The herald., 1894-03-25
AMATEUR OPERA TROUPES
"reminiscences Which Recall
Good Opera.
Some of Those Who Took Active
Part 20 Years Ago.
A Favorable and Impartial Criticism of
tho Opera Patience ne Pre-
sentsd by Local
Talent.

The existence OF amateur opera
troupes is about as old as that OF the
state. can remember that the first
time ever heard that delicious little
champagne cocktail, the Doctor of AL
cantsrs, it WAS given in San Francisco
in 1862 by q company OF amateurs with
Hall McAllister's wife as the prims
donna and William Schranbstadter "a
music teacher who afterwards took to
the stage for a living-in the title role.
That was my first recollection OF anything
of the kind, although know there was
one OF the Crown Diamonds, given at
New Brighton. Staten Island, in which
Miss Clara Flandon, then q poor but
handsome girl, PLAYED Catarina, the
bandit queen, 30 we'll that she captivated
M. de la Forest. the French consnl at
New York and won a rich husband.
Mrs. McAllister was not much of an
actress s-amateurs seldom are, but her
handsome Creole face and lustroua ewes
had good deal TO do with accentuatiug
the sparkling music in which her rich
and melodious meZzo-Boprano voice
fairly revelled. She is grandmother
now and, | suppose, recalls her lyric
triumphs with passing sigh, while her
smoothly rounded cadenzas come back
to me like memories OF a woodland day
in early June.
Since then have heard many an am
ateur operatic performance, especially
i'll Portland, Oregon, where lived 81
years. Old Billy Kinross, a favorite
basso cantante in Caroline Richings'
day, was the maestro on these occa-
aions; and with the aid of such local
talent as the Webfoot metropolis could
afford, gave several clever productions
of the Chimes OF Normandy, Pinafore,
Pirates OF Penzance and the Mikado.
These operas were given without proies-
sionsl aid, the instrumental part Of the
performance being given by an associa
tion known as the Orchestral Union,
composed entirely Of amateurs.
Since those days have seen almost as
many amateur operatic performances as
those given by professionals; and
eense of candor compels me to say that
/ have never seen or heard as good an
amateur performance of Patience as tine
one given here in the last two nights by
''scratch pack" OF domestic talent.
The principals were all clever in their
tooROC0ANO AOAOpf OGPcNiniAJ uhAps July
Mr. Blake and Tom Rowan, jr. Nor
should we forget the sweet vacslization
of Miss Padgham, who led the great
sextet in the fret act with verve that
installed her at once as prime favorite.
Of Mrs Louise Manfred Pyke, it is
only necessary to say that she
sang we'll and acted in her usual
sprightly manner. She dresses every
part superbly and always has the gym
pathy of the audience won before she
begins to sing. Mr.. Pyke conducted the
orchestra, and, like the house of lords,
did IL very WE'LL" He is an Arditi,
q Strakosch nor even q Maretzek, but
when it come to handling a lot OF anna
teurs who have been taken out of church
choirs, with no previous knowledge of
stage business, it is doubtful if thera is
his equal in the state. He pays great
attention to ensemble, and his handling
OF the finale to the frat act was simply
perfect. They gave that sympathetic
old style sextet:
hear the soft note of an echoiug voice
From an Old love long since dead;
And it bids my sor owing heart rel Jic
For the last sad tear is she'd
with an expression that has never been
equaled by any professional troupe that
has visited here, and / have not forgot
ten Carleton's attention to these little
details, either. Mr.. Pyke has good
cause to be proud of his five weeks
work. I learn that he is to follow up
this unqualified success with presenta-
tions of the Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe
and the Merry War, out OF which trust
he will receive liberal compensation
for his we'll directed efforts. l should
really like to see our home bred opera
troupe two nights in every week.
The OLD 'UN.