San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-28
NOR M A..
AS Sung by Abbott Company--Lord
Fauntleroy.

AS Sung by Abbott Company--Lor'
| Fauntleroy.
The sad story of Norma" tn,
Druidess, by Belle, in his beautiful
opera of this title was rendered a.
| the opera house by the Abbott com
pany last night to as large an audi
ence as on the previous nights. In
the cast wereMissA bbott, las Norma,
Lizzie Annandale, as "Adalgisa," The
| priestess, MOntegrlffo as "Pollio'
Mirella took the minor role of clio
tilde"and Mr.. Ready that of "Flavio.'
The opera was not SO pleasing to the
general audience as others of the re.
pertoire, as the music is of very, high
order and not catchy as the Trou ba-
dour, Bohemian: Girl" etc. The
plot being laid in the time of the Ro-
man conquest of Gaul. when the
Druid religion was in its zenith,
is also remote from the comprehen-
sion of 10th century folk,
and is very obscure. Miss
Abbott carried the part of Norma
very we'll and her invocation to the
moon, in the beautiful scene of the
cutting of the mistletoe, first act,
scene 4. was very beautiful, while the
denouement in scene 8, act /. in
her rage at the discovery of PolliO's
perfidy and Adalgisa's guilt was well
sung by herself, Annandale and Mon
tegriffo. Mr.. Broderick also was in
splendid voice and Montegriffo's tenor
was heard frequently in the grand
passages where real music abounded.
Miss Abbott this year has very high
soprano, going above the staff, and
alto and even to con tralto notes.
Originally her voice was meZzo-sOpra-
no, but by high cultivation she has
improved it so wonderfully that a
clear soprano is now the result.
For matinee today the beautiful
Rose of CASTLE" is being sung to
large audience.
Tonight "Yeomen of the Guardn
will be the Abbott farewell. Next sea-
son this company will do the Pacific
slone, as far up as British Columbia,
and will not be seen in San Antonio.
Three new operas are now being Sc
lected for this tour.
The next attraction at the opera
house is Little Lord Faun tleroyn to-
morrow night. 1t is splendid dra-
of Francis Hodgson Bur-
nett's pretty story, of which the fol.
lowing is the plot:
The son of an English earl, who had
married beneath his station and been
disowned by his father in consequence,
dies in America, leaving beside his
widow, little son. This lad, through
the death of his two uncles, becomes
Lord Fauntleroy, heir to his grand
fathers title. The earl, a Grabbed, i'll
old fellow, sends for the boy,
in order that he may be'educated I'M
der his own eyes to grace the honor
able title which he is likely destined
one day to inherit. The earl, how
ever, stipulates that the lads mother
shall not live under the same roof with
her SOD, but shall be allowed to live or
yhe estate with the privilege of seeing
him occasionally. The mother de-
voted to her sons happiness and well
are, decIeves him as 10 his grand
ather's real disposition, leaving in his |
mind the impression that he is gen.
srous good man.
The little lord Ell tiers his grand
dtncl Iouo0, anu ny Ills grace vi |
manner and nobility of character, so
wins the old mans heart that mother
md son are soon reunited under the |
lame root, upon an equal and honora-
de footing The attempt of woman
Who had victimized the weak, vicious
'lder son of the earl, to foist a bogus |
Lord Fauntleroy upon the nObieman,
md its failure, complexities the plot.
md fans the interest to an anxious |
blaze in one or two scenes. A vein of
comedy runs through the play and
pleasantly relieves the serious parts
If the story.
Little George Cooper and little
Flossie Ethel divide honOrs in the
title role. as the requirements of the
part are too severe to be undertaken
~ one child.
A Christmas tree was enjoyed
n Austin by the Abbott COM
)any Christmas Eve, back of the cur
ain, at the opera house. All tn |
company gave and received presents.
The Little Lord Fauntleroy COM
,any. in Galveston, also had Kris |
&ringle visit after the performance.
James G. Peakes, of comic opera !
anne, well known in San Antonio, is |
With the FauntIeroy company, in the !
iignified role of Haversham, the Eng |
ish lawyer.
There Was Fun.