Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-24
OPERA. COMEDY AND DRAMA.
Fun and Music Predominant With a Little
Pathos Thrown In-Marie Tempest and
The Red Hussar an Undoubted Success.

Fun and Music Predominant With a Little
Pathos Thrown In-Marfe Tempest and
The Red Hussar an Undoubted Success.
That the people are not easily surfeited
with light opera was proven by the fact that a
large and brilliant audience filled the Grand
Opera House last night to witness the debut
of Miss Marie Tempest in an opera new to
Pittsburg.
AS soon as THE Red Hussaru was fairly
under way it was recognized as one of the
p%rettiest light operas that has pleased Pitts
burg for many a day.
The story Is not a deep a coquet-
fish young country girl who follows her lover
to the wars, meeting with the tuneful adyeu-
lures usual to operate heroines. But there is
abundant opportunity for tasty costumes. and
Ed. Solomon has sprinkled musical gems
through 1t that set the feet of the audience
beating time and-what more would you have
in a comic opera.
The audience thought that it was not so
much the opera as the prima donna. that they
had come 10 see. They took the opening
cnorus with great satisfaction, and were meas
uraoly pleased with everything presented, un-
til a dainty little girl in picturesque rags, with
roguish face framed in a long blonde wig I'M
der her rustic hat, came skipping upon the
stage. There was an involuntary burst of APP
plause, and Marie tempest had established
herself as a Pittsburg ~favorite.
marie tempest IS a revelation to us. She is
unique. There is something suggestive of
leile de Lussan in her methods, but there is a
ADoub LllAk
is all her own. She has chic, without vulgar
lty, humor without coarseness, and a bubbling
naturalness that is like a summer breeze.
KITTY Carroll is q country girl, and as she was
represented on the Grand Opera House stage
last night, she might have come from a
matched cottage in Devonsnire rather than a
gas lit dressing room. She has a clear
lection. Her duet with Rodney. (Mr. Charles
U: B~assett), "One Winter Morn" was delicious,
while her Song of the Regiment" with its IN
Ready. Boys, Ready in the second, brought
down the house. She makes a very pretty
picture In her costume of the Red Hussar,"
ana she sings the song with a dash that belongs
Miss Tempest is a success.
Charles 0. Bassett is a tenor well known in
Flttsburg. He plays the soldier lover, Ralph
Rodney, in a manly fashion. and sings the
music set down for him with all the taste and
expression for which he is noted. He has sew.
eral duets with Miss Tempest, and he acquits
himself well in all of them.
William Mclaughlin has a chance to show
tnat splendid barytone of his in several num-
6ers. The most notable is a dashing romanza
IN the second act. my Castle in Spain" Mr..
McLaughlln seems to have improved since he
was mere last season. He is a good actor as well
as singer.
Miss Leonore Snyder as Barbara sings a
remarkably pretty ballad in the second act be-
sizes other numbers. John A. Mackay, whom
we all remember in Pop years ago. makes a
low comedy part of Co poraL Rundy. Some of
MS Jokes are evidently introduced by himself,
out they all make the audience laugh, so it
matters not where they originated. He helps
70 bridge over places in the opera that might
De dull were he not there to keep the audience
in a good humor.
Miss Irving dances in the second and third
acts, and dances well. In her first dance. in the
second act. last night, which was something be-
tween a Carmencita pas reul and a skirt high
KICK, there seemed to be some difficulty be-
tween her and the orchestra, but in the third
acb tney mad evidently become reconciled and
the dance went with more smoothness. The
chorus is strong and well-trained, and the
orchestra will doubtless do better this evening.
after another rehearsal.