The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-14
ABour ..rRIxCE ANANIAs..
Some OF the Songs i'm the Bostonians'
New Comic Opera.

New Comic Opera.
Nowadays scenery and costumes count for
almost much as music and words in the
success of a comic opera Bearing this in
mind, the Bostonians say they have spared
no pains in the preparation of the stage pic
lures for Prince Ananias." the new comic
opera by Victor Herbert and Francis Neil
son, which viii be the bill at the Grand to-
morrow night. The scenes of the opera,
which Is in two acts, are laid in France in
the sixteenth century. The curtain rises
first on autumnal landscape, with an inn
at one side and groups of villagers drinking
around the tables. 1t is gala occasion
Harvest is just over, and the, engagement
of Ninette, the village belle, to an old miser
has just been announced. In the midst of
the gossip Ninette enters in disconsolate
mood and sings as follows:
"A dutious wife I soon shall be-
For Tomorrow, at the altar,
The priest will give man to me,
With him to live, with him agree,
And promise make to be his slave
u4 ] almost , quake no power to save.
Now l think I'm going to falter.''
The villagers try to cheer her up with the
following chorus:
Now. she thinks she's going to falter,
Come, cheer up. do, Ninette, dear friend;
Now fortune doth a husband send;
we think you'll make happy pair
Come, don't upset the whole affair"
A reward for the head of George Lee
Grabbe, a noted outlaw, is posted in the
inn porch, and LeGrabbe himself appears,
disguised as palmist. He introduces him
self to the audience in a song. which runs
thus:
Under an oak, one fine June morn,
Unostentatiously was born
A babe destined for tickle fate :
To play with far from lightly.
Now thrived and grew this babe apace,
In stature high, with added grace
saH The forest broad for his estate.
A i'm oh
by law an outlaw termed.
The epthet I've earned,
For al! who stray
Through paths my way
Must pay the toll 1 claim
Who dares my power distain?"
He also confesses that he is in love with
Mirabel, the daughter of the Kings cham
berlafn. and he is going to run the risk of
going to court to see her. Louis Biron
vagabond poet appears and recognizes him.
Louis makes love to Ninette and promises
a nobleman. A strolling band of players.
LaF'ontaine, the manager Eugene, his
sistant, and Italia, the leading lady
rive on the scene and are enlisted as Louis's
retinue. Ninette, who has fallen in love
with Louis, goes Along and is made very
jealous by the attentions he pays to Idala.
duet sung by Louis and ldalia goes as
follows:
'Idalia-I am no queen. nofsway hold /,
No palace waits for me
The verrant fields, the sun, the sky
And love, If love needs be.
Louis-Say not, fair queen If love needs be-
For thee alone / live;
Ah answer if thine heart is free,
The prize of life to give
In the second act the company has
reached the court of King Boniface of Ma
varre, and Louis and LeGrabbe have any
number of adventures. Finally the actors
succeed in amusing the king much that
the whole party is received in high favor
songs of this action is dolefu lyric by the
king. the first stanza of which is fol-
lows:
"A regal sadness sits on me;
Also a sombre gloom,
I'm wrapped in deepest misery
Far blacker than the tomb
The reason why all this should be
l cannot solve alone;
My minds dark l cannot see
Now, Melancholy, you'll agree,
Has marked me for her own.
This melancholy is no sham,
Nor eccentricity;
Since birth I've been a leaking dam,
weeping mystery.
a The cast will be as follows :--Boniface,
King of Navarro, George rockingham; Kill
joy, chamberlain to the king, Peter Lang;
Louis Biron, a vagabond poet and adven-
turer. w. III. MacDonald; George LeGrabbe,
an outlaw, Eugene Cowles; LaFontaine,
manager of a troupe of strolling players, HI.
c. Barnabee or Jerome Sykes; Eugene his
assistant, Joseph Sheehan; Felicie, Countess
of the Pyrenees, Josephine Bartlett; Ninette,
village belle, Eloise Morgan OF Caroline
lady, Jesse Bartlett Davis Mr.. Herbert
himself will conduct the orchestra on the
opening night.
On Tuesday night and Wednesday matt
nee robin Hood will be given, and
Wednesday night THE Maid of Plymouth