Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-19
AT THE THEATERS.
CloVer's Success -Knianlka-O Other Plays
and Players.

and Players.
1t is decidedly lucky to find the four-leafed
"Clover'' at the BIZ ou theater this week. The
comic opera by Franz Won Suppe which Col
onel McCaulPs company played for the first time
in Pittsburg last night is endowed with more
than the average amount of really refreshing
music; not ambitious music but pretty little
songs duets and chorus or two. The libretto
is not worth talking about at all and the plot is
of the very thInnest texture and as small as the
law of comic opera allows. It is possible to
give the whole story in two or three lines. RaS-
doU the hero of the play, on the eve of his
wedding day is given by his bride to be years
leave to make tour of the world, with view
to trying his love. He accepts the vacation,
and in succession dissipates in Paris. fights in
Sweden and masquerades in Venice. In sew
eral disguises his lady love watches over him
always and is rewarded after many trials by
her lovers fidelity. The story allows no less
than four changes of locality in the scenery,
and the opportunity for change is well used by
Mile Cottrelly in the costumes. The scenery
is pretty and the dresses of the chorus are well
chosen in most instances,
But the real strength of this production Of
"Clover" lies rather in the cast than anywhere
else. The graceful Marion Manolo, brings her
voice of even power and sweet expression, and
her familiar charms of person to the role OF the
leTOlut Otct6A. O6 w OIL Hopper - buo pIluCl-
pal comedian, and as a matter OF course we
find the buOyant and pert Annie Myers close
beside him. The idea of Hopper's immense
length in comic opera without Miss Myers
plump comeliness as an annexation thereupon
brings dismay with it. Hoppers humor is more
elephantine than ever; he dances all over the
stage with his od-time vim. and sings topical
song, Things 'Twere Better Not to Dwell On"
with extravagant fun. His part is a bad one
a servant who has no thought Of anything
above his stomach-but by dint of extraordi-
nary work he manages to keep the audience
laughing madly at him all the while he Is on
the stage. His duets with Annie Myers are
the most comic things in this rather serious
opera. Indeed, for comic opera "Clover" has
vast deal of doleful sentiment in it. The
tenor is kept wailing almost all the time, and
Marion Manola's delightful voice is too often at
tuned to minor Fey, Eugene OudiD, the tenor,
has handsome face and welcome manliness
not often the perQuisite of tenor, but his voice
seems rather torn and weakened by rough
usage. He sang I'm My Dreams with great
spirit and good taste, and another song, with
similar name, the refrain of which is heard often
in the opera. was beautifullyrendered by Marion
Manola. In point of effectiveness the solemn
finale at the end of the second act is the best
choral work of the piece, and the chorus, which
is deficient in its feminine voices also achieved
a triumph in this number. The chorus is we'll
trained and its only defect is in the sopranos.
The clever sketch of bombastic Spaniard and
his sister in the last act, wherein is a
captivating castanet dance, showed the
agility and humor of De Angels and the mas
terry Of the graceful in the dance for which
Mile Cottrellyl Is famous. The last act is also
noteworthy of the prettiest music in the piece.
Marion Manola's song of the gondola, and
ridiculous burlesque serenade by Hopper with
an immense horn and M. Oudin. Taking the
opera as o whole it is certainly well
worth seeing, though it may not be the best we
have seen here since, as Hopper says in his
gan the building of the postofiea here.n