Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-12-03
A FOUL MURDER LAST NIGHT.
stThe MIkudo, Assassiuated i'm Vie "
of ~ Full Audience at the
opera House.

The first appearance OF the Grau Eng
fish Opera Company at the Walker Opera
House was delayed till nearly o'clock
last night on account Of the company
being on board the Utah Central train,
which only arrives here Mt o'clock. The
audience sat through the waiting spell
patiently, however, and when the curtain
did 20 up as pretty a 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 dispeled all the good hopes en-
tertained 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 APPLY shown by the in
terpolatcd 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, 80 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 by
our local Ko-lXo (Spencer) being appar-
emily in the background along with the
imported japanese costumes and the su-
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 a light, very sweet
tenor, but it does not encompass the part,
no matter how carefully he may use it.
katlsha was poor rendition, but the
Pitt Sing OF Miss Anna Barrett is worthy
of mention. Howard's Mkado fell be-
low the amateurs, but his attendant in
troduced 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
failure OF the first; but the fact remains
and the Grau Company might as well
realize it in Salt Lake as in San Francisco
that the company is not one adapted to
play "The Mikado"-they can play an
infinitely good burlesque on the piece,
but the opera in its classic purity-never.
1t is to be regretted that the Grau Com
pany opened in "The Mikado," as they
have evidently put it on before going
through the formality OF even slight
acquaintance, in order to avail them
selves of the spreading "NIikado''
craze, and here in Salt Lake, where many
OF the amateurs surpass their profession
ais, adverse criticisms must naturally
follow such performance as tho one they
gave in this opera
In the "Mascotte," which will be
played tonight, a cast better adapted to
the voices is promised, and Us burlesque
is prominent feature OF that opera, a
creditable performance is promised, with
Miss Amy Gordon rs the red-headed
Mascotte and Kent in role where his
fine baritone voice will be given chance.