The Portland daily press., 1893-03-24
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
Pinafore.

pause gave proof OF Cno merlIS VI oho
crew and their efforts to please.
Pinafore mas been many times present.
ed in Portland, but has never been more
beautifully or appropriately staged than
on this occasion. The special scenery
was all the management promised. The
deck of the Pinafore, the harbor OF
Portsmouth with the fleet at anchor in
the first act, and the same scene at night
with the illumination of the buildings on
shore and the fleet showing their lights
were most effective. The costuming was
most artistically done. The dresses OF
the twenty-five ladies comprising the
sisters, cousins and aunts, represented
eighteen distinct shades of color, with
hats and ribbons to match. The orches-
ira was large, some fourteen pieces I'M
der the baton of Mr.. W. E. Chandler
and they deserve great deal of praise.
All theltableaux were admirably grouped,
and the ensembles at the end of each
were finely rendered by a grand chorus
of fifty and principals, that of ''for he is
an Englishman," receiving especially
good treatment, and also the grand
chorus and dance at the end of the first
act, the audience insisting on a repeti-
ton of the dance. The drill by the
High School Cadets, who formed the
marine guard, to the accompaniment of
the orchestra was perfect, and the lads
made most important feature of the
opera.
The music was well sung. Miss
Browns sweet, strong soprano was well
adopted to the music of Josephine and
she acted with much feeling and dis
elimination. Miss Lillian M. Jordan's
rich contralto was heard to advantage in
the role of Little Buttercup, and Miss
Harriet A. True was a pleasing Hebe.
Mr. j. G. Bartlett, engaged especially
for the opera. made deserved hit in the
part of Ralph Rackstraw with his manly
presence and his sweet, strong tenor. OF
course Mr.. Montgomery as Sir Joseph
looked and acted the part perfectly and
left little to be desired in his musical in
depreciation of the role. Mr.. John P.
WEIGH was a fine looking Capt. Corcoran
and was warmly applauded in several OF
his numbers. Mr.. Jas. P. Coombs was
good as Dick Deadeye, while the parts of
the Boatswain, Bill Bobstay, Bob Beck
EFT, Tom Tucker, and the sergeant were
respectively well taken by Messrs. W. R.
Reade, Arthur Dennis, j. W. Richard
son, Harry Haskell and F. E. Beck. The
little midshipmite, Master Nugent, was
a graceful little fellow and showed he
had in him the making of good actor.
The sailors hornpipe, in the second act,
was admirably done and an encore de-
manded.
The only encores besides those already
mentioned were Miss Browns "a Sail,
Sail,'' in the second act. and Farewell
My Own solo, quartette and chorus,
which was excellently given.
The opera will be repeated tonight,
Saturday matinee and Saturday night.
Let the houses be deserving so meritori-
Gus an entertainment. The souvenir
programmes are very pretty.
Wilbur Opera Company.
Last evening the Wilbur Opera Com
pany gave "Clover'' at Portland theatre
to very good audience. The play deals
with the adventures of the son of a Gel
man baron who goes to Paris, Sweden and
Venice to see life-and he secs it. There
is good opportunity for beautiful costum-
ing and grouping, which was thoroughly
improved. The audience was very APP
preciative and applauded literally. To-
night "Falka'' will be given. An ex-
change says:
The music was beautiful, the comedy
was excellent, the costumes were hand
some and the special scenery gorgeous,
and the company appeared to most ex-
cellent advantage in this operate work.
1t could easily have been repeated an
other week, but the management are adj
herring closely to the policy they adopt
ed on the commencement OF this en-
gagement and giving different opera
each week.
Helen Barry.
A decided comedy treat is announced
at the Portland theatre next Monday,
when Miss Barry will begin her engage
ment in GA Nights Frolic.'' That the
play is deserving of more than usual no.
tice is apparent from the attention paid
to it by New York and Boston people,
This comedy was presented for two
months in Boston last season, and an
initial performance at the Union Square
theatre in New York. 1t is an adapta-
ton from Won Moser's German play.
Mr.. Augustus Thomas, the adapter, is
also the author of alabama" Those
who are acquainted with the brightness
and vivacity of Mr.. Thomas's work will
readily see the treat which is in store for
them. The company is the same in
every particular which played in Boston
last season, and in Union Square theatre