert and Sullivan:
The amusement world was agog on Sat
urday night to witness the first perform
ance of Gilbert and Sulliyan'S new
opera, The Mikado. The audience,
which filled the house from pit to gal
lery, and included the Duke and Ouch
ess of Edinburgh, was a thoroughly
representative one in all branches of art.
AS / have before written. the scene is
laid in Japan, and it is said that the au-
thors have had the advantage of the
presence of our Japanese villagers at
several of the rehearsals to aid them in
bringing out the work. of which they
know nothing from experience. I will
briefly detail the plot, which is some
thing in this fashion. The Mikado's
son, Nanki-Poo, has in some way be-
come entangled with middle-aged Jap
anesess, named Katisha, and to
escape from his uncomfortable stu
ton at the court he flies. Assuming
the guise of wandering minstrel, he
meets on his travels bewitching being
of the opposite sex, one Yum Yum, and
the two infiammable creatures immedi-
ately proceed to fall in love. Yum Yum
is, however, betrothed to Ko-Ko, the
public eXecuJioner, and this makes it bad
for the lovers, who are much distressed
at the condition of affairs. Ko-Ko him
self is not particularly happy, as accord
ing to fictitious japanese. law he must
execute some one within a given time,
even If that person should be himself.
Becoming desperate and not being able
to marry the girl of his choice, Nanki
Poo is about to commit suicide, when
he is discovered by the executioner,
who suggests that it would be wicked
for him to waste himself in that way.
when by allowing him to execute him
properly he would not only save him
self a lot of trouble but would save his
(Ko-Ko's) life. He then agrees to allow
him to marry Yum Yum for a month
if, at the expiration of that time, he will
allow himself to be beheaded Nanki-
Poo consents, and spends his month
very happily. AT the end of that time
both the present and the prospective
husbands are Mortified to find that
If Nanki-Poo is beheaded Yum-Yum
must be buried alive. The executioner
therefore determines to swear that he
has executed Nanki-Poo without having
done so. About this time the Mikado
arrives and learns of the execution,
but is Justly 6ispleased when he finds
that the wandering minstrel and the
heir TO his throne are one and the same
person. He accordingly orders Ko Ko
TO lingering death. After the usual
complications all comes right, and
father and son are reconciled. This is
the plot of a book which is vastly
inferior 10 the music of the opera. In
the first place the characters are dupll-
csltes of many of Mr. Gilbert's former
creations, and it is further proof of the
fact that Mr.. Gilbert, like many humor-
lists, has written himself out. The
mine is evidently exhausted, and Mr..
Gilbert is now sending up the refuse to
sell from samples taken out before the
supply had been finished He was
better at verse-making, but the moment
dialogue was commenced a pall-like
gloom settled itself over the house.
There was no Spontaneity in any of
his attempts fun. They were labored,
far-fetched, and in one notable
instance the attempt was disagreeable.
That was in a speech by Katisha-who,
by the bye, is Patience revived-in
which she says. my face may be plain,
but that is not all 1 have Ny left
shoulder ,bladeis a marvel of beauty,
and men have travelled miles to see my
elbow As for this tooth it stands alone
Many have tried to draw it, but in
vain. Now this may be overwhelmingly
funny but it will need strong sauce OF
wit or humor to make il palatable As
TO the palpable inconsistencies in the