St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-27
SAINT PAUL.
1.-THE BARBER OF SEVILLE"

An OId-Time Boston Ideal Au-
dience Greets the Return of the
Favorites.
Manager Foster has redeemed his
promise to return to st. Paul with a
company of artists unsurpassed by any
opera company that ever visited the
city. The production of 1.-THE Barber
of Seville" at the Grand last night was
certainly as pleasing performance as
our opera patrons could desire. The
story is an amusing one, and furnishes
an excellent plot for comic opera.
The plot is laid in Seville.
The Count Almaviva is III love with
Rosua. the ward of Dr.. BartolO. After
serenading his beloved Rosina he en-
counters Figaro, the barber, who is
factotum of the town. The count re-
yeals his love for Rosina to Figaro,
when they mutually plot to obtain a
meeting between the lovers. DR.. Bar
tolo, having the intention to make his
ward his bride, keeps strict watch
over her, and is assisted in his design
by Basilio. her music master. But
Rosina returns the affection of the
count and contriveS to give him let
ter, in which she declares her passion
for him, at the same time demanding
mis- name. In order to obtain an inter-
view with Rosina the count DISCUSSES
himself as drunken soldier and forces
his way into the house of DR.. BartolO, but
is discovered. He again assumes the dis
guiSe of music master, and presents
himself at the house of DR.. Bartolo:
that on account of illness he was sent by
Don BaSilio to attend ROSina'S lesson.
He is introduced to Rosina, and thus
obtains the desired interview and
Figaro manages the rest. He obtains
the keys of the balcony, arranges for a
secret marriage and the escape of ROSina
at midnight. The appearance of Don
BaSiliO, however. diSconcertS the lovers
for moment. Bartolo also, having got
possession of letter written by Rosiha
to the count, eXciteS her jealousy, and
obtains her promise to marry him. At
the appointed time, however. the
count and Figaro make their APP
pearance, the lovers are reconciled, and
the notary engaged by Bartolo is made to
celebrate the marriage OF ROsina and
the count. At this moment DR.. BartOlo
arrives with an officer, into whose hands
he intends to conSlgn Figaro and the
count. Mutual explanations are fol-
lowed by a general reconciliation.
There is no difficulty in recognizing the
music as Rossini's. Those soft, deli
cate strains which are characteristic of
the composer run all through the opera,
and in the orcheStratiOn Mr.. NeuenOrff
has certainly made brilliant success.
If the opera has a defect, it is in the
lack of chorus, there being no female
chorus voices. and the male members of
the chorus only appear twice. Thus
it is weak in en- emble, and an
audience naturally misses those
grand climaXeS which are supposed
to belong to the finale of each act. The
principals had nearly the entire burthen
of the opera to carry, but they do it in
great style. Mile. l. Allemand's sing
ing was revelation. for by the time
she had sung her first aria in the role of
Rosina there was no bond to the en-
thusiasm of the audience. She had not
been over-advertised. She is all that
the management claimed for her, and
more, too. The tone of her voice has
poetic warmth, and its bild-like quail
ity is the very essence of sweet
melody. Although not the COM
plete artist that either Patti
or Schalchi is. yet in measure she is
a happy combination of both. In
personal appearance she resembles the
latter, and possesses a good deal of the
same manneriSm, while the quality of
her voice more nearly approaches
PATHS than any singer who has yet
visited this city. Manager Foster has
been fortunate in securing Mile. L. AL
lemand, for in her he has an opera star
of primal magnitude. Frank Baxter has
made wonderful improvement since
last year, both in voice and stage move
ment, particularly the latter. He has
learned how to use his legs and to know
what to do with his hands. His
Interpretation of the part of Count AL
miviva last night was as finished and
graceful az it was possible to be. Mr..
cambridge has likewise improved in
his acting, and sang the role of Figaro
in admirable voice. The old-time ia
vorites, Miron and Clark, are UNI
changed-both are strong comedians,
and Clark's profound baSSO is as music
ally SOnorOuS as ever.
The bill tonight will be Georges
Bizet's well-knoWn opera, with Miles.
De Lussan and Won Januschowsky as
prima donnas. The following is the
cast:
Don Jose, a brigadier. ........ Luigi Parisotte
Escamillo, toreador go. ....W. II. Mertens
Zunlga, captaln..... o;......:.g. =. Miron
II Remendado ..:............. Frank Hanshue
Michaela, Peasant girl
Georgine Won Januschowsky
frasqulta.... ..'..... ..''..:.;. Atalle CIalre
Carmen, cigarette girl, afterward
0ypsy...... ......... Le1le Dt LussiiA
DRAMATIC NOTES.