The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-25
BIG HOUSE.
The Duf Opera Company Re
ceives An Ovation.
4 REvEL or COLOR AND LIGHT.


The second performance OF the Duff
Opera Company, in which the Queens
Mate" Was given, was quite as successful
rs on the opening night. Nearly every
scat wa taken, and the audience WIS .
representative one, . large number of Sc
attle's prominent people being noticed
in the boxes and scattered through
out the body of the house.
Many of those IN the boxes APP
peared in evening costume, which
added much to the animation OF the scene.
To mention that the audience was quite
delighted with the performance as a whole,
is quite unnecessary. They shove that
in the hearty peals of laughter whenever
the inimitahle Bell made a hit-which was
very often-and in the numerous recalls 10
several charming duets. The story of the
opera Is as follows:
1.-The Queens Mate is a spectac-
ular piece. of the kind which used
10 he classed as Christmas pam
tonimes. but for all that the play is well
worth seeing for the a of the spectac-
Mar effects and the lovely young girls who
figure as coryphees. n prove by their APP
p%earance that pretty faces still exist, ard
that the female form has not deteriorated
in orr time. A large proportion of the
figurantes are beautiful. and might serve
as models for a sculptor: they have been
well drilled they are gorgeously cos
TUNED. they sing. dance gracefully and
change their dress with a rapidly which
would be remarkable were il not that. gen
orally. there Is so little OF it to change.
The inbrogiio turns on the fortunes of a
Princess Inez, who is heiress TO a throne
and who has been dispossessed by q pair OF
intriguers named Prince Guzinan and Gen
eral P~ortadues. The throne. we judge, is
in the Canary islands or maybe in Bara-
tayia. Like Rosaliad, Inc flies TO the for
ests, according TO the usual practice of
princesses. and there, in company with
her foster sister. Anita. she seeks surcease
Of sorrow, as many girls have done. in the
arms of the keeper of . country inn, Anita
following her example with the barkeeper.
The two young matrons are discovered by
a General Bombardos, who proposes to re-
instate lnez On the throne. This he finally
succeeds in doing; but the revolution in
wolves a vast amount of trick and intrigue,
plot and counterpart, personation and dis
guises, and it Is in this that the comic eie-
ment of the play comes in.
The Queens Mate" possesses all the
essentials Of . popular comic opera. In
deed, by many it is considered to De the
best of the three in the c%ompany's roper
tory. barring. perhaps, "A Trip to Africa"
Tn music Is on a higher plane than many
OF the more recent operas, and musicaliy
may be considered one of Lecocq's most
charming productions. as comic operas go.
Barring N oil perhaps two songs, the
music is not of the catchy order,
but the rhythm and melody is more pleas
ing to the ear to q critical audience. The
costuming OF the play is very rich. and the
many colored costumes of the tropics in
which the scene of the play is laid formed
q pretty stage picture.
Digby Bell and Mark Smith, OF
course. carried the humor OF the
piece. and the former, because he
couldn't help it, kept his auditors in
continual laughter. The duel between
Generals Bombarder and Pataques, com
mander of the rival factions, was recalled,
the diminutive Pataques cutting quite an
unique figure and created q favorable i'm
preston, and quite as much so. as his fac
tional rival. Miss George Van Janusch-
owsky. who played Anita and Laura
Joyce Bell. as "Inez. " sang mosfexceiientlv
well, and left nothing TO be desired in their
respective roles.
Inc FflHcipdl CHARACTERS are We'll snp-
ported. and there was nothing last night
to mar the play from beginning to end.
At the matinee today, ''Paola' will be
given for the second time. Digby Bell has
the principal part in this. and really car
ries it. 1t is understood that he has pre-
pared numerous rich LEGAL hits" TO be
sprung upon the audience at the slightest
provocation.
Tonight Is Manager Zieg,er's benefit, and
there is no doubt but that the house will
be crowded. "A Trip TO Africa will be
given, and this opera, the best of the Duff
repertoire, with its bright. sparkling music,
its solos and duets. its strik-
ing and humorous situations and
its rich eostuming, is n musical
treat not to be missed. Mr.. Ziegieris
efforts 10 give the people OF Seattle the
benefit of lr~ st-class opera should be appre-
ciatcd. and the trouble and expense he has
gone TO for this result, deserves a rousine
house, especially in consideration OF such
q charming opera as "A Trip 10 Africa