New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-27
MUSlC--THE DRAMA.
A NEW OPERETTA.

Manifold EXPERIENCES with opcrcits and coned,es
with music mlsnamed comic operettas made by thu
public OF New.York within the last i've years have
encouraged disposition toward amabiy in jude
ment A TO mind where too high
degree Of merit In the book acted an ostoppal to
popular appreciation. "Priacees la vas too
pvely and It ded. The fault has not been CON-
mon but neither have dozen works Of the hind
that sinned to the same extent in tie opposite d.
rection met with the dsfavor which outraged taste
ought 10 have visited upon them. The fact Is, there
is no real standard Of judgment in this Departments
OF public amusemenis Works ia o. coed e.
cording to some happy chance whose laws cannot
be grounded. For conso,a,ion 60 to The reaeo-
ton which so often comfort,d the philosophical Mr..
Toots at isn't of the slightest colssquence.7
Paoa," which brought forward for the first
time here at tho Fifth Avenue Theatre last night VIII
doubtless find admirers. The fact that the authors
Of Ermnie' stand sponsors for It VIII excite curiosity
and justfes a certain degree OF interest But they
who go to and hear II will do well 10 put away
the idea that they are to make the acquaintance Of
original work, one constructed with ingenuity
and skill. In book and music It is thing Of shreds
and patches. Deep down at its base, so deep that
It is not disclosed TIL the end o: the first act IN spite
of vast deal Of literary excavation. there les .
comIcal idea II that OF vendetta In Corsica which
began in prehistoric times and has been bequeathed
like Freedoms battle, from bleeding sire to son, for
many centuries that its original cause Is forgotten
Paola7 being expressly labelled satrca opcrctfa,'
the vendetta business being the ony busnc Of the
play 1t must be looked upon as the subject OF the
satire. AS such 1t is somewhat wanting IN contempt
raneous human interest the greater ra OF the world
though It's appositeDess would probably be rccog-
nized in some portions of Kentucky. Satire with so
remote subject is no satire, and, though the ida
seems promising, nothing OF II In the way
of dramatic ton. 1t Is born toward the close
Of the first act and dies mserably NJ the close Of
the second and last, after Harry Paultoa has SUI
fcently enter aimed The audience with his drol cries
Those droneries constitute the comedy part of
Paola" and score Of musical eces in'eTolated
here and thee effect rs transfornsr
ton into opeietta. In the music
there are several good numbers, notably
chorus of poor relations. duet and sxtet, all In
the second act Bur these good numbers good
because they successfully imitae good and familiar
examples-the chorus OF consp raiors IN Ia File Do
Madame Angot,S and sany number OF SulKan's num-
bers. A.,
fact that it would have been better for The su,hors
they had NOT attempted to follow IN the footsteps OF
Gilbert and Suv an Those happy collaboraors are not
easily Initiated In their field. and The Miksdo' and
water though often served under a new name. has
never pleased the judIcous. But Paola' Is brightly
dressed has handsome stage furniture, is well suns
by Mr. DuRs company, and may serve.