Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-26
ADJUSTMENTS.

standard of excellence. Charles Frohman
has for the past few years regularly given
the initial performances of his most impor-
tant plays in this city, and the verdict of
the Washington audience has been the test
Of the plays success. "Wilkinson's Wild
ows" made an instantaneous success when
II was first produced here, and its popular
ity extended all over the country. The same
may be said Of Bronson Towards "Aris-
tocracy." Franklin Fyle's and David Belas-
cos The Girl Left Behind Me- and other
plays that might be mentioned. During last
spring an opera by two Washington young
men. called The Three Dukes" was pre-
sented by amateurs. and 1t was very favor
ably received. Last night at Albaugh's
Opera House Marker; or, the Legend Of
Vuur-Bril." an OPERA the book Of which
was written by Mr.. Philander Johnson of
The Evening Star and the music by Mr..
j. Emory Shaw, also of Washington, was
given us hrst presentation by the Strakosch
Comic Opera Company. Perhaps 1t is wrong
to say that this opera was presented, for it
was not Portions Of the music were sung
and some Of the dialogue was spoken, but
the company was wholly inadequate to q
proper Interpretation of the music and ut
terly incompetent to grasp the meaning Of
the lines. The story has already been told
In The Star. and 1t only need be said that
the music Is In every way worthy Of the
book. This can only be asserted by one who
has heard the music played by the COM
poser, for last night many Of the tunefui
was sung was so imperfectly given as to
convey no adequate impression of its excel
lence. The opera opened in fairly good
shape and went along without any great
hitch until it came to Mr.. Huntley's solo, In
which he absolutely went to pieces, forget
ting both lines and music. His down fall
seemed to rattle both orchestra and cast
and. with few exceptions, neither at
tempted to do their best afterward. There
would be times when they would get to-
gether and run smoothly for while. and
then the audience would applaud their ef-
forts; but these were simply cases In a des-
ert OF uncertainty and incompetency. The
two In the cast who did the best work were
Alice Hosmer as Sophia and Maurice Hege-
man as Jacob van Heemskerk They were
fairly familiar with their parts and acted
with considerable spirit. particularly Miss
Hosmer. Miss Georgia BrytOn as Marie
was lively soubrette and made as much
out or the part as was possible for her. To
the credit of Miss Louise Moore, who at
tempted the part of Elsa, it must be said
that she was the only one In the cast who
knew her lines and who sang every note Of
the music allotted to her. Her voice is not
big enough for the role, but she consci-
entiously did her best. Mr.. John Bell, who
took the part of Derrick. did not properly
conceive the character. but In his two topi-
cal songs he was effective and received
several encores. The chorus did the only
really good work and deserved the applause
they received. The prayer in the frst act,
which was sung without accompaniment
was given III BOOQ form ana the waltz move
ment with which the finale Of the first act
closes was spiritedly sung and worked up to
good climax, which fully merited the en-
core that followed. ti@9th'"IiSu
The legend of the -Bni,'lrupon
which the story of the whole work hangs,
was SO badly given by Mr.. Huntley that
1t marred all the rest Of the performance.
and the work Of the orchestra was lament
ably inefficient. The dance by the children
In the second act was well done. 1t is not
pleasant to thus excoriate a company, but
there was such a manifest indisposition to
do good work. and utter carelessness Of re-
suits. that no other course is open. Had
they played and sung the opera as IL Is
written. conscientiously doing their best,
the work would have stood on its merits,
but the performers seemed to think that
their lines were better than those of the
author, and as to the music they appeared
to select such numbers as they knew, or
rather thought they knew. leaving out the
others This was not fair to the opera nor
was 1t just to themselves. In the third act
some four or five vocal numbers were
eliminated, and great deal Of the dialogue
the action absurd. l.. i"''a' y :"
II given under proper auspices and BY
competent company, the opera would pfop-
ably prove an Interesting and attractive
contribution to the list Of comic operas now
before the public. ,-
The living pictures that were shown be-
tween the second and third acts of the
opera were artistic representations and each
was loudly applauded. The best Of those
given last week were again shown and sew
eral others were introduced. The new pic
lures shown last night were Jean Aubert's
"Cupids vacation" L. Ferrault's Lady In
the Hammock" 4. Renaurs 1.-The Wave"
and Emile Bayards THE FerrYman." AL
together there were eighteen pictures dis
played. OF ryc-
Nationally very fair audience ecame to
the National to see the summer comedians
in a new performance last night. cphIsrime
1t was Buckstone's "A Kiss IN the Dark. /"
and Robertsons Home" both Of them bet
ter than good. "A Kiss in the Dark" with
MIR. Coote. Mr.. Mackay, Miss Stevens and
Miss Ffndlay. made a great hit and caught
the house vigorously Mr. Coote's work be-
Ing especially noteworthy, though Mr.
Coote does nothing poorly. In Home" a
three-act comedy. there Is more room for
continued effort, and each part was sus-
tained cleverly throughout, Mr. Mackay
as Captain Montrappe Going the best work
he has done so far, and winning much
praise and Miss Gallatin, in a serious part
know her well had no idea she possessed
Miss Stevens and Mr. Bond in their court:
ing scene at the plano were simply delight
full in their delicacy. 1t is hardly necessary
to say anything about Miss Sanders and
Wheelock. jr., as Juvenile lovers, or OF Mr.
Findlay as an old man. The parts could
not be done better. Home" Is bit more
pretentious In its dramatic requirements
than any Of its predecessors, and calls for
more ambitious effort but the call was re-
sponded to fully. and plenty left in stock
for more calls. All around the bill for this
week Is better than any Of the season.