New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-18

s. TILE KINGS FOOL

The opcrctta which was produced at Niblo's Garden
last night might have had any one of dozen t''eS
as appropriate a., The Kings Fool" and saved it'eh
some Of the criticism which that title invited. II
is plain enough that tho authors of the new WORK
took rather a serious view of their task and aimed
At something like romantic opera, with a meo-
dramatic vein running through It. In the hF't act
the contortions and erlmaccS and declamatory iu>ah
II an actor named Joseph W. Herbert while relfuhE
tho MOVING tale of king who condemned MS Jester
to four DAYS OF fasting and on the htth DAY lN"ou
him to gorgeous banquet OF wooden game ana stone
n,.trv finn, oveathrowing the TESTERS weak reason.
suggested cop.ous field for heroIcs incidental to
tho dethroucmcnt by that testers son Of the wicked
king who was only u>urprr after ALL ana the
cnthroncrncnt Of A young prince, ms nephew WHO
had been kept disappearing for years a. Eul io'
reason, that appeal with moro iorcoune'' To the COS
inner and manager than To the student ~ statc'ilt
uut th, mclodrauatic idea pert he'd mi,craby in the
se,ond net. wherein he who had ea>pcd and rolled his
owes md behaved generally like novice in school
far acting or "A pampcred society amateur tred 10
transform himself into the comedian of the piece.
Persistence in the style OF the first act would nave
made the opcrcta wcari>omc, and 'incc the traSI
comedian presented his credentials in the shape OF
"catchyo topical song. tho change was accepted as
agreeable.
Tho Kings Fool is a three act piece, OF which the
music was composed by Adolf Mueller, IT,. Of Vienna.
From a musical point Of view. it hat, much to com
mend H. though the composers Obvious purpose To
give 1t the dignity Of romantic opera
suffered shipwrcck the seeming in
ability of the composer to handle any of the
larger forms Of composition. Is music Is unmis-
alably Vicnncse In pattern, without exception pleas
Ing in meodc invention, and VIC should imagine
effectively scored though the wretcedness of the Or
chesra at last nights performance leaves this a
matter Of speculation. There is scarcely "a dull mo
ment in the score. fact which prompts peculiar
feeling of gratitude, for taking advantage of It, Mr.:
COnICd whose company presents the opeetta, spared
the public all the ground and lofty tnmbling ana vul
gar horseplay which supposed nowadays TO supply
vitality to comic operettas. Local illusions
and contcmporancOus slang were kept within
bounds and the music, words and action
relied on almost wholly for success. II
is pleasant under such circumstances 70 record the
fact that tie performance met with hearty favor II
deserved 10 I'm spite of many cruditics Mr.. Conrlcd
has singer with effective voice IN Mis-, Ada Gasca
am actress whose person Ills the eye arrccably and
whose voice and manner refined, I'm Mi,, Bcrtram
and several other singers of less pcuousnc,s but
ample merit among the men and women of his company
There doubtless many persons, too whose cOucep
ton of what constitutes charming frOlcsOmenc,s viii
be- met In the monOtonous antc, and abOrtvc kitten
ishness OF Miss Della FoA. lie has mounted the
OpcIetta with fair amount of taste and some little
sumptuOusncss, and has succeeded altogether IN con
struCting an agreeable entertainment, ana ono thal