The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-10-19

There is a word which is frequently, albeit
more or less inelegantly, used in connection
with stage productions. 1t is a little word, but
very expressive That word is ''rot," and it has
scarcely been more appropriately applied than
it might be to the efforts of the McCaull Opera
Company in its production at Albaugh's Grand
Opera House last week of what it designates as
an adaptation of Mill6cker's 'Seven Suabians."
Poor Mill6cker! Surely he is not responsible for
more than the music of the monstrosity which
he is made to father by this company If so,
alas he should rest upon the glories achieved
by his first-born-"The Beggar Student" and
1.-THE Black Hussar.n Outside of the choruses,
some of which are quite tuneful, the only really
pretty music of the opera is given to the tenor
role, which Jared rather nicely in the hands of
Mr.. Chauncey Olcott. OF the dialogue the best
that can be said is that it was treated shabbily
by poor cast of comedians. At best it is but
cong glomeration of puns reminiscent of the light
est extravaganza, and when even the points of
such ordinary wit are lost through inefficient
handling it speaks not well for the gentlemen
who attempt the funny business. With the ex-
ception of Mr.. Olcott, Miss Lily Post, and Miss
Josephine Knapp there is no member of the
company deserving especial mention for meri-
torious work. The chorus was large, but not
well drilled, and the scenery by Maeder and
Schafer and Voeghtlin failed to materialize
Altogether, the production was not on scale
to have been expected.
4
Francis Wilson scored a most palpable hit
last week in "The Merry Monarch' at the Ma
tional Theatre. Large numbers turned out to
hear his latest operate venture, and no one was
disappointed The opera is one of the most
pleasing of recent born products and contains
many charming bits of musical fancies. There
is about an equal division between music and
dialogue, and both move with snap and vim.
In fact, the spirit and energy with which each
member of the cast enters into his or her work
constitute the most important factors in the
success of the production. The story of the
opera is original and unique and admits of sue
cessive situations of highly humorous charac-
ter in which an unusual number of important
roles participate. The principal part of the
fun, of course, is in the hands of Mr.. Wilson,
who as King Anso " gave one of his charac-
teristically amusing presentations. Mr.. Charles
Plunkett as Siroco, an astrologer, was seen to
good advantage, and Mr.. Gilbert Clayton in the
serio-comic heavy part of HeriSson was also
most appropriately cast. Miss Marie Jansen as
La@ult, travelling peddler, was charming, and
-hiSS NloOIS dS LlttCu SduS Will ucT uSudl
power and skill and acted with grace and ease.
Indeed, every member of the cast was good and
Mr.. Hubbard 7. Smith, who made his Washing
ton professional debut with the company in the
part of KedaS, the minister of police, achieved
a most auspicious beginning of his career and
surprised his most sanguine friends. The
scenery was beautiful and the costuming gor-
geous. The chorus was very large and aided
not little in the general autonomy of the pro-
duction by its excellent work.