The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-21
music AND DRAMA.
LoNGFELLow's DREAM.

The drama which the Washburn Union
OF the Church of the Messiah has been pre-
pairing for so long, was given last night at
City Hall. before fair-sized audience. The
drama is thing of shreds and tatters, bits
OF prose, bits of verse, bits of tableaux, bits
Of song, all taken from the works of our
great poet and all supposed to pass before
him as he lies in grassy nook, in behring's
Woods, in dream. The Spirit of Poetry,
Miss Annie Greeley, gives him her silver
harp at the outset. Then follow a train of
angels. characters from Evangeine, Martha
Hilton and Dame Stavers. Mr.. Samuel Eve
leth, in the garb of sheer of horses, sings
the "Village Blacksmith" The village
choir sings hymns. The Puk Whites and
other Indians make the audience roar.
In the second dream the scene between
Epimetheus and Pandora occurs, and in
these parts Miss Alice Cushing and Mr..
John McGowan carry off the honors. THU
oa, the Salem witch, heaps maledictions on
Giles Corey's head, and the witch of 1890
tries to bewitch the audience-and succeeds.
The procession of the Golden Wedding next
passes across the stage. Hypolito, the flirt-
atious student, gets into trouble with beyy
of handsome gypsey maids, tplS6Asfgh writing
too many love- letters
The third dream opens with tableau of
lHS22in among the cleaners. Then follows the
wrestling scene between Mondamin and Hi
awatha, which brought much applause An
amusing bit from Kavanagh next follows,
after which the play becomes almost kaleid-
oscGpic as the scenes shift across the stage.
Through all the scenes of this novel drama
runs thread of narrative, sustained by Mr..
B. G. Ward, and one of music by Miss Phil
brook
The managers of the Dream, and all who
took part in it, deserve great credit for their
hard work in the preparation for the produc-
tion of the drama, and they deserve to have
an audience tonight that will fill the hall to
the doors.
THE ROYAL HAND-BELL RINGERS.
The London Daily Chronicle thus speaks
of the Royal Hand-Bell Ringers who will
appear in the Stockbridge course at City
Hall, Wednesday evening"
The best troupe, whether for dextrous
Manipulation or musical finish, that has
come under cur notice, is the Royal Hand
Bell Ringers under the direction of Mr.. d.
S. Miller The movements of the perform
ers, not excepting the gentleman who Yields
the heavy bells, are not violent or ungrace-
full. and the celebrity and the certainty with
which they place upon the table the bells
that have just been used, and seize upon 9TH
ers without any break in the melody or
pause III the time, is truly remarkable; but
readiness with which the players exchange
the bells is the expression and refinement
thrown into the performance. In some of
the pianissimo passages of the sentimental
airs the unanimity was so perfect, that clos
ing ones eyes it was impossible to believe
that five players we're handling several dozen
bells, The tones of the bells are beautifully
rich and clear, and the ensemble often has
fullness reminding the listener of a COM
plete orchestra.
HANDS ACROSS THE SEA.
Tickets are on sale for the performances
of Glands Across the Sea-" to be given
Thursday. Friday and Saturday evenings, at
Portland Theatre. The Philadelphia Press
says:
Petit has never written a better play, nor
has any melO-drama ever obtained greater
and more unmistakeable popular success.
Last nights large audience was promptly
moved to enthusiasm, which increased at
each significant climax Of the drama. The
play had the advantage of much and elabo-
rate scenery, the sets of act second showing
succession of interior and exterior locali-
ties In Paris; of act third, representing parts
of the prison, La Roquette, and of act
fourth, revealing the deck of a steamship at
sea, being most admired. But the chief con-
tributory to the success of the piece was the
acting, which was in the main admirable
Hands Across the Sea" will live long
time, and deserves to-"
ADELE AUS DER OLE.
The New York Post, whose musical critic
is one of the best In the country, speaking of
Miss Aus Der Ohe, who will appear at the
First Parish church on the 2Sth inst, says:
Miss Adele Aus Der Ohe, who made her
American debut IN the List concerto, has
reason to be proud of her success. 1t Is a
long while since an instrumental debutante
has won such immediate and emphatic an
pr0val as this young lady. Being unknown
to the audience, she probably owed her
greeting as she came on the stase TO her
pretty Gretchenlike appearance. Her very
hrSt bars must have convinced the audience
that she was what she claimed to be-a pupil
OF List. Such brilliancy of execution, such
yerVe aud vigor Of execution, can only be
learned by the contagious example OF List
or Rubensten. Her physcai power Is as.
founding for one of her age and sex, but 1t
Is controlled by an artistic spirit. Her
pnraslng was always clear and well empha-
slzeo, and the task of keeping pace with the
orcnestra never appeared to give her the
Sllgntest trouble, thus indicating that she
knew the orchestral as well as her own part
Dy heart. she was most enthusiastically re-
called, again and again, and finally had to
consent 10 play once more-a List polonaise.