St. Paul daily globe., 1893-05-04
THE LOCAL STAGE.

Inc DOOr lOQldu mas at last IOullu MS
place in st. Paul history where the inhabit-
ants are glad to place him-on the stage.
The Bostonians presented last evening new
opera, The OgalaIlas" introducing into
opera for the first time the noble red man
Treated as he was by Allison. the librettist,
as heroic ch aracter, and surrounded by
gamor of footlight fancies, he became a
most attractive figure, and the work was
marked success.
The score of the opera has decided swing
all the way through but there is remark able
strength in the choruses They are the tell
ing things in this work. and the baton OF the
conductor kept the singers together and gave
dash and go which added much 10 the sue
cess of the whole. The finales of the acts
were especially powerful. and Act is one
of the most stirring numbers i'll any opera.
magnificent march introduces the Indians,
and there is sustained power both in the
writing and singing.
The composer has evidently tried to make
the score suggestive of the character. This is
especially true in the opening measures Of
the overture and in the chorus of 0galallas
in the first act. The sylvan character of the
Indian and the Western element noted in the
lines OF the scouts were occasionally marred
by "reminiscences of foreign writer's creeping
evinced, and the endeayor seems to have
been to combine the methods of grand opera
with those of the comic. Recitative and
conversation are not a pleasing musical mix
ture, and the Introduction of the former into
this romantic writing was weak.
In solos the opera is not so attractive as the
chorus work. There are many somber. even
gloomy passages, and the single voice lacks
the power which in part songs is given to
the various voices and the orchestration.
This is not true of the first song by Miss
D'Arvlle, and the solos of War Cloud were
written in style which greatly assisted Mr..
Macdonald S singing.
Decidedly the success of the evening
among principals was that of Macdonald.
He looked the noble red man every inch, of
the Uncas type, and in his lines put so
much of the dignity and the graceful i'm
agery of the Indian that it must remain one
of his most attractive roles AT his entrance
in the second act, with the white feathers
showing the number OF scalps he had TAKEN
the audience gave ample proof Of their ap-
probation of his work.
MIR. Barnabee's first appearance in the
city was hailed enthusiastically He sang
the part of Prof. AnGover, philanthropist.
and succeeded in investing it with his usual
off, and it is only necessary to say
Mr.. Barnabee acted and sang in his
oid-time manner. Ills benevolence toward
the Indian was ludicrous, and in the scene
with Miss Hepzibah Small, governess, taken
by Miss Bartlett where they encounter the
medicine man, was well acted.
Tom Karl. as Capt. Deadshot, played the
rescuing lover ana sang it well, despite
break in the accompaniment. The solos of
this part are not calculated to reveal the
beauties of tenor. More than any other they
take on an Italian airwhich is not successful.
Camille D'Arville was the heroine, loved by
every man on the stage. She was in better
voice than on the preceding evening and
did some effective singing, the flower song
being the hit of the evening.
Miss Flora Finlayson sang the Indian girl,
Miunetoa, superbly and her acting was
even better. Her voice mas improved in
power and depth since her last appearance.
Her first solo in that remarkable Act 2 was
twice redemanded. and her work in quar-
tette little later was decidedly good.
Eugene Cowles as Bandit was dashing and
Mexican enough to satisfy, and his voice Is
just in its glorious prime. Rockingham as
the medicine man was not as important as
many of his roles; and Lillian Hawthorne
Lang, HoWlanQ ana HerScnel completed the
cast
Robert Gaylor, the popular Irish comedia
still continues to delight the large audiences
that nightly crowd the Grand. Mr.. Gavlor's
quaint sayings are greeted with roars of
laughter, and his song of THE Cat Came
Back has made a big hit
John F. Sheridan, the pioneer of all farce
comedians, and the roaring and successful
farce-comedy "A Night on the Bristol
commence au engagement at the Grand
Sunday evening, for one week. with regular
matinees Wednesday and Saturday. Mr..
Sheridan has no equal in the eccentric char
acter part of the Window O'BrIen which he
has played III all parts of the world. His
comedy work is entirely different from that
of the regular farce .comedian,l there being no
rough element whatever in his portrayal of
the character he assumes.