Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-11-11
AT THE THEATRE.
kpencer's Little Tycoon to a Crowd
ed H0use---The Weeks At
fractions,
"THE LITTLE TYCOON. "

pleasant COnVe1SdtlOu VIII an ARGUS re-
porter between acts at Harper's theatre
last evening, ives. l am the cause of all
the mischief. composed the words and
music of the opera which your people have
shown so much appreciation of tonight,
and | will say that while the recep-
ton my production has received in Rock
| Island has far exceeded my antici-
pations, the enthusiasm manifested
is on par with that displayed all
over the west where we have been on
this, our first visit. The Little Ty-
coon" was first put on at Philadelphia
January 4. last. by the same company
that is playing here tonight. 1t had
a two hundred night continuous
run there, and seemed to be success
| from the first. Then followed l05 sue.
cessive nights at the Fifth avenue theatre
New York, aud afterwards we gave the
opera at Boston, Baltimore and Chicago,
Peoria. thence to Bloomington. and then
one or two night stands until the end of the
week, when we shall return direct TO
Philadelphia, for three weeks engage
me Mt in the Temple theatre where our
opera was originally produced. We then
have circuit of the eastern cities-Bal>
timore Washington, Boston etc, when
we shall probably cone west again,
and if we do, We will cert ainly visit Rock
Island where such handsome treatment
has been accorded us"
If Willard Spencer had been success
full composer of comic opera all his life,
such wealth of original humor. and
brilliancy as he puts into The Little Ty-
coon" might have been expected with an
audience accustomed to his productions.
But with THE Little tycoon" Mr.. Spen>
Ger makes his debut as a composer of
American comic opera, and this opera
not only attests the sauthor's thorough
knowledge of music. vocal and instrument
tai but his ideas of the essential features
which must characterize an opera, which
is to please an American public. We have
gone wild over ''Pinafore.' and heard it
until we are tired oft and accepted the
Mikado as its worthy successor, but the
beauty of Mr.. Spencer's Little Tycoon
is that it combines the stronger elements
of both these operas. which have made
Gilbert & Sullivan famous, and what
he has learned from both, thrown
into graceful harmony with his own ideas
The result is an opera that is destined TO
reach the front ranks of the comic operas
of the day. The Little Tycoon" is fas-
cinating; it is charming-full of rich HUI
NOR; it is grand; it is success.
II there had been anything lacking 10
the authors composition, the company
which produced THE Little Tycoon" be-
fore q great and appreciative audience at
Harper's theatre last evening. might have
cleverlg concealed it, for a stronger caste.
taking it all in all, has not appeared in
Rock Island before. The first act upon
the steamers deck introduced the compa'
NJ in the guise of tourists. the young la
dies chaperoned be Miss Hurricane. "
Elma DelarO, and the young fellows on a
college vacation trip. The difficulty of
making comic opera of America incident,
and character pretty and picturesque was
ingenioasly overcome by Mr.. Spencer
through making his characters masquer
lie in various ways, the japanese scene
at the close being most striking and ele-
giant. The scenery attending the ap
proach of the steamer TO New York
where the harhor. the church spires and
points of prominence are gently revealed
to The audience, is grand and strikingiy
realistic-the finest effect indeed that
has been produced IN Harper's theatre
The charming little air, Love Comes
| Like q Summer Sigh won for Miss
Louise Paullin as Violet, and afterward
the Little Tycoon" the admiration of
the audience. It is the gem of all the
gems Of the opera, and furnishes very
pretty piece of ballad work Her voice
is like silver bell. alvin Barry" a
Wall street broker, and later the Great
Tycoon" was taken by Mr.. Will S. Ris-
ing, who carried off the vocal honors OF
the evening. R. N. Dunbar displays 8
baritone voice rich and powerful, and
Elma Delaro IA sweet, jolly damsel
with laugh full of originality, and a
voice that charms one to hear Owing
to illness, Mr.. R. E. Graham was unable
to sing Gen. Knickerhocker," but Fred
eric Darcy made an admirable substitute
His song, They Cawn't Do It, Y
Know" won no less than five recalls
| 1t WAS Cit CDulC III Va Luc evening"
Mr.. Spencer may he proud Of his frs
attempt at comic opera. He has been s
composer of music for voice and itstru-
ment all his life. but he seems to have Jus
stepped into his calling
COMEDY.
Tonight the Bayse Davis combination
resumes its engagement at Harper's thea
tire producing "A Celebrated Case" To,
morrow night ''Inshavogue" will b
given BY Mr.. Burton and Miss Burton
and the strong company.
ILLINOIS THANKSGIVING.