Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-28
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
New Fashion in Social Pastimes-Revivnl
of Gilbert and sulIivan's Operas-Mr.
HovelIs i'm N New Guisp

A New Fashion in Social Pastimes-RevivnI
of Gilbert and sulIivan's Operas-NIr.
Howells in n New Gnise.
| THERE are fashions in everything We get
to thinking that fashion is only the ruler of
the bonnet and the dress of our wives, sisters,
mothers and sweethearts - the mysterious
power that DEGREES what the angle of hustle
shall be or the size of the pantaloons which
conceal or display the contour of masculine
underpinnings. But fashion embraces good
deal more in her empire.
*s*
For example, some nights ago several young
professional men were calling upon some
ladies in this city. There was some singing off
and on during the evening Then one of the
men proposed that resort be had to harmonic
progression. Nobody but the visiting party
knew what on earth harmonic progression
might be, but that made their desire to know
the greater.
1t did not prove to be an alarming surprise
but pretty idea all the same. One of the
young men, barrister remarkable for his
recitative powers, told the beautiful old story
of Barbara Freitchie" and as he closed
brother attorney, who is blessed with very
sweet tenor voice, sat down before the piano
and sang with lots of feeling Maryland, My
Marylandr'
The passage from the powerful poem of
Whittier to the song will be recognized as har.
monic progression. Many more recitations
linked with songs were given that evening.
and one of the party said to ME the next day:
ut is'an Eastern idea, and it is all the fashion
now"
So there is fashion in the pastimes of soci-
ETY., too.
THE survival of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic
operas is one of those things which ought not
to surprise anybody. Yet one cannot help feel
ing little bit astonished to hear that those
authors '.Pinafore'' is playing to crowded
houses in Philadelphia in summer.
A gentleman who was in Philadelphia on
Tuesday night last tells me that when he went
to see "Pinafore" at the Grand Opera House
on that evening" he found the house packed
Even standing room was hard to find after the
performance commenced. That was the second
performance of the amusing travesty in song
of Her Majesty's navee.
xxR
1T confirms me in my belief that good comic
opera company, mean one with at least four
good solo voices in it aud well-drilled chorus
of fresh singers, could make very profitable
season playing four or five of the older Gilbert
and Sullivan operas. A repertoire containing
"Pinafore," 1.-THE Sorcerer," ''Trial by
Jury" "Iolanthe" and "The Pirates of Pen
zance," would be popular in cities possessing
any pretension at all to musical culture.
Summer opera has never paid its. managers so
well in Philadelphia as the Gilbert and Sulli-
van revivals promise to do.
sxx
WHO would have thought that Mr.. Howells,
the novelist, really could unbend so much as to
60 to see Mr.. Hoyt's "Midnighr Bell, to revel
in Mr.. Harrlgan's racy comedies of New York
life, to laugh and cry over Denman Thompson
in the "Old Homestead" and study with
sympathetic care the creations of Neil Burgess?
1t is very delightful reading, too. the impress
sions these plays and actors made upon Mr.
Howells as he tells them in the Editors Study
in the July Harper.
They are not the impressions think good
many people would have expected the most re-
cent products of the American stage to make
upon Mr.. Howells 1 can hardly imagine Mr..
Howells laughing heartily. But he must have
enjoyed thoroughly the artists and plays he
praises so unstintingly. His eye in dramatic
who makes such astounding discoveries in
literature; it is clearer eye and more like the
organ of plain citizen endowed with common
sense and big heart. Everybody will be better
for reading what Mr.. Howells has to say. Even
the men he praises and encourages to higher
things.