The morning call., 1894-03-19
1.-THE ORACLE" OUT
A New Opera by a Girl in
Her Teens.
MISS MARY LOUISE CARR.
The Young Lady Both Composer
and Librettist.
ISS MARY LOUISE CARR.
MUSIC AND MIRTH IN HER WORK
Hints of What May Prove a Piquan'
Blending of Ancient and Modern
Harmony and Fun.

Nothing is more coveted Just at present
in musical and social circles in San Fran
cisco than one OF the neat invitations
which have just been issued bidding the
happy recipient TO Golden GAZE Hall on
the 28ih inst. to hear a new 0peretta, "The
Oracle" written and composed by Miss
Mary Louise Carr and produced by the
Progressive Cub.
The demands for invitations, If all graf
flied. would fill golden Gate Hall dozen
times over, and the greatest curiosity is
manifested on all hands to ascertain some
thing more of the work and of the young
composer, who. still in her teens, is gifted
enough to write both libretto and music
and to sing leading part in her own
Operetta.
Miss Mary Louise Carr, who is the grand
daughter of r. Il. Pratt, Assistant General
Superintendent of the Southern Pacific
Railroad, undoubtedly inherits good deal
of her aptitude for writing. Her mother.
Mrs. B. o. Carr, wrote play called the
Kentucky Belle" which was successfully
produced some years ago al an amateur
performance in Irving Hall. and Miss
Carr's uncle, John Haraden Pratt, pupil
of the famous Jadassohn of Leipzig, is
professor of theory and composition at
Mills College.
"The first time l remember seeing N y
niece" said John L. Pratt to CALL re-
porter yesterday, "wss at Louisville, KY,
in 81. She was cute little body of nearly
6 years then, who used to entertain us all
by dancing for us. The family m0va,i to
California a few wears later and made
their home at ST. Helena, wnere l began
m Maru the and harD1o0u
She was always highly intnitive with re-
gard to music, and though in the class
with others she frequently had TO be
scOlded for careiessnesS, she seemed able
to arrive at the same result as the other
pupils with less study.
The first composition she ever wrote
was lille lullaby for a friends child in
Seattle. She went on continually after
that wiring songs and studying hard at
counterpoint. 1t must have been her apti-
tude IN this direction and the example of
her mother that made her attempt an
operetta. The whole thing is her own
dong and of course It's very un Dretentious.
We have yet TO judge whether 1t is sue
cess 10y its performance"
Mr.. Pratt, like most of Miss Carr's
friends, was reluctant to claim any merit
for the work before ehand, though those who
have heard it speak highly of the work.
The operetta consists of dialogue, inter-
spersed with music. The scene s laid in
grove of trees surrounding the Temple of
Apollo at Delphi. In the center stands
the "Oracle" which the various characters
come TO consult.
There is an effort in the opera to suggest
the style of Greek play in the sense that
the scenery is natural, and the unities
of time and place have been observed
There is also but one main plot. The
characters. however, are anything but
classic.
For instance, one young man is travelling
for wholesale liquor and cigar store in
Rome, and another of the dramatis per-
s0B4 is dTy-goods clerk from Athens oul
OF job. and the High Priest, is running
the oracle TO make money out of it.
The music is said to b. very material
and telling. In certain places there is an
efforG at initiating what may be supposed
TO have been the ideas of harmony among
the Greeks, who, when they did not sing
IN unison or Octaves, used only intervals of
ffths and 1ourths. The music of the solos
and chOTuses is, moreover, written to cor
respond with the feelings expressed by
the words, and though the strains put in to
the mouths of some of the characters are
appropriately silly aad frivolous. the CON-
poser shows herself able 10 touch the feel
Ings in melting melodies when represent
ing the state OF heart of those worshipers
involved in the tolls of love. The music
put lnto the mouths Of the priests aud cho-
rus, when they call upon the gods for sup
port and protection, is said to be particu-
larly heroic. and the ensem Bile is declared
TO be excellent.
The distribution of characters is still
kept profound secret. though 1t would be
safe guess 10 hazard that Frank Coffin
will be the high priest. Most of the
singers, including Miss Carr herself. are
all pupils of the same school. Miss Gra-
ham. who will make her debut in that
style of work, is high light soprano,
who can take 6 Gn aIO with ease. Miss
Wagor is also soprano and Miss Need
ham is the alto.