The Portland daily press., 1894-12-14
IT is A WINNER.
The Opera Hawaii the Grandest Kind
Of a Success.
WITTY JOKES, CATCHY MUSIC,
ANDsGRACEFUL DANCERS.

Combined to Make the First Night of Ha-
wall Memorable One in Amateur OPP
era-Most wonderfulsDancing Ever
Seen on Portland Stage.
If Portland overhead reason to pride
herself upon the variety, quantity, and
quality of the musical and dramatic
talent within her boundaries, surely the
occasion was last evening, when
Hawaii" a comic opera in two acts, by
MIR. Walter G. Emerson. and MIR. Elliott C.
Mitchell, received it's first presentation
at City Hall, under the auspices of the
Athletic Club. 1t will also be borne in
mind that every one of the sixty odd
performers-principals, chorus, ballet
club, not one of them professional, in
the true sense of the word, anu even
then only "a few of the orchestra, who
play in public concerts at home. We do
not believe that there is on record any
where an account of an amateur perform
ance, conducted on the elaborate scale
that.marked lastfnight's production, that
went off with the charm and chic Qor
that abused word fits the situation ex-
actlI) that characterized the first per-
Torrance of Hawaii. )" The curtain
rose promptly at s O'Clock, and precisely
at 10 the final curtain was called by
highly enthusiastic and brilliant audi
ence, that nearly filled every seat in ca
pacious City Hall. We do not .recall,
since the days of "Don Bobo," one of
Mr.. George Marston's more ambitious
efforts, a comic opera so entirely delight
full, although we have had Others very
good in their way, such as "Cupid," by
Walter Goold, and perhaps a few of not
such pretensions, and even Don Bobo"
had no such stage setting. as Messrs. En-
erson and Mitchell's work.
This was the cast of the opera:
Adam Molecule, Prime Minister of
Hawaii. MIR. ELLIOTT c. Mitchell
The Rev. Samuel Simulate, Mis-
sionary, Mr.. Harry A Rounds
Ruiz oll5i. Ambas S. ( u from E tn the
Lord Goose berry, Ambassador from
Great Britain, Mr.George c. Orr
Herr Won Caprice, Am bassador from
Germany, Mr.. Herbert S. Hannaford
Fly Lung Bang, Am bassador from
China, MIR. William S. Wood
Captain Franklin Parke, US; s. Bos
ton, Mr.. Fred E. Bickford
Ahwho, Servant, Mr.. Charles Barrows
Mr.. John P.Welch
Aloab, Adopted daughter of the
Queen, Mr.. Charles Barrows
B esides the principals were the train
hearers, qheen,s body guard. citizens of
Honolulu, imperial ballet, sailors and
marines from the U.S.S. Boston.
The piece opens with grand chorus of
rejoicing. full of action and movement,
extolling the virtues of the "Hawaiian
four hundred and the fat Queen"
Hardly have the last notes of the chorus
stopped when the four ambassadors
representineB England, China, Germany
and the Fiji Islands. are discovered COM
ing down the stage. The effect is anus
ing. Each one of the ambassadors ex
ira dry" then sing song, in which they
all show how they intend to annex Ha
waii in diplomatic way" AS they
finish the Rev. Samuel Simulate, the
American Missionary, appears to con-
vert the people while they wait" At
this juncture comes the Hon. Adam
Molecule, prime minister, in very ugly
frame of mind. After dismissing the
chorus in summary manner he
then consults the various ministers in
regard to- the little scheme of annexa-
ton" He informs each of the diplomats
that "the Queen is inclined in his favor
and that on the morrow the German,
English, Chinese or Fiji flags will float
from the government buildings. In re-
turn for such pleasant information each
of the diplomats presents him with
bribe of some sort which of course
he accepts with the greatest ease.
At this juncture the chorus appear
singing glorious song of praise for
their queen. Immediately the.queen en-
tiers in all her regal splendor, preceded
by four native Hawaiian guards, and
followed by three little colored train
bearers. After greeting her subjects in
her usual digni6ed manner, she steps to
the front of the stage and sings one of
the gems of the piece, beginning with
the words "There are queens and queens
who don't know BEANS" ending with a
beautiful waltz chorus, "She's the queen
of the Sandwich Islands," and dance,
in which tho whole chorus takes part.
Then follows the burlesque on the way
business is conducted in Hawaii by the
queen and her prime minister. 1t is in
this scene that the queens new patent
folding throne is brought into play-It
seems to be an almost inexhaustible
supply-quarters for all the queens wants
from an absinthe frappe to a nickel. The
poor overworked Ahu, the servant, is
indeed kept very busy here, but shows
how well servants are trained in the
Sandwich Islands. Ruiz Ouiji, on whom
the queen is dead stuck, his introduced.
The scene which follows between him
and the queen is very funny, and shows
most graphically how Fiji Islander
and cannibal can make love. The
queen promises, on account:of her great
love for Ruiji to give over the country to