The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-06

cnterprising business men of today are
NUMBERED msry who are worthy sue
cessors OF the old pioneers. To II. A.
bron this community is indebted for this beat
tful structure. which Is entirely worthy OF this
progressive city. know. ladies and gentle
men. that yor join with me in offering them
most hearty congratulations upon the spirit of
enterprise which they have displayed IN this
most worthy undertaking. know, toe, that
you all Join with me in congratuiating Man.
ager Hanna upon the proud distinction Of hav-
ing under his direction the finest :heaser on the
Pacific coast
brief words when actions wait. are we'll;
The prom piers hand is o. his bell.
Therefore III say good night.
Between the first and second acts Z. Bachelet,
the electrician who fitted up the lighting plant
OF the house, gave an exhibition OF its powers,
which enchanted aud bewildered the audience.
He turned out all except the footlights and
the brscke: lamps and raised the curtain,
showing several bunch-lights facing the audi
torium and q numoe: of lines of eolored lights
along the floor. He then threw white. red and
green lights on the stage, changing from one TO
another and varying the strength OF the ligh.
with such rapdity that the spectators could
hardly follow the changes. Then he frightened
the gloom which had spread over the sounding
board, first lighting up the outer border, then
turning on one half and AZ last all of the diago
nal lines OF lamps which intersect the plastic
ribs. las. OF ali the bulrscyes were made 70
blaze forth until their rays met those from the
sounding board and ceiling.
The performance OF IA Trip TO Africa by the
Duff Opera Company fully met the expectations
OF the audience and was voted a success by
common consent The plot is laughable
and is not too complicated for comic
oPera. the music is meodious and the
scenery was rich in coloring and good in
design, though not always appropriate. The
scene is laid in Egypt and the story simply is
that TItani4 Fanfani. a rich heress, wishes TO
sc: her fortune into her own control. aud Ia
order TO do induces Miradil!o, a dissolute
tourist, to masquerade her husband
fo- monetary consideration. Then She
calls on her uncle, Faufani Pasha,
a polygamous renegade, to hand over
the monev. He is reluctant and complications
follow. gitenia has a love affair with An.arsed
and Miradillo with Sebil, AL Abyssinian slave
girl, and Tessa, a pretty milliner Fantani
Pasha tries &c arouse Jealousy and il is
assumed for dramatic effect The pasha wants
Tessa to become Mrs. Fanfani No. AZ, and Bucca-
meta. her mother, is ambitious for that dis
tinc,lon OF course it all ends by Titania get
ting her fortune and each lover getting his
hearts desire.
As Titana Miss Helen Bertran, the soprano,
is charming and p'quant and unites sweet
voice TO ability as An actress, receiving several
encores. Mr.. Charles Bassett, the tenor,
as Prince Antarsid, showed vocal powers
OF wide compass, bat seemed TO con-
siter 1t beneath him to attempt 70
act his part; he sang, AID sang well,
hu. that was all. The flower duet by Miss
Bertram Md himself won An encore by its good
rendering and its own merits. Miss Villa
Knox. the Tessa, was very pleasing; her
singing ard the quality of her voice
were excellent, and the terzetto in the
first &c. and the delightful aria "Iadeet,
Kind Sir" which afforded her opportu nifty
10 display her command of the coqUettish, were
received with especial favor. Mr. J. H. Ryley as
the pssha and Mis-, Helen Won Doenhof as
Buccametta are the comedians OF the
company and were extremely funny
without overacting their parts. Miss Won Doen-
hoif has pleasing contralto voice. her best num-
Der being in the trio big Beard Visage Flam
ing" with NJ Ryley, who is also a good singer,
and Miss Knox Mr.. Ryiey's best number was
certainly I'VE Bedouins OF the Nile" Miradillo
was impersonated by Mr.. John J. Rafael. WHO
made his singing and acting equally acceptable.
Mr.. William Hamilton, as Pericles. the Greek
hotel-keeper at Cairo, has bass voice OF much
power. and made strong character in the first act
Miss Minnie de Reu looked, acted and sang
well the part OF Sebl, her shawl dance being
quite a feature, and Mr.. William Schuster was
a typical Muezza. ii a powerful, far-reaching
voice be any qualification. The chorus was
strong, and made the finales an impressive feat
urc of the performance.
This afternoon the Duff company will give
the musical comedy "Miss Heiyett," and this
evening the operas ''Cavalliera Rustcana" and
Trial by Jury"
The staff OF the theater is as follows Tress
urer Paul r. Hyner; assistant treasurer, Frank
Frederick: stage manager. Thomas NJ Har-
rington: assistant stage manager, Hugh Gun
ningham; musical director, Theodore Wagner:
scenic artist. Thomas Moses; property master,
Hugh Cunningham; electrician and gas man,
L. Bachele:; chief of ushers, Charles Thorn
dixie; doorkeepcrs. H. A. Fredericks and Charles
Terry. A number of these gentlemen have teen
with Manager Hanna at the old opera house.
Not the least noteworthy feature OF the OPEN
ing of the theater was the initial appear
auce of The Figaro. which is to be the official
programme of the house. 1t is III uch more than
q programme. II is a handsomely designed and
printed dramatic paper, one that every patron
of the theater Will want to take home. The
editorial work ia done in manner that shows
the hand of experience, and the typographical
appearance of The Figaro is such rs TO reflect
credit upon IS good a printer even as Z. W.
Powell, who is one of the publishers. The
business end of the venture has been looked
after by John d. Richyille, one of the best ad-
yertising men on the Pacific coast ana he has
succeeded in filling every spare inch OF space
with announcements OF leading firms in every
line The Figaro is evidently bound to succeed
under the management OF Messrs. Powell d
Riehvilic