The Washington critic., 1890-05-13
AMUsEMENrs.
.Mvnbeer jan, at Albaueb,s

! Company was fittingly recognized last
night by an audience that filled every
part of the spacious opera. house with
humanity and enthusiasm. Superior
| as have been the performances of the
troupe from the first II is probable that
last evenings rendition reached the
high water mark of their artistic en-
deavors. II was the first presentation
of the opera in Washington, and 1t is
not too much 10 say that the impression
It created was In some respects more
valuable and enduring Que than that of
the more celebrated masterpiece Of Its
authors, Mcssrs. Jacobowski and Paul
ton, known to perpetual fame as
"ETminie." Musically the new opera
more than once attains heights not at
| tempted by its predecessor. The solo
| numbers have less of the saccharine
| quality that eventually clogs, and some
of the choral effects, as given by this
| company, notably the strong finale Of
! Act J. achieves very nearly the dignity
and power of grand opera
Mr.. Carleton, as the student hero, at
last has a role quite worthy of his
| powers, and Miss Clara Lane attains a
most positive triumph, as flattering as Il
is well deserved, by her charming rem.
dition, both musicaily and dramatically
OF the attractive part Of RGtrine. Miss
Vincent and Miss Wisdom as Cdmilla
and Donna TrGlord are admirable as
usual, and the female chorus appears TO
excellent advantage in the highly pict.
uresque costuming of the period. That
clever comedian, Mr. Bigelow, has
hardly full swing as the Buffoon Butcher
of the well-Damed Daisy Guild" but
| could never make his work other than
| interesting, and the grand basso of Mr..
| Murray finds excellent scope in the num-
bers allotted TO the role of the General
B0m6dts. The stage effects are in keep.
ing with the musical excellence of the
performance, and the quaint dresses
armor, and accoutrements of the Hol-
land of the sixteenth century are his
torically reproduced. The opera will
run through the week, which all regret
is to be the last but one of this admira.
BILE organization.
"Squatter Sovereignty" at the National
The wars of the Greeks and Troians
of Rome and Carthage, York and Ian.
caster were but skirmishes, the feuds of
Orsini and Colonna, but scrapping
matches, the deadly vendetta Of the
McCoys and Hatfields q friendly set-to
with soft gloves compared to the battles
royal OF the Maguires and "bold McIn-
tyres" last night on the stage of the
National. The stage, indeed, was not
big enough for them, and Felix McIn-
tyres prize pig fell over the footlights
on TO the bass fiddler in the thick of the
shindy, while the Widow Noan's 8
goat, of blessed memory, the goose
and the gander, and hemule of Paddy
Duffy's cart" came nearAfollowing his
example. The atmosphere was full of
brosue and brogans. whoops, whilahoos
and shillalahs, and the landscape pleas
ingIy diversified with broken heads
furniture and Gaelic. God was good
10 the Irish in the matter of audience
and applause, and the laughter of the
crowded house was loud, long and cou-
tinuous
"Squatter Sovereignty" is the idyl of
Shantytown in which Mr.. Harrigan
made his first inroads to fame. Though
never heretofore presented in its per.
feet and lovely entirety to the provin.
cials of the Matt onal Capital, the classic
lyrics OF Mr.. Braham, with which ii is
embellished, have made its numbers as
familiar as the Mikado." Mrs.
Brady's Piano Fortay' and all the rest
OF the Braham 8 grand arias and chorals
were rapturously received with the well
come OF old friends, and the evenings
hllarity was unbounded. Mr.. Harrigan's
rendition of the telescope man has quite
distinct value of its own as faithful
study of character, and Mr.. Sparks, as
the lltdoo Nolan, as laughable an ex-
ponent of rough and ready Irish comedy
as 1t is possible to conceive. Mr.. Fisher
as the plutOcratic Kline, Mr.. John Sparks
as the pugnacious Dennis, the Young
toughs, the "chippie," the 'Dago'' and
the warning clans of Mcintyre and Ma
guire were all done to the life, and. so
far as the audience were concerned, very
nearly to the death. "Suuatter Sow
ereignty'' will be repeated to. night and
tomorrow afternoon and evening.
THE Wages of Sin" at Harris, Biiou
The performance of "The Wages of
Sin" at Harris Bijou Theatre last
night was well attended and the audi.
eDce was appreciative to gratifying
degree. The play is one Of the strongest
of modern melodramas, and has had
run whose length fully attests its popu-
iarity with the public, Harry English
as George Brand, the parson, showed
much ability. His impersonation is an
Intelligent one, and contributed much
10 the success of the performance. Miss
Lutte Miller, is a soubrette who sings
well, and possesses vivacity that made
her impersonatiOn of JuliGnna Boqgs
admirably sparkling. The play itself
is full of emotional power and dramatic
strength. With company that is
capable of performing it in proficient
manner it is certain to prove an interest
ing and eleyating entertainment
Kernan's Great Show.
The performance at Kernan's last
evening exceeded in variety, style and
the other features any vaudeville per-
formance that has been given in Wash
ington for years. Lester and Williams
London Novelty and Gaiety Company Is
rich, rare and racy combination, pretty
and dashing girls, magnificent costumes.
and an amount of modern novelty and
tun that is highly entertaining. Little
Polly Nc Donald is petite, graceful, and
full of vim, both as a singer and dancer.
Pretty Lotta Forbes made picturesque
Prince DGadyliae in the burlesque
Me and jack" while Gallagher
and West, as pair of seedy
and witty tramps, kept the house in con.
tinuous laughter. Jutan, the aerial
queen, is wonderful mid air performer;
Rita Cough, an enhancing vocalist,
and Lew Carroll, the funniest of Dutch
comedians. Harrigan, the balancer, is
a perfect wonder of that delicate art.
The performance, from beginning to
end, is sparkling and bright, and must
be seen to be appreciated.
"THE GREATEST SHOW"