New-York tribune., 1891-12-27
GILBERT AND CELLIER'S NEW OPERA
THE MoUNTEBANKs' HAS ITS DRESS RE
HEARSAL-OTUER MATTERS OF TILE
CHRISTMAS SEASON

HEARSALc0TuER MATTERS OF THE
CHRISTMAS SEASON.
London Dec 2e.-Mr. Cellier's illness and conse
oi,ent inability to finish the orchcstration have COM
pced the postponement Of the dress rehearsal at the
Lyric of "The Mountehank,n the opera which is the
work of himself and Mr. Gilbert. This rehearsal
however occurred to-day, and the first performance
scene of the opera is laid in the island of Sicily The
scene Of the opcrs is laid in the Island OF SICILY Ihe
time is the early part OF the present century, and Mr.
Gilbert INDUCES freely in his humorous, satirical and
paradOxical vein.
The opera opens with a chorus Of Dominican monks
in Latin followed by chorus OF members OF the
Tamorra n secret eociety which combines bricadage
with thirst for veigeanoe. The Tamorras desire ven
Ceance because Of the wrongful conviction, 500 years
ago Of the brother Of the mother Of their ancestors
nextdoor neighbo Much OF the fun OF the opera aseS
from the drinking Of magic potion In the possession
of a travelling Snowman named Petro, which has the
effect of making every one who takes IT exactly what
he pretends to be- Mr. Monkhouse as Petro's clown,
and Miss Jenoure as his dancing girl, pretend for
reasons to be waAwork figures, and are accordingly
transformed into automatic figures OF Hamlet ana
Ophea worked the penny-in- e-slot prnclpIc, d
notion which results in variety of dron absurdues'
The cast includes +. Wyatt, as Alessandro, captain
Of the Tamorras A. Playfair. as Giorgo and Charles
Gilbert as Luigi nembeIC OF the band j. Robertson,
as Alfredo Young peasant, loved by Ultrice but IN
love with Teresa Lionel Brough, as Peto, the SHOW
man. and II. Monkhouse Bartolo, the snow
mans clown. Miss Geraldine UlmaT takes the part OF
Teresa the village beauty who Us in love witii her
self The part Of Ultr1ce is taken by Miss Lucille
Saunders while Miss Aida Jenoure appears RS MIA
n dancing GIRL The frs. act presents morning view
OF an inn in picturesque sican pass, while the sec
ond not shows the exterior of Dominican monastery
by moonlight. The opera is produced under the musi'
cal direction of Mr.. Ivan Caryl
The Prince OF Wales present on Tuesday al the
xrhfr n tyyoQ
given in Princes Hall. This society was formed In
IssY nv a number OF amateurs OF musical tastes, con-
nected with the London stock Exchange 1t has been
successful and has attained leading place
among the amateur musical societies OF this ciS'
Among the other distinguished guests present al tho
smoker were the Duke OF Cambridge, the DUKE Vi
Clarence the Duke OF Fife, Prince Edward 'of SAKE
weimar and the Lord Mayor Of London. the dress
suits which the Prince Of Wales and the Duke OF
Clarence wore on this occasion were made OF sghtiy
rourh material, faced with heavy silk The waist
coats were only moderately opened. Both "oro
mother Of pearl shirt studs and wide white heckueS
The fatrre of the concert the choral Dailad lpe
Death of Young Romilly' An artistic setuns VI
wordsworth,s The Founding Of Bolton Abbey by
the nresdept of the society, Mr. Read was gwen ana
aroused marked enthusiasm. His work was sung oy
,b choir Of mnle voices added to the society few
vears apo The Prince Of Wales was much pleased
with the entertainment and highly comphmeh'eo
President Read on the great success achieved Dy Ohe
society
At the reappearance Of the Gaiety COMPANY IN
q C,nder Ellen Up Too Late" the company received
ost hearty reception by the great crowd Of ardent
odmirers who tbronged the theatre Fred Leslie E. j..
Ionnen Miss Sylvia Grey and all the other od>avor-
ties were greeted In vigorous manner tho applause
NJ the delighted audience being at times OF tuhuouous
character Miss Nelly Farren was absent, owing 10
An attack of rheumatic fever, but Kate James proved
c,assed among the best OF the Gaiety productions.
rIa nil vigorously Missed at the end Of the perform
ance. c ,,o
Another occurrence Of the week was Grace Haw-
,hornes effective personlOn of Nancy in the American
version of Oliver Twist" at the olympic
MINT. Adiny the American prima donna. who has
been one of the principal singers at the fhrio opera
for the last five six years. VIII probably sever c
connection with that institution this winer In juno
sbe will come to London for the Covent Garden seSo
and there is talk of her making an American JOUR-
Mrs r. A. Atwater, Of OMAHA feb., who mas beeh
stpdvng for some time in London and Paris win d
view Of singing opera In France and England is 10"
IN Paris and expects make her debut In concert ts
mouth Mrs. Atwaters stage name is Preg'na' Ne
eotiations are in progress TO nave Mrs 6r,a ''e
i'm Italian opera next season ut Coveht ualIe ,iata
" joHsnn strauss in the presence OF several numao
friends THURSDAY ped ths m muse US hsad io R for the
~ lime AZ The Vienna opera House on New iear
Day Judged from the piano rendering OF ne te isi I,,ni
Inc opern is a work of exquisite meIody ahu shilm I
orcbestr4tion the parts for the ballet displaying al
the composers unique talent for writing once must Sc
Rudyard Kipnng is engaged TO be married 70 te
,ster nj Wocott Balester the young American novel
Isl who died at Dresden recently o.,,o.,s hoe
A French Government commluce m c1PcI.o n na'
becn anuointed 10 organize In the BlDnotheqpe Na-
| tOnale an exhibit OF documents Husu'"'e oi "0
Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett the author Of Little
oId Fauntleroy" has taken lie Iheaue no! IOi uc
PRODUCTION of her new play. The Showmahs b"uSh-