St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-18
ADJUSTMENTS.
The Initial Production of "La FL
ANA" a Qualified Success.


Ball & Patterns new Cuban opera,
La FianZa," was presented for the
first time on any stage last evening at
the Grand opera house, before fair
sized audience that was inclined to be
generous i'll its applause and overlook
several very faulty things, especially in
the libretto. The opera opens with a
chorus af male art students, the scene
being laid in pampaS jungle near Ha-
vana. The brightest thing in the whole
production was the orchestration. which
was arranged by S. BOdewedt Lamp,
the leader of the Grand opera house Or
chesrra. Miss Myrta French sang the
leading soprano role very cTedltably.
and her solo when a Girls in Love"
was rOundly applauded. as was her duet
with ''Nicotini," in the second act.
But of the female part Of the company,
one should be given much praise for
her excellent stage presence and clear
who appeared in the part of Colorado
Madura, and her duet with Thomas T.
Drill near the close of the first act was
one of the best numbers in the opera.
Other characters were cTeditably taken
by A. W. Porter, G. W. Ferguson, How
ard W. Malcolm and Ray Finel, and
the chorus appeared strong and we'll
trained. A good deal of the music at
times sounded familiar, and reminded
one of several past operate o reductions,
such rs ''Sonnambula" and Gypsy
Baron" While not as catchy as some
things. in these the music is at times
rather impressive and taking, for instance
the march where the telephone girls
display themselves with decorated
shOvels. Porter's solos ''I'll Persuade
Her" and"The MatadOr;;" Duke Canoes
I'm a Spanish Duke Grandee," and
the male chorus serenade: These are
all lively and rather melodious num-
bers. The drawback is in the libretto,
which is extremely mild and very
trashy. and gives rise to thoughts or
schO0l-bOy literature, instead of mod
ern comic opera libretto. There is much
weary dialogue and some talk scenes in
it, and it must be admitted that as
latter-day Gilbert or librettist MIR. Ball
for some time to come will not be a
! .'howling success" E. J. SturtZel, the
popcorn man. is presumably the COM
median, or thinks he is. The special
scenery that has been announced
by the producers did not ma
| terialize, but the costumes were
very rich and picturesque, and have
all b en- especially designed. The per-
Torrance, as whole, showed lack Of
proper stage management, but the
musical department acquitted itself
credItably, and with a little rearrange-
ment of some of the scenes and music
and an entirely new librettO, La FL
ANA" may make itself temporary,
| and. perhaps. permanent place in the
repertoire of modern light operas.
Mamma" which will be seen for the
first time In Minneapolis at the Grand
opera Monday evening, is by III. Graf
tan DOnnelly, author of Natural Gas"
The story deals with the trials and
troubles of two Scheming attorneys. who
are paying suit to an heiress. Their
office girls are of Irish descent. The
girls mother is janitress, and is the
Mamma in the play. She is thought to
be French maid, and the father of the
heireSs marries her under that belief.
Lawyer Flip wins the heireSS' hand.
Frank Deshon takes the part of Flip,
Miss Amy Ames is Mamma. and other
parts are taken by Miss May DurYea,
Gus Hennessey and Sol Aiken.
"a Chip of the Old Block" is doing
the biggest business Of any company
since the Bijou opened under its present
management.
The Madison (Wis.) Democrat says Of
''The Fakir:" Nothing that has been
written has been too strong, for the
company is one of the best that has Wis
tied here for some years" The piece
will be seen at Harris Hennepin Ave
nue. theater next week.
The latest farce comedy success, "The
Fakir," which opens at Harris Henni-
pin avenue theater next MOndayis from
the pens of those rising young authors,
Paul NJ. Potter and Harry l.. Hamlin.
This is their second effort in the dra-
matte line. Their first piece, a melo-
drama, was produced last June at HAM
Inns Grand opera house, Chicago, where
ii met with most pronounced success,
and ran for four weeks to immense
business. The Fakir," like most of it's
kind, does not boast of plot, but is
mixture of music, dancing and fun. The
music is said to be new and bright. The
company is one of the best of its kind
ever organized. the people being all
equally good.