The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-05-29
tnuScnenis.

The "MikadO' was given on thursday
night by the Chicago House Opera Com
pany to a magnificent audience The per
Torrance was very enjoyable one, notwith-
standing the weakness Of the company as
TO chorus and orchestra. The life Of the
piece is Stanley Felch's h0-ho in which
he Is inimitable and irresistible 1t may
be remarked parenthetically in this connec.
ion that the Utica man who sat behind us
probably required a surgical operation to
relieve him from the effects Of the Tit
Willow song Miss Bechtel's YUm Yum
was very clever, also; while Vests P0oh
Ban was excellent. These being the prin
cipal parts, it is enough TO say the remain
der of the cast was fully equal TO the re
uuirements. The orchestra was quite
thin, however the pianist and yiolinist with
the company being supplemented by a
quartette from Peru, none of whom ap
peared to have much idea of the music of
the opera, and certainly were at loss often
as TO what woul turn up next
This practically closes the amusement
season for the year 1886, IS the compan
Ies are fast Withdrawing from the road
1t cannot be said that the season has been
satisfactory one, either in Ottawa or else
where throughout the country. In Ottawa
no really first class stars have appeared, II
we except Couldock and Catherine Lewis,
neither of whom were greeted by audi.
ences such as they deserved; while the
balance of the season has been made up OF
number of Crosses" in themselves mel
ther theatrical, musical nor burlesque,
though claiming to be all, such as "Fun
on the Bristol" We, Us Il Co.." ct id omHe
qcauS. The truth is, the econ. bination'
system is playing out, and rapidly reducing
the standard of theatricals all over the
country; result brought about through
the nature of the system itself, and the I'M
mense demand for attractions caused by
the increase in the number of "@pera
houses throughout the country When
five or six years ago, the system begun its
course, tire combination" managers had
the choice of the people of large number
Of stock companies, the combinations were
excellent ard The houses so limited that it
was difficult for all 10 fill their time with
out taxing in the "rural' opera houses
During that period Ottawa saw many Of
the finest companies in the country
more than she could we'll patroni2e.
From year to year, however, the quality
las deteriorated; metropolitan as We'll as
provincial houses have increased, and the
best have been gradually withdrawn from
the country to fill their time in the cities
only Harl times then came, and today
there are not enough tirst.class companies
politan dates open, to say nothing of going
into the country The final result is few
new plays are produced, and the produc
ton of old ones growing more and more
defective. Every leading man or woman
is "starring'-as long as some guys purse
lasts-barnStomers supplying the support.
When the crop of fresh managers plays out
the combination system will go, and an
new race of actors will take the place of
the burlesque contortionists. 1t would be
interesting to know what will be the i'm.
mediate outcome; but as we look at it, the
Opera House in Ottawa and all other cities
of her size will be fortunate II in the near
future il even opportunities the excellence
of attractions offered few years ago. Ii
is not the managers fault that stars of the
first magnitude no longer appear here,
They can't be had except on ctrtain'ies so
enormous that it Is useless to attempt TO
get them at prices Ottawa people are will,
/ inc and able 10 pay