The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-20
ROBBING TO MUSIC.
Amateur 0peratic AssoCia-
tion as 0ffenbach's Ro1-
licking Brigands.
YOUNG PEOPLE SCORE SUCCESS.
A Large and Fashionable Audience
Hears Excellent Music and
Witnesses Some Good
Acting.
YOUNG PEOPLE SCORE SUCCESS.

"The Brigands" last evening at the
Academy of Music and in the eyes of its
many friends who crowded every avail
able portion of the little playhouse, added
another success to its long list of tri-
jumps. 1t was an exceedingly friendly
audience. composed of the leading society
people Of the city, and more than generous
with its applause and flowers. In many
instances its generosity was we'll de-
served, for there were m any parts of the
performance which were really meritor-
ious, while others were not quite so meri
torous.
1t would be unfair to Judge the young
people too harshly by last evenings work.
Beside the nervousness incident TO first
nights performance they were all tired
out. wing to the regular engagements
of the Academy, they were unable
to secure the stage for dress
rehearsal until Yesterday afternoon,
and from one O'Clock until a short time
before the curtain went up they worked
hard and faithfully to perfect them
selves in the stage business. Moreover.
these young people are the first amateurs
to attempt this opera. the general opinion
being that its requirements are beyond
the each of the average amateur. Con-
evening was, on the whole, very credit
able.
WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.
The opera is too we'll known to nee d
more than passing reference to its
plot. Falsacappa, chief of a recherche
band of italian brigands, has lovely
daughter. Fiorella. A young farmer,
Frageoletto, having met and fallen III
love with Fiorella. during professional
visit of the brigands to his house. led by
his infatuation, joins the robber band, aud
in proof of his courage. waylays and cap
lures the courier of the Duke of Mantua.
The Duke, in the absence Of the
brigands, strays into their camp, and is
assisted to escape by Fiorella. Fasacappa
learns from papers in the possession of
the captured courier that the Princess OF
Grenada, betrothed to the Duke. is on her
way to his palace. The brigand chief de-
cidss to intercept, at wayside inn. the
Princess and the escort sent to receive
her, and having substituted portrait of
FiorelIa for that of the Princess, (whom
the Duke has never SEEM and returned
the papers found upon the courier, the
latter is allowed to go upon his way.
The brigands. led by Falsacappa, visit
the inn, secure the landlord and his SER
wants, and assuming their characters, re-
ceive aud imprison in the inn both the
Princess and the escort sent by the Duke
to receive her. Disgusting themselves as
the Princess and her party, the bandits
then repair to the Dukes palace, with
the ultimate intention of receiving the
dowry due the Princess, but their
design is frustrated by the timely arrival
of the real Princess and her retinue. The
Duke, however, In gratitude to Fiorella
for having saved his life, at her inter-
cession, and upon promise OF reformation,
permits the bandits to depart in peace.
When Mr.. Louis r. Dressler waived his
etD Drfl aff oil ,1p fha
orchestra started off with vim and
swing which augured a dashIng and
spirited performance. The curtain arose
upon mountain pass in Calabria showing
the videttes of the brigands sleeping
among the rocks. horn is heard in the
distance; the sentries spring to their feet;
the remainder of the band appear from
behind rocks and crags. they break o 1t
into the chorus 1.-Two by two, or three by
three, or four by four as the case may be, :"
and the moment so long looked forward
to by the fifty or more young ladies and
gentlemen who have worked and worked
during the past six or eight months has
come. They stand behind the footiigbts
facing an audience such as is seldom
seen in any theatre, and singing for sweet
charity.
EXCELLENT CHORUS WORK.
As In all the operas given under the di-
'rection of Mr.. Dressle, the work of the
chorus was generally excsllent through
out the entire production. There were
one or two occasions where the singers
dragged some and once 1t looked as
though they were going TO pieces, but
the sharp, energetic action of the leader
soon brought them together ana averted
the impending catastrophe.
Much interest was centered In the ap-
pearance of Miss Eleanor Marvin Beebee,
who took the part of Ficrella, the bandit
chiefs daughter. Miss Beebee is well
known as the soprano of the Brick Presby-
terian Church, of New York, and con-
cert singer of more than ordinary ability.
There was considerable curiosity to
see her in comic opera. When
she came bounding on to the
stage in the picturesque costume of the
rollicking mountain maiden. with her
wealth of blonde hair and laughing face,
there wasn't club man in the house
from John Reed down to little boy Wat
son who did not let great big Oil es-
cape him. Miss Beebee was evidently
suffering from stage fright at first, and
her reckless abandon came with an appar-
ant effort. She acquitted herself, how
ever. with ability. and whatever defects
there may have been in her acting, were
more than compensated for by her sing
ing and presence.
Mrs. Frank Molten made a pleasing
variation from her usual line of work,
aud appeared as Frageoletto, a young
farmer. In her new part Mrs. Molten
was success. She was very much OF
boy, especially in the kiss duet of the Sec
ond act. Had the briRand chief been
modern nineteenth century papa, Master
Frageoletto would have received severe
talking TO. Mrs Molten's singing and
acting was even better than her previous
and the flowers and recalls
she received were well deserved.
During the intermission between the
first and second acts the audience ln-
stinctively fell to comparing the produc-
tion with those of 1.-THE Chimes of Nor
mandy" which the same company gave
last winter. The general Impression
seemed to be that the "Chimes of Nor
mandy" was the best performance and
more than one expressed the wish that
Miss Sandmeyer could have been seen in
the part of Frageoletta.
Whatever disappointment was felt over
the first act was entirely dispelled by the
of the Spanish embassy in the
second act, The work of principals and
chorus was good, especially that of Mr..
Il. Lloyd Dabney. who filled the
part of Count de Gloria Cassis.
Mr.. Dabney is an artist. Every
detail of his make up; every
movement and gesture of his graceful
body; every word be uttered and every
note he sang clearly demonstrated his ar
tistic ability. His voice is sweet, clear
tenor, and how the management could
have allowed Mr.. Hunter Brown TO i'm
terpolate iuto comic opera with the
scene laid in Italy. an over sentimental