Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-17
THE NEW G. AND 3. OPERA.
sThe GOndol1ere; or the King of
Barataria,', Produced In London.

tsThe GOndoliere; or the King of
Barataria,'' Produced In London.
In their new opera called The Condo
here; or The King of Baratorio, produced
at the Savoy theater, London. Saturday
night, Gilbert and Sullivan have quite
abandoned classical opera, as attempted
in Ruddygorc and Yeomee, and have gone
back to the rollicking music and topsy-
turveyism of Pinafore and Mikado.
The plot deals with two gondolieres who
are mixed up in their cradle, much after
the fashion of the Pinafore heroes. One
gondoliere is hereditary King of Barata-
ria, but which one is concealed till the
last movement of the opera. This occa-
sions merry-making complications-mar.
ital and otherwise.
Gilbert ia much funnier than he has
been since MiEado. One odd idea satir-
ICES the modern commercial craze by
causing q penniless Duke with powerful
social influence to dispose of his interest
in the United Liability Company, and
the Duke himself to follow the course of
venders OF American breweries. Gilbert
also gives dig at sentimental socialism
by making all people equal under his
Gondoliere King. He embodies il in
tiest songs of the opera:
The earl the marquis and the dook,
The groom, the butler and the cook;
And the aristOcrat who banks with C0uttH,
The aristocrat who cleans the boots,
The noble lord who rules the state.
The noble lord who scrubs the CRATE.
The lord high bishop orthodox,
The lord high vagabond in the stocks.
Sing high, sing low, wherever they 60,
They ali shall equal be.
This idea is carried out in the court of
the 6ondoliere king, who is revealed on
the throne with the queen polishing the
crown and scepter, while soldiers and
servants are throwing dice and playing
cards without regard to social distinc-
ton.
So far as music goes Arthur Sullivan
has abandoned his style of ornate classi-
cal overture, on which he bestowed 30
much care in The Yeomen of the Guard.
There are fewer solo songs, too, and
more choruses and concerted music.
Critics who are familiar with all Sui
livan has done, including his serious
work, say this opera surpasses his pre-
vious efforts at oncerted music.
There are only three really catching
solo songs and Geraldine Ulmar gets one
of them. She has completely fought
down the predjudice she first had to CON
tend with as an American.
In duet and quartette singing the new
opera is strong. There is the usual pat
ter song, one very pretty madrigal, ant
a Spanish cachuca with castanets, which
is sure to be the musical rage within q
week. Taken altogether the music is
very tuny and catchy, the dialogue witty
and the dresses lovely. There are onl.
two scenes. but both are superbly
mounted. First is diazzeta in Venic'
with a view of st. Marks square, th'
Lions and The Doges' Palace, Th'
other is a royal pavilion in the Palace Q
Barataria, and is really a masterpiece
of stage setting.
The reception was tremendous. Vet
eran Savoyites say it equaled Pinafor
audiences in brilliancy, and included
Mrs. Mackay and Lady Randolph
Churchill.
It is the intention of Gilbert and Su
livan to produce this opera themselve
in New York, though the date is not ye
determined. They have already engage
a company specially for this purpose
which will 60 out in charge OF Doyle
Carte.-[Kansss City Star.