St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-05-13
ST. JOHNsBURY IN OPERA.
The Pirates of Penzanee.--A Brilliant
Anafr.-- Three Successful Performan.
ces.--SOme of the Characters.

The Pirates of Penzance.--A BrilIian
Anhir.-- Three Successful Performan
ces.--Some of the Characters.
The long anticipated opera, eth,
Pirates of Penzance," was given tire,
presentations last week by the st
Johnsbury Home Opera company. AL
misgivings concerning the result o
this undertaking were set at rest after
the first performance. 1t was an un-
qualified success, the final presentation
Friday evening being best of all
Thursday and Friday evenings large
and appreciative audiences were in at.
tendance. At the matinee Friday af-
ternson there was small attendance
The opera is familiar one. The
curtain rises on sea-shOre scene. The
pirates are having high old time Gel
ebrating the end of the apprentic eship
4 of one of their number. The first sole
lis - the pirate kings lieutenant,
Samuel, (P. F. Hazen,) who, both in
singing and acting did finely through
out the opera. The king of this blood
thirsty gang advances in the person of
Harry May, whose sOnOrOus bass was
admirably adapted for the part. He
we'll sustained the character at every
presentation, being specially good in
the solo, sit is a glorious thing to be a
pirate king" G. s. Conant assumed
the part of Frederick, the slave of du-
ty, tossed about by the prickings of a
tender conscience and the love of two
charming women, happy with either
when 'tother was away. Both in voice
and person he acted the character
completely, and was repeatedly ap-
plauded.
Now Ruth, the nursery maid, who
had won her middle-aged way into his
boyish heart and who had carelessly
indentured Frederick to a pirate in
stead of pilot, appears and claims her
boy. No one of the company entered
into the spirit of the opera more heart
lily than Mrs. P. F. Hazen, who per-
sonated to perfection the piratical
|
lent voice and had better success in
capturing the audience than in captur-
ing the tickle Frederick. To be sure
she was too attractive in appearance
to faithfully represent a wrinkled, gray
haired nurse of AZ, but this fault was
cheerfully pardoned. But here come
two or three dozen of General Stan
ley's daughters. Of these Edith, miss
Hattie Blodgett) was prominent, add
ing to a reputation already secured for
good acting and good singing, while
Mrs. l.. H. Mcneil and Miss Abbie
P. Brown as Kate and Isabel were
equally successful.
But it takes the last of the daugh-
tiers, Mabel, (Mrs. E. l.. Wallace) to
capture this tender hearted youth.
The audience gives her hearty
greeting as she enters and proposes to
Fred that he
"Take heart fair days will shine,
Take any heart-take mine"
And the poor fellow accepts the prOpO-
sitiOn and is done for. Mrs. Wallace's
rich soprano contributed materially to
the success of each performance. She,
also, was in excellent voice through
out the week, particularly so Friday
evening. Both ia solos and chorusef
she was at her best. AS the affection
ate Mabel she was irresistible and hel
acting was thoroughly in keeping will
the drift of the story.
The pirates come in and seize the
girls and now enters the father him
self, Major General Stanley, (E. A
Silsby, "the very pattern of the mod
ern major general" From the rafting
jingle of the first solo to the closing
: scene he performed his part capitally.
His entrance was one of the most eff
fective features Of the opera and his
makeup was simply gorgeous. In the
second act, while the general is mourn
ing over the purchase of second-han
ancestors in the ruined chapel, the
tramp of the police squad, with Sar-
geant S. HI. Kent at their head, an
nOunces the entrance of the cOnstabu-
larry, "whOse lot is not a happy one
when cOnstabulary duty's to be DONE
f Mr.. Kent was one of the best actors il
the company and his squad was de
servedly encored both evenings.
But the tribulatiOns of the company
cannot be followed in detail to thu
close. Some special features, how
ever, deserve special mention. TIL
trio by Mrs. Hazen and Messrs. Ma!
and Conant, ga most ingenious para
/. dOx, ETC." was encored at both per
fOrmances and was really the gem o
of the opera. The chorus consisted o.
the following voices besides those al
ready noticed
Sopranos Mrs d. d. Patterson, Mrs J. q
Humphrey, Mrs. A. d. Rowell, Mrs. W P. Smith
Misses A. T. Fairbanks and j. L. Amidon.
Altos: Mrs. A. Dunnett Mrs. Harry Blodget
Misses NJ. H. Thompson, B. M. Amidon, Berth
Burroughs.
Tenors j. 81. Humphrey, W. C. Tyler, E.
Tyler, A. P. Taft c. 81. Horton, o. C. Amidon, j
Miller.
Bases V. Van Buskirk, A. B. Noyes, F. ]
Folsom, c. S. Adams, G. 81. Frost, W. L. Stevens
L. F. Miner 81. 81. Miner, Milo Spaulding.
1t is rarely that professional com
pany can present so strong choru
;. which was one of the notable feature
of the opera. 1t was at its best in til
ode to poesy which was rendered wit
| remarkable power. The orchestra an
piano Accomplishments left nothing t
be desired in this respect. Mr.. Blais