The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-12-06

To see Miss Maggie Mitchell has become
custom which many people would sorely re-
gret to be forced to forego. 1t little matters
what the play may be in which she appears
before the public she still remains the Mag
gle Mitchell Of old with warm place in the
hearts OF two generations. Last week Miss
Mitchell presented new play at Albaughs
Grand Opera House. 'The Little Maverick"
is good play, but Miss Maggie did not sue
ceed in sinking her individuality In the role
of May Percy. Had she done so her admirers
would have called the piece failure AS It
was they turned out in numbers and greeted
her with smiles and tears-the usual compl-
mentary accompaniments. Her company is 9
very good one and "The Little Maverick
will undoubtedly prove success elsewhere as
here.
There is little use for managers to under
take the presentation of grand opera in this
country on q scale equal to its possibilities.
The financial risk is too great and the pront
compared with the outlay too small. Such
renditons therefore as those given by the Juch
Opera Company at the Academy of Music last
week, may be considered fairly representative
of English grand opera in this country. The
repertory certainly was one that called for the
pany gave excellent satisfaction, despite the
fact that two Of its most important members
were unable to appear, is but just commenda-
tion. The operas presented were ''Rigoletto,"
ttFaust,n "Tannhauser.n "Cayalleria Rusti-
cana" "Lohengrin," al Trovatore,' "Bohe-
man Girl,n and the balcony scene from
"Romeo and Juliet" all of which were well
attended excepting the first named. Of Miss
Juch 1t seems unnecessary to speak, she is so
Ill III
Miss Juch's voice is one of admirable purity,
sweetness, and power. She sings with that
ease and charm that characterize only the
efforts of true artistes, and there is no better
actress on the operatic stage to-day. She
stands out pre-emnently among the prima
donnas of the country and has esta bished an
exceptional popularity wherever she has ap-
peared. Next to Miss Juch the interest was
directed toward Mr.. Gilbert Guile, who sang
the leading tenor roles with the company.
II he were an actor on the same scale that he
is singer, what furore he would create
With an almost phenomenal voice of lyric
,quality-pure, flexible, and of wide range-he
succeeded in outrivaling any tenor that has
been heard here in some years past. His high
notes were remarkable for their clear, un-
strained tone. He obtained a strong hold on
the favor of the Washington public by his
work through the week. Miss Amanda Fabris,
Mr. William Broderick, Mr. William Mertens,
and the Others of the company who have been
heard here so often before did their usual good
work. 1t was unfortunate for the company
that that leading artist, Mr. Franz Vetta.
was unable to sing during the week by reason
of illness, and that more could not have been
heard Of his charming wife, Miss Lizzie Mac
nichol.
At the National Theatre "a Midnight Bell'
that rather pretentious farce-comedy (pre-
tentious because it is one Of Hoyt's and has
plot)-held the boards to the delight of large
audiences during the week. ga Midnight
Bell'' is one of those amusing light stage pro-
ductions that do not lose interest or power to
entertain after having been seen for the third
or fourth successive season SO long as the
company presenting them is kept up to the
standard. In this case the inimitable George
Richards and the equally distinctive Eugene
Ganheld; = IN the parts OF Deacon Itdd , and
and continuous, while the balance of the cast
carried the story of the play. Hoyt's plays
are ALWAYS welcome here