New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-26

"TIIE GRAND DUCHESS AT TIE CASINO
Rudolph Aronson has put many things on the stage
In sumptuous fashion, with plenty of glow, glitter
and display but he has gone beyond his previous
exploits of that sort in the setting of The Grand
Duchess As a spectacle. it is respleDdent indeed
AID the scenery fittings. costumes groups, process
sions and effects are feast TO the eye. As to the
ear there is more for question. Lillian Rus
sell was in poor voice in the first act In the ia
mar Que Jaime lc Mitairc,7 she sang poorly :;
in the IcGTTental song she not
at all pleasing, and in "Noic
le sabre de Mon Pcrc.7 she was pitifuly bad. Ncv-
crhceSS in spite of these failures she never sang
bitter in her lie than in the DeS Lu" of the second
act. and she aroused previously calm and placid
audience 10 stormy fervor Of applause. Nor has she
ever acted 50 well before as in her confession Of
love to Fritz. A. a rule Miss Russell falls far
below her highest standard of achievement on first
nights. Hereafter she will surely sing in the first
act more ecceptaby than she sang last eveninc
40 doubt also size VIII get more
garmth and color into her impcrsonajon
lrouchout and will become agreeable and
tracuve Grand Duchess, although she can never
pc TO approach the Partisan Sublcty, tneNse, chic
diaberie with which renowned French singers
1e made this part fascinating. Nature has
tny set certain limits in that field which Mis-
"'eu can never tran>grcss.
9 principal performer. at the Casino lack the
III the case, the graceful dallance. which were
so 'oyablc in the acting Of the best French com
pam that have sung OEcni"Dh> famous opera
Douln this country. Nj. Arouson has not a strong
s''l comedians in this cast Tie General
boDhi Frederick solomon was boi>tcroUS. but not
III thoca,t funny. Henry lIallam Fritz Was
manson enough. hut lttl. can be said in praise OF
MS acu'. Richard T. CAROLS Baron Iuch Wa
toie'dDIelut the Baron Greg OK Arthur W. Tam>
was PANT to see while the really important part
Oh PFnce ,ul was butchcDd in a most dcplprablc
way by Va Lube. Really, Mr.. Aron-on ought 10
get sui'ah Prince Paul Instantly. This one can
hot be endure
The oneinaiUbretD Of OGeubach's masterpiece is
inimitab!e-fui elAcing Wit. of audaciou, Auuor.
OF eNtr'aeant b" lifting satire. The tran-lter,
and adapters Charls L. Xcnucy and Edgar smith
have not performed -hcir ask conspicuousiy Wei.
For the nimblc 9ilerv.the Irresistible fun the swing
dash and sparkle OF the original they have
substituted much stale. dtl fit stun. some Of the
songs are adapted /, b, almost ui.~iu-4blc.
And yet in This American v,r-iol happy hit, occur
here and there.
II is clear from what has been written that there are
faults enough in this production OF The Grand
Duchess Nevertheless. II made Lichallcngcd
Onenbachs music has its own peculiar wtchcry. Miss
Russell set every one applaudIng wildly " her
to Him. The lnaleS Of the acts carried the hose
with them. The chorus, the rendering Of ,lnc of he
minor parts and the work Of the orchestra
found favor There j, 20 mach 10 aWUse. to enter
tain. 10 delight even in TIL. multiiatcd version Of
please the public for long time. TIE Casino
production Of The Grand Duchess viii flourish and
remain.
business chances Of many kind, are made lnown TO
the varied collection short adv Dc >rncnts IN Inc
ninth page Of The Tribune this morning.