The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-05-02
AMUSEM MENTS.


press OF New York, Boston, and Philadelphia as the
greatest artistic successes the musical world has
seen IN recent years. The verdict Of the critics has
been slngularly unanimous on the high merit OF the
various productions, result all the more wonderful
since, instead OF remaining In the beaten track of
opera management, aud giving the threadbare works
OF the modern repertory, the operas presented have
been mostly new TO the audiences. And IL Ia not nov
city alone which has been sought, for the compost
tons, as might he expected With MIR. Theodore
Thomas as conductor, are Of the highest merit. No
expense has been spared In gathering and training the
chorus and ballet, In costumng aud setting the
operas, and In securing the best English. speaking
singers in the world. The rcperiory is so ATTRACTIVE
that every true lover OF opera viii want season
cse 30 @ as nTt %o 70 mss a single The
opera, "Orphcus and Eurydice," with the splendid
coniralo, Helene Hastrelter, as 0rpheus, Emma
Tuesday night there Is double hill, consisting Of
Victor Masses one-act opera, "rhe Marriage OF
Lee, q. ". williams and Kate oesierie, and S DeSess ~
spectacular ballet, "sylvla.r Wednesday after
% noon the grand opera, "Lakmc," by Leo Dellbes,
mand, AloDzo Il. stoddard. VIM Canddus, VIM. II.
Lee, Kate Bensherg, Helen Dudley Campbell, May
M r Bartlett Days,and VIM IL Fessehdci
ture Of this production. Wednesday night the season
WI close with Wagners" Flying Dutchman,n sung
ney, George Appleby, Helen Dudley Campbell, and
William II: Fessenden. AS we have already said,
tne nlRHcsl praise mas Deen lavisIeu unOn the work
OF ts new organization or the rendition Of Gluck's
masterpiece In Boston the Home Journal said .
" Ihe chas'e and classic character of the music in
this opera has for 40 many years been familiar
among musicians and amateurs that 1t would seem
superfuous to devote attention TO It's vast amount of
interesting n. e. IN and remarkable detail which in every
through with the master hand OF genius. The man.
ner IN which tne orehestraon OF the opera was pre-
proved upon, and 1t was an upalloyed pleasure to
experience the superior finish, precision delcacy Of
'I ngnt ana shade, as well as the clear and nne
phrasng, with which the orchestral portion OF the
work In every part was rendered. The part of
orpheus was assigned Nine. Hasireter Her per.
lormance was witnessed by a large audience, aud
was greeted with every token OF the keenes appre.
clation. The entire personaiion was In such
perfect peri keeping with the unity of Inc character
lnat IL seems needless to single out any phrase or
portion Of 1t for special notice. 1t is far more
gratifying to remember 1t as n whole, as a finished
ns OF color and expression, beautiful and rrace. M
ful IN all its outlines. All the intense and noble
passion o. the character, Its pride, Its dignity, and
expressed throughout. As a personation al once
realistic and artistic 1t one OF the most remark.
able and complete that has ever been seen upon
was voice that justly reflected the sentiments OF
m tne situation, voice replete with rich and sympa-
tce She sang the music to the role with charming
expression and true pathos, and her hstronlc n-
left asred Wh an effect that
Minnie Dilthey displayed q pleasing voice, and her
acting was satisfactory The opera was superbly
or "Lakme" the same critic wrote: siAn inner
sonallon OF the title role more graceful, wlnsone,
tender, and true than that offered by Fraulein
not to diverge too widely from the domain of lyric
criticism IN Offering slight tribute to the personal
she made her Boston debut In the role OF LnEne,
and has come here not only with the reputation OF
Ssn oelnS prima donna assoua but Also in the best
Prauein LAllemand is OF medium height, and Is
v somewhat robust and commanding. Possessed OF
very sweet and winsome face, an Unborn courtliness
OF bearing. and avoiding the stereotyped gesture
anu pose OF opera she prcpossesses one in favor
iron, rom the moment she appears. And how admirably
uoes sue sing! Taste, truth, and expression In
whatsoever she undertakes are Fraulen L'Alle-
manls as to the manner born. No more perfect
lied this city. In alt her voice is peculiarly sweet
anu almost delicate. 1t Is not voice OF power, and
~ ,ne nezzo range Is not very sweet voice, but
phenomenal voice. She has yet to Improve her
cantaOile, and we are aware that the most natural
merit sf hsr Singing IT att with Spf al 9ss
hypercrillcisms that one can bring to bear upou IT,
and II Will yet be found that Fraulen LAilemand is
a pnenomenally endowed artist, whose rival in
very short time 1t will he difficult to name" The
Boston Courier says: SIN the marriage Of Jeannete
insds Mss lAemand ~ again proved herself one of the
singers. While in the Ballet Of sylvia, the dainty
@ raise tento and the fzzicatl charmed as much as
tonian ears, WAS MT less attractive. The stage
setting OF this work was worthy OF the best Euro
pean theatre, and the dances went with perfect pre-
clsion anu grace; vet we scarcely imagine that the
0alel, however, well given, will take root In New
England. The dance OF the slaves was especially
was spectaculat ~ the highest degree" The
Courier also says of "Lakme "Aiiss Jessie Bartlett
Davis rendered the small part Of Mdufha in an ex-
ceeaingly good style, her chief number, the duet
with LakD,e being given with excellent effect,
especially IN the boat scene, where the effect OF
velces receding In the distance charmingy rem
dered." The presentation OF the sFlying Dutch
man has been pronounced notable, not only on ac-
count OF the strength Of the cast Miss Jnch having
been called "an ideal Senta," but for noble singing
Washngtonians know they can expect from Whit.
