Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-29

by the council OF the town or the boart
Of supervisors Of the county so locating
the said hospital the amount o
damages done to their property
and in the event Of the failure o
such council or board Of supervisors Il
make such payment, or Of their failur'
to agree upon the amount Of damage:
done, then il shall be lawful for any
person whose property is so damaged
by the location of such hospital TO re-
cover from the county. city, or towr
so locating said hospital, the damage:
done to their property, said damages tc
be recovered by proper action in the
Circuit Court Of the county in which
said hospital is located.
2. All acts and part Of acts incon'
sistent with this act are hereby re.
pealed. ~
3. This act shall be in force from its
passage.
The Opera at the Theatre Last Night
Martha was presented at the Theatre
last evening by what is styled the
" Strakosch Grand English Opera Com
pany," and, judging by the apprecia-
tion Of the large audience present,
their rendition Of this popular work
was pleasing throughout. The. cas-,
was as follows: Lady Henriette, Miss
Kate Bensberg; Nancy, Miss Matilde
Phillips lionel, Mr.. George Ap-
pleby; Plunket, Mr.. George Fox ;
Tristan, Mr.. W. b. Knight Sheriff,
Mr.. Alden.
Miss Phillips and Mr.. Appleby are
well known to Richmond theatre-geers,
while Miss Bensberg and Miss Phillips
are the only members of the cast who
come from the American Opera Com
paDy Of Theodore Thomas, now play
ing at the Academy in New York.
Miss Bensberg has a very sweet,
well-cultivated, and pure soprano; and
while she appeared by her work last
evening to be new to the business, she
gave an acceptable impersonation in
the title-r6le. Miss Phillips, a power
full contralto and an excellent lyric
artist, seemed to be suffering from a
cold.
Mr.. Pox's "Plunket was not
marked by any decided dramatic action,
but it was altogether pleasing. He is
apainstaking and sweet baritone singer.
Mr.. Appleby did the principal work Of
the evening, and he and Miss Bensber-
ger were the recipients of several de-
cided epcoreS. Mr.. knights "Sir
Tristan" and Mr.. Alden's Sheriff"
were acceptable impersonations. The
quartette as cast last evening, while it
possesses decided ability, was not well
balanced, the contralto being not only
too strong for the soprano, but for the
baritone as well.
The company comes to this city with
very unfayerable recent press comment,
and, judging from our estimate Of last
nights performance, we should say
that the management made a mistake
in heralding them as they did-as a
grand opera company from the Acade-
my in New York, and all under the
direction Of the veteran and we'll
known operate manager, Mr.. Max
Strakosch. While the company
has some decided excellencies, in
promise, the public have been led in ad-
vance to place too high an estimate
upon it. They were unprepared to
find, as matter Of fact, a company
astily drawn together and absolutely
nsufficiently drilled. The name Of Mr..
trakosch was a guarantee for some
hing better. And while the company
= doing remarkably well, all things
oDsidered, and gives much promise in
he near future, the public must and |
will judge of them by their present
work as an organization and not by |
heir individual excellence.
The chorus is rather unattractive, and |
hough large, is ineffective from want |
If drilling. Indeed it did not seem up
n the work, and in one or more num-
1eIs omitted the words entirely. The
orchestra is full, well-seleeted, and
'bly directed. In fact, as we said above,
he company from what we have seen
,iyes promise of excellent work.
Tonight Trovatore, with Miss Annis
Montague, will be given. Miss Morta-
,ue, it will be remembered, sang with
Hiss Kellogg here, and was greatly adj
nired for her unquestionably fine lyric
'owerS.