New-York tribune., 1889-12-22
with the music which suspect even Sir Arthur

with the music which suspect even Sir Arthur
Sullivan loves better than his own.
OF course il was a friendly house, but some
times think it matters little whether house be
friendly or unfriendy Who ever was taken IN
by the applause 1f q claque? What hostility can
resist the sympathetic influence OF genius or Of
such charming gifts as are possessed by the three
heroes of this evening? Mr.. D'Oyly Carte's share.
though less talked of, is not less essential con-
dition OF success than either OF his colleagues
The beautiful frame in which he has set Inc
Gondollers" delights everybody the elaborate jest
of Mr.. Gilbert and the melody OF Sir Arthur
Sullivan fall upon ears which the eye has already
disposed TO be kindly. Sir Arthurs appearance
in the conductors chair provokcs the first out
burst wnich lasts so long that you can admire at
your leisure the imperturbabc GOODNESS OF the
composer He takes it very we'll is neither IN
different. like Lord Beaconsield, nor TOO oo-
yiouslv plcased. as even Mr. Gladstone sometimes
is His own opinion on the new opera is already
ON record In these days of Intervening, the
composer seems to he expected to he MS own
critic and he gave the note 10 the others "heh
he announced THAT he had sacrificed tie serious
musician little TO the necessity OF pleasing ,he
public The public wants taking airs ana melouS
something that is at once caught up ana easily
retained That is what Sir Arthur has given his
auditors Throughout a great part of the new
piece lie almost never forGcts to be reHheu'
Mr.. Barrington's song and dance in the second aco
are the only instances OF fippant ana perhaps
rather common treatment. There is Durlesque III
plenty. but the sacred lamp was not lighted at the
Gaicty Theatre. lie is often whimsical, never
vulgar and there numbers which the most
serious musician could not call easy. The quartet
1o of q "
tremely difficult and successful work. What Sir
Arthur delights in is kind of musical parody
sometimes upon Italian. sometimes upon English
music None but an accomplished musician could
do il: for the parody implies and requires a
thorough knowledge of the thing parodled. lie
is never at the end of his resources. his ingenuity
is unfailing and he provides the critic with
succession of surprises, swift enough TO keep the
most austcre OF them in good hllmOr. hpoNe "il'
there is GO in the music; il is captivating from
beginning to end, and there is hardly even pause
in the animation which such work must have IL
il is to hold the house.
Mr.. Gilbert's book is in his best manner
There are peoplc who think that vein of gen.
uine humor must necessarily be there and soon
worked out We all know Gilbert's trick,
observed one critical person Well, perhaps we
all do, but what is surprising is that nobody else
can do it. The topsy-turvy method seems so easy
until YOU have tried it. There is no better proof
that Mr. Gilbers humor is genuine than the fact
that in his hands the same manner still succeeds
in his tenth opera, and that il succeeds IN the
hands of nobody else The point and finish OF MS
dialogue are not inferior 10 his earliest or his
latest performances, and he, like Sir Arthur IN
his music, provides series OF surprises Inc
best books said Pascal. are those which the reader
feels sure he could have written himself. Inc
best Jokes also, are those which seem so obvious
when they are uttered, but not till they are Ut
tered. The dialogue is good and the incidents
are so fresh that the story matters little. DOUBT
whether anybody much concerned himself with
the story of The GondOlers' on thc-first night,
or took any sincere interest in the fortunes OF the
lovers or any ot1er characters whomsoever. There
was, in fact, perceptible drag during the first
half Of the first act none Of us had begun to make
out what it was all about and the indispensable
thread on which all these pearls were being strung
WAS for a while imperceptible. We were like the
two gondolers in the game Of bindman's bun
our eyes were bandaged. But the Duke of Plaza
Toro woke us all up all felt that Mr.. Gilbert was
himself again when we heard Of the Duke as
limited company, and noted the minute finish OF
the conceit. ] do not pretend to tell the story,
partly because ] don't think the story has much
TO do with the success Of the piece, and partly
because the plot is always better learned at the
theatre itself. When the quartet Of the first act
had been heard, success was no longer question.
There was demand for IT. repetition, and when
Sir Arthur Logan, near the end. there came Shout
from the pit all of it," with which composer
and artists were fain to comply The concerted
piece of the second act was even better relished
and more clamorOusly re-demanded. Then, per-
haps, the interest fell off little, and Mr. Gilbert
eXtrcated his heroes and herOines from their
dilemmas by an eXpedent that can hardly be
called novel. But whether they were eXtrcated
or not the opera ran its cheerly to the last
note; the business of the stage never tagged, and
Mr. Gilberts quaintness Of speech and idea was not
less quaint than at the beginning.
The performance was very even all the way
through. Nowhere is piece put on the stage
with more care than at the Savoy, and Mr.. Gil
bert's knowledge of stage direction is scientific
Mr. D'Oyy Carte has avished money OH costumes
and scenery. Old favorites were welcomed back
again, Mr.. Rutland Darlington receiving what is
sometimes called an ovation Miss Jessie Bond
shared il. Miss Geraldine Ulmar like Miss Jessie
Bond, has an ineffective entry, but took her re-
venge by singing and acting with piquant brill
fancy that is all her own-indeed, the critics say
she never sang so well Mr. Courtice Pounds
divided honOrs with Mr. harrington. and Mr.
Denny, the Grand Inquisitor made ND in tho
living image of Lord Granville, acted with inst
the dryncss of manner which his part required
Altogether, an evening that ranks hi2h among
first nights at the Savoy. &. W S
A FORTY DOLLAR JOKE
From The Washington Post.