ney and the striking scenic effects The Philadelphia
that city Friday night, said: "rhe first scene was a
triumph OF stage management. The background
clouds scuddlDg along the rocky coast, while ire.
anent flashes of lightning showed what weird effects
the use Of electricity has made possible on the stage
peared in the ofiing and rolled through the bows.
and then, yeerng to avoid the rocks, put Into port
while the sky was cleaning with vivid d ishes, the
audience broke Into, hearty applause. II was n
strange, uncanny scene, and the arrival OF daylight
was appreciated and admired. In the third act
also electricity was successfully employed, and
the will-o'-the-wsps flying up aud down the masts
q o. the fatal ship produced a unique effect.
NJ. Whtney,who had an unusual share or melodous
. .Tenes, mad better chance than In 'Lohengrn' or
'Ihe Merry Wives of Windsor to show the capacity
OF me greatest basso voice that America has pro-
have never seen such an ensemble as will be shown
Monday night Is proved by the fact that the orches
ira under Mr.. Thomas numbers from sixty to eighty
musicians, according TO the requirements of the
operas presented, the full number OF eighty having
been brought here, while there Is a chorus OF one
nundreu young, fresh, and carefully selected voices,
picked from over five hundred candidates, ballet
OF eighty dancers and entirely new costumes prop
opera at great expense. It Is gratifying to be able
10 record the artistic success which this magnificent
patriotic enterprise has achieved during its first sea
son, and every one must hope that our people Will
show proper appreciation Of an event which must
be regarded as the most important In the history of
musical art at the Capital.
When such favorile organization as the Ideal
Opera Company grows stronger every year lovers
OF music may well feel pleased. And the Ideals
under the management OF Mr.. W. II. Foster, have
not only principal artists OF higher rank than ever
before, but their ensembles show marked Improve.
ment The old favorites among the principals sing
az well as ever, indeed Mr. Tom Karl and Miss Marie
stone were never singing better, but the new ac-
CUSHIONS, Miss DE Lussan and Miss Huntington are
young artists OF great promise and destined to ac-
qulre high and well-deserved fame In the operatc
world. Both are so young as to be probably some
years short OF their prime. De Lussan possesses a
soprano voice OF fine range and delicious quality and
under perfect control. She sings like bird and
acts charmingiy Since Parepa Rosa no such singer
mas been heard In English opera. She is New
ork girl and is said to be as charming In private
e as @ she Is On the stage Az she Is only twenty
her. She has received munincent offers from |
Mapleson and other impresarlos but has refused to
leave the Ideals. In DonIzeits norid numbers she
nad splendid chance TO show the quality Of her |
voice and her facility Of execution, and her audi |
ences were unqualinedy delighted with both. We |
40 not see why "The Elixir Of Love-" should have |
been renamed "Adna, bnt this did not hurt the |
score nor detract from the gratitude which il due the
management for making such charming addition |
10 the repertory. After the surfeit OF Operettas and
all sorts OF tribes set to ephemcra music which we |
nave had, II IL delightful to see competent artists
engaged upon work no much more worthy OF their
lalenta. Tom Karl appeared TO great advantage
10 tne last act OF Donizets melOdious opera. Much
Dt me above applies TO lIaleyys tuneful work, OF
which the Ideals adaptation Ii called "The Maid OF
Honor" Compositions OF this class are vastly
.e0ye those which English opera companies, and the
deals themselves, have been used to giving us. I'm
fortunately too often manager has to do his best
And most creditable work at his own expense, The
public, OF course, ought to have known that an opera
~ lialevy would pay them better to hear than one
~ sullivan or Stranss and still more so In the case
u Donzetfi. Unfortunately they did not, and
hough musical people had rare treat In hearing
ne new additions TO the deals repertory, the mana
ger must have felt an uneasy doubt whether he
you'd not have been good many hundreds, II not
honsands OF dollars better OF II he had stuck to the
Eorn-out and threadbare operas OF which every
vas supposed TO have long since tired. "The Maid
u Honor" IL charming opera which has q capital
ole Tor contralto, and In II Miss Agnes Huntington
moved talent OF the highest order, both as singer
lnd actress. She Ia the most charming contrato we