The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-28
HE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY DECEMBER PAGES

'ue ente tainmeat Il is NOT racassar,,r
NIIsi'a, but Is selected from si-Fs-s-,-.
as, as was TIE case in the blrlesonss ~
l - uc~e. Byron, Brcusham ana the ,rbeT.
80 &c uSeo 10 write genuine blrlesoue before
.ue modern variety show form II burlesous
was introduced But do not believe ma,
o. one could endure SIX consecutive nights
OF grand opera N''''''
IL Is just here that comic opera finds IL.
H1ace, happy medium between The two
~ coh olnes the advantages of both with
ouI Ineir draw backs. Il has original music
auu bright dialogue to connect the different
., Lu,oeFs, SO that not only the musical but
Tue dramatic sense of the bearer is aonaalej
70, ana, above all, the perforna.ca II
properly conducted, es not last longer
1uan Two and half or two and three
quar-, er hours, 50 that the audience is not
~earied. Comic opera is a much better
sulns 10 the average man than grand opera
1 uS9 ne can whistle the music, and il
makes MS home brighter aud happier. except
perhaps, when he whistles the .,Erminia
waltz, and then there may be strained re-
iations In the family circle. Besides this.
1ne music or comic opera is, es a rule. SO
sllnple that fairly good amateur musician
can cal. play whole opera through with one
nhger. 1t is the combination of these fac>
tors That brings about the success of comic
opera. 1t Is essentially the entertainment
CT the masses. and, Just as Beranger was
wiling to make the laws so long as he was
permitted to write the songs of the people.
just SO do the writers and singers of comic
opera feel that in their work thew are voic-
ing popular sentiment.
have sometimes been asked as to the
comparative merit of comic opera perform
anees IN this country and in Europe. Nv
prlnclpaI observations abroad have been at
the Frederick Wllhelmstsdt, in Berlin, and
the Carl theater and Theater un der Wien
Jenna. These three may he REGARDED as
the homes of comic opera in German speak,
ing Europe, and the performances at each
are OF very high order of merit. Tie
scenery is much more elab rate than in any
OF the productions l have seen here. but the
COS uines are infinitely infe Tor t. those in
TINS country, and would hardly be tolerated
IN a thlrd or fourth rate American show.
This Is largely accounted for by the fact
that the principals all supply their own cos
TUNES, and when the fact is taken into con-
sheraton that the salary Of comic opera
prlma donna amoul its to very little more
an the salary of march leader here, it
VIII readily be understood that there is not
very large balance left for the wardrobe.
But the German people would rather have
line artists than fine costumes, and so the
law OF compensation IS satisfied. The
great excellence of the singers at the
three theaters l have mentioned is
largely due TO tho stock company S stem
which prevails at each. The artists of
these companies find steady employment
from one years end to the other, and, con-
stantly singing and acting together, they
learn each others qualities and play into
others hands, so that to witness perform
ance by them is like looking at the working
of some delicate piece of machinery,
in which every part is perfect aud &C
its duty in making the abb
solute harmony of the whole. Comic opera
is making steady strides toward improve
ment in this country, and 1t is only just to
say that good deal OF its perfection is due
to Col. John A. McCaull, who was the first
to inaugurate he system of producing it as
in the small as in the larger cities,
thus adding to its general popularity. To
sum up, comic opera succeeds because it
supplies public want.
MATHILDE CoTTRELLY,