The Evening critic., 1885-04-25

lney Chn WIN reason ne pTOuu, huu par
donable pride will be felt by every Wash
ipgtonian that the work WAS Washington
product.
Competent judges say that the music has
considerable merit. The libretto is cor
tainly above the average. If the combina-
tion is happy one the opera must prove
decided success.
The opera the full title of which is "Thc
Debutante, or tho Social Ladder" is q
clever satire upon Washington society. The
army and tho navy are most mercilessly
ridiculed, while the social craze for men in
blue and brass" is keenly drawn.
There are two acts-the first represent
ing "the kettledrum" at Mrs. Bric.a- brac's
house the second one of the army and
navy assemblies.
AS tho curtain rises on the first act a
bevy of debutantes are discovered, all in a
state of pleasurable excitement, awaiting the
hour for the "kettledrum." The opening
chorus expresses their feelings.
We are very much excited
And exceedingly delighted,
For we all have been invited
To german, A. aud N.
oh dear, sister debutantee,
'rIs, you know, our maiden chance,
We can go and nave dance
Now with really, truly, men.
Not with boys with bashful air,
Clumsy, fat and mussed.up hair,
But with young men, sweet and rarc-
The,army and the navy.
Society is represented,
our mamas are quite contented,
For you know we are presented
At this german, grand and gay.
Oh, dear girls, won't IL be pleasant,
All the great lights Will be present,
Red and blue and incandescent,
To illuminate our way.
Generals old, not in1uential
Admirale, also, not potential;
But they are 80 deferential-
The army and the navy.
Alexia Bric-a-brac, the young debutante,
appears and sings:
The door OF society's standing ajar,
I'm here on the threshold awaiting;
How bright IL all seems as look from afar-
Is II? That's what I'm debating.
Her doubts she expresses in bright lit
tie aria beginning:
All, whether 1t is what it's said to be,
Said 10 be, said to be.
The chorus responds with hope that
IL may be all that she expects to find 1t.
She then announces her love-that her
heart is lost. When she says that it is not
10 the army nor to the navy, but to "a
plain, Ordinary, everyday civilian" the
others cannot restrain their horror and in
dignation. They sing:
Gan you lower thus your station,
BY such awful degradation,
With those dears at the Legation
Ready to fall at your feet?
Your season will be awful dreary;
Really, now, you make us weary;
Alexia, we are getting teary,
And feel inclined to go and weep.
Really, now, II is too shameful,
Really, now, It is too painful
That you should be so disdainful;
The army and the navy.
They finally resolve to convert her
singing:
And perhaps we may convert you
Love oft changes, like the tide.
Cnueid darabla dia1nuua fnl1nmu In xuh;ob
the merits of the various Catches" are dis
cussed by the gathering. This serves to
introduce the leading male participants,
Lieutenant Tennis, so anxious to enter the
army that he wears his uniform before he
passes his examination; Lieutenant Mar
ling of the navy, 80 bright and clever"
who stood sixty-seventh in class of sixty
seven, and was so popular at Annapolis
that no stayed there seven years before
graduating General Mildhue, to marry
whom Alexia objects, for the reason that
che is not anxious to 60 on the retired list.
This interesting discussion is interrupted by
the entrance of Mrs. General Bric-a-brac,
who proceeds to give the company a few
points ON the "Usages of good society" as
follows:
When asked TO 60 to the opera,
You must never go alone,
But say your aunt or your mamma
Must be your chaperone-
For 1t gives them both chance, the mothers
and the auntS,
To realize their expectations.
And dears, you must know, It's well to have a
beau
That WIN equander for yourself ana your
And when the social seasons spent,
And come the days OF piety,
And all, In days Of Lent, must be total abstl.
BY the usages OF good society.
The army and navy shortly appear, and
in a chorus loudly proclaim;
We are the defenders of this mighty Govern
on land as we'll as on the waters,
But placed here for our own enjoyment
And also marriageable CHARTERS"
In lime OF peace, It's true, we've nothing else
But go into society In legions;
Unless we want to go to the never-melting
Away up in the polaristic regions
We're always In a state of absolute sobriety,
And conduct ourselves with the utmost of
For we are the leaders of the Washington so.
ciety,
Where the army and the navy are the rage.
The young ladies having left the room the
officers proceed to discuss them, and especial
ly Alexia, the debutante. Lieutenant
Marling sings of his great popularity among
the fair ones, explaining that it is because
of his indifference. Lieutenant Tennis, In
iuAA piOSOhpiy dppOaAo
The army's the place for man OF low station;
Twill bring up his family TO some elevation,
No matter his breeding, position or class,
The doors will all ope' II he wears blue and
brass.
He can be late at dinner or go not at all,
Help lead german, or open a ball;
To be called emo OF "Ours" is Joy to me;
I'm second lettenant in the Twelfth
Cavalry.
The chorus thus explains how this rank
was attained
He tried slx times t. pass examination,
on the seventh trip he struck the combin 4
| tion.
He received his commisslon-a civil ap-
polntee-
As second leitenant 10 the Twelfth Cavalry.
The debutantes come ia singing:
| We are debutantes, debutantss, dvbutantes,
This Is our maiden chance, mstden chance Il
shine,
And then We look askance, look askance, Iool
| asRanoe,
on, their opinion that we could divine.
Fearing them greatly,
Appearing so stately,
What Will our fate be,
They can explain.
FILLED with ambition,
In this world our mission
| is social position,
That we must attain,
The officers at once reassure them, aud on
Mrs. Brio c-a-brac's entrance all break into
couples and conversation ensues. Tho dig
nitaries now begin to arrive, Thoy are