Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-12-22
the SCHILLER.

the absolute management of the Schil-
Ter by Thomas W. Prior, It Is pleasant
to chronicle that the Camille dArvllle ,
Opera Company In Madeleine" has
scored the greatest hit In the history Of
this beautiful biJou theater. sapping
the strength of the ancient adage that
"t'ortune never comes with both hands
full" At time when there IL SO much
masking stun employing acrobatic
comedians. vOicclcss soubrettcs, mere
shape shows under the caption "COmic
OPERA" II IL really refreshing to find
something Of this claim properly
placed. adequately interpreted, AMI
worthy the title opera cOmiquc. For
such IL Madeleine. or the Magic KISS"
which was presented for the first time
In this city Sunday night ut the Schil.
Ter.
Stanislaus STANCE, who had previous.
~ done meritOrious work In dramatic
productions. has furnished II spicy IL
brcttO. based on an original and clever |
conceit. like page from fairy lore
the rcJuvcnating power Of the vestal |
kiss. The filmy fabric of the story has |
u flligrcc of cause and conference. and
the lines, II not sparkling in dialogue.
IRE delightfully."- free from "fiings ana
gags" and are clever In sustaining
point. His humor II deft, and graceful
touch IL more noticeable In the lyrics,
which have dclicacy and not little
sentiment ana IRE notably free from
the modern catches that too frequently
mar this class OF eccentric writing.
The romantic. sentimental. ana comic
interests are held In good balance; but
In point Of absolute interest the second
act IL the strongest. the force OF Its
finale tending to shadow the interest Of
the third. The story would appear to
bc practically told In the second net:
the third. however. may he considered
IN agreeable codlcil to Its good will.
The story IL carried with spirit. ana
has not u few surprises In Its working
out. The situations IRE generally well
devised, but contrasts IRE occasionally
too strongly emphasized. ns In the sec.
Ond net, when che rOllicklng topical
duct IL sharply succeeded by brilliant
sentimental song. His story In brief
II that of the centcnarian Baron
Grimm. who learns through family
legend that on his Tooth birthday the
betrOthal kiss of u nevcr-befOre.k kissed
maiden will rejuvennte him Il quarter
o! a century. lie has discovered this
paragon of maidenly mOdesty In Made.
lcinc. his ward. Her heart Ia unfOrtu.
hately temporarily In the keeping OF
Frederick. u pseudo artist, who IL real
: ~ an Adventures. Overhearing the
promise of the Baron to make Made
lelne his heiress. he persuades her to
lumOr the irascible centennrinn with Il
betrOthal kiss. This bit Of OsculatlOn
rObs the old man of his whiskers and
: limp bringing him back to the age OF
!. 20; another kiss ut the altar brings him
. u the front hale ana hearty rs wher
I he followed the hounds all day, nnt
sang out the livelong night. This
: frlghtens the gentle girl, but the third
kiss, given Of her own free accord
Q gives to her the ideal lover Of %, will
all the glory and the grace OF youth
At this happy juncture the false ant
l. Jealous Frederick comes again upOi
: the scene, ana tells the Baron that thu
fourth kiss will send him to time be
yond his birth, which makes the ga.
y young lover pause ana reflect. II
o make his dilemma dOubly distressing
Madeleine, who has discovered tn
u falseness of Frederick, detests him n
u much rs she loves her husband of
y day. The Baron repulses the fond On
y resscs of his wife In fear that her kis
will draw him down to death. Eventr
Ia ally love so completely cOnquers hin
n that he determines to brave the newt
=. able and die with kiss from Made
:. lelne. Frederick In the meantime In
N given the poison of falschood to he
~ ear, and she grows fearful lest her kis
s should cOnsign her husband to tn
NJ tomb. This scene Is carried with
10 dramatic interest seldom attained !
" light opera. The malicious Frederic
70 Is presently claimed by his former wifi
A. Mary Doodle, a rather buXOm femal
H. with fad for marrying men and IN
e. coming a widow again In remarkabl
Dr. brief periods. There are n number q
Or other characters of sentimental IN
Or humorous prOclivities. The latter
~ notably DIR. Gourmet, the perlpatet
no physician of the Baron.
~ Julian Edwards, who wrote the mi
sic, has considerably advanced rs
composer since his accompaniment
III Jupiter was heard In this city. II
a, displays good, honest, substantial wor
~ quite likely to go free of the popul'
~ charge of "reminiscences. Mr.. Edward
Ne understands the art of OrchestratiO
and II his music Is not stunningly br
liant, 1t Is uniformly melOdiOus, fu
OF nishcs jolly, sketchy ACCOMPANYING
~ for humor, Is resOurceful In the roma
We tic quality, ana his ensemble writing
dignihed, fluent, and technically stron