St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-04-12
HOME OPERA.
"The SOrcerer' as Rendered by the St
JOhnsbury Home Opera Company.


Gilbert & Sullivan's comic opera,
"The Sorcerer," was given by the st.
Johnsbury Home opera company Thurs
day and Friday evenings. The opera
as a whole was better presented than
was "The Pirates of Penzance" two
years ago, the chorus was fully as
good, the acting much better, and it
passed off most successfully. With
one exception, that of Miss Emma C.
Tuttle of Boston, the chorus and solo
lists were all st. Johnsbury singers,
reckoning Mr.. Clement of Barnet as
zone of u.s." Here is the cast of char
acters:-
Sopranos: Mrs. D. D. Patterson,
ell, Mrs. w. P. Smith, Mrs. j. H.
Humphrey, Della Howe, Eva Soule.
Altos: Mrs. p. F. Hazen, Mrs. L. F.
Gaskill, Katherine B. Prince, Edith
Hovey, Bertha Stevens, Ida Penniman.
TenOrs: C. S. COnant, P. F. Hazen,
w. B. Atwood, G. III. Horton, G. V.
Perry, E. w. Owens.
Basses: H. III. May, j. E. Clement,
E. A. Silsby, Frank Folsom, G.. H.
Frost, S. D. Atwood, F. H. Brooks, w.
L. Kinney, Will Stevens.
The curtain rises on the villagers
assembled to celebrate the signing of
the marriage contract between Alexis
and Aline. The chorus was a notable
feature of the opera, one of the best
ever organized in st. JOhnsbury. Amid
the rejoicing Mrs. Partlett, "the eagle
eyed pew-opener" (Mrs. D. d. Patter-
sony enters with here decidedly pretty
daughter Constance Mrs. w. S. Street.
cry. Mrs. PattersOn's makeup as "the
clean and tidy wildly" was irresistible
and she sustained her part to perfec-
ton. Mrs. Streeter was equally success
full as the love-sick maiden, while the
object of her affections, DR.. DAILY, (P.
F. Hazen) was one of the leading char
acters in the opera and was remark
ably well taken both as regards sing
ing and acting by Mr.. Hazen. Enter
Sir Marmaduke POintdeXtre (H. III.
May) and his son Alexis &C.. S. Conant).
Mr.. May as the courtly old-school gen
tleman was becomingly dignified and
received frequent evidence from the
audience that his work was appreciat-
ed. Mr.. COnant was never in better
voice and swan about in "the lucid
lake of liquid love" in a very happy
manner.
Miss Emma Tuttle as Alne, the be-
trOthed, was, of course, the star of the
opera. Her attractive personal ap
pearance, admirable acting and sweet
singing formed combination that the
audience could not resist and her ev-
cry appearance was signal for ap-
plause. The entrance of Aline's moth
er, Lady Sangazure, (Mrs. P. F. Ha-
zen) completed the family group. Mrs.
Hazen was at her best at both presen-
tations of the opera, her rich cOntralto
contributing materially to its success.
All parties to the contract assembled,
the notary, j. E. Clement of Barnet,
enters and in heavy bass that just
fits the judicial figure and white wig
of the official calls for the execution of
the deed. Both here and later, when
the willing victim of the unwilling
Constance, he played his part admir-
ably. The services of the sorcerer, j..
Wellington Wells, (E. A. Silsby) a
dealer in magic and spells, is now call
ed in to administer the philtre or love
potion that shall "steep the village up
to it's lips in love-" E. A. Silsby, as
the representative of his firm, in the
incarnation scene and throughout was
a great success and we'll deserved the
applause he received. The ridiculous
complications that grow out of the ad
ministration of the philtre, with the
pretty solos, duets, trios, quartets and
choruses in which the absurd story
is told were all delightfully."- rendered
by the company, at the close j. w.
, Wells gracefully yielding up the ghost
, to undo the evil wrought by his magic.
The exceptional proficiency of the
chorus and soloists was due to the care
full and painstaking direction of j. H.
l Humphrey, who has been the musical
d. director from the first. Miss Ina Howe
t presided at the piano with such sue
9 cess that the absence of an orchestra
b. was hardly observed and S. III. Kent
, successfully assumed the part of the
s invisible stage manager. The com
pany realized sufficient sum from the
two presentations to meet all expenses
and have a trifle left over.
A Big Crop of Lumber.
e L.. d. Hazen has cut the past season
: 4,659, ,726 feet of lumber, more by
t 5000, 900 feet than he ever cut before
h The season has been good one ant
}. the present market for lumber is goot
t with prospect of being better rathe
{ than worse. 1t has been on the who'll
s a remarkably good season for lumber
ing operations.
# The Vermont Conference.