The evening world., 1895-09-10
"THE CHIEFTAIN."

"THE CHIEFTAIN."
After all there Is only one Sir Arthur
Sullivan. He may not bs tho sullivan
who delighted US In "The Mikado" and
THE Princess Ida" with his fever Of
melody. but he - stiil q composer. orig
inal and mastery. and he has the price,
less gift Of style. You can 90 out by
the wAysids and pick UP kerksrs and
Fursts and 0Iahls by the dozen. but
there 10 only one Sir Arthur Sullivan.
He has tho knack of unconventional
phrases; he can twist . commonplace
"air' into = dslicately humorous num-
ber and he can stir us into musical en-
thusiasn,. Hasn't he done 1t dosen
times? Sir Arthur IL to music what
hia former collaborateur. W. 3. GILBERT.
Is to humor. That is why their WORK
seemed to US, in their palmy days, to oe
the very perfection Of comic opera.
There could be no more felicitous COM
| bination than that Of Gilbert and sui
van. May their souls rush together
| again!
In "The Chieftain" Sir Arthur Sulii-
vans latest. produced by Francis VIII
son at Ahbey's Theatre last night. there
are half a dozen genuinely delightful
numbers. I'd like to confront Mr., spen-
| ser, the mommer's baby boy Of comic
opera, with them. ia like to see him
open his philadelphia eyes and say;
| "Oh, do tell! I'd like to know! What
| n this? Ia It music! Can II be music
without any 'Hush-a-by' in tt?" Music
1t is-resl music, Listen to the song
| Of vasQuss. Let US lead lMs Of pleas
| ure," oddly suggestive of Vesta Tillsy's
Tricky Little Mademoiselle:" to the
| ear tickling duet for Rita and VasQue.'
| "Noua nous mariexons;' and to the
| archly entertaining Dolly song begin
ming:
ITO sp.ip.". said my AsshAaA tn fa'es>s
! dear. to co.
I Said 1. "T 90 With you. that's nat"
(which doubles expenses" says hs. ~ yau
know"
| ! owned There Is something IN that"
Ira IL u!
Financially something IN that.
&C. Burnand's book Is not good one.
1t Is not particularly funny, and u Is
not particularly new. IT tells the story
Of Peter Adolphus Grigg, . "Brtttsh
tourist in search Of the picturesque,
who Is taken prisoner by the Ladfahss
and forced to I'LL the place OF their alb
sent chieftain, Ferdinand de Roxas.'
Peter has . wife Of his eWn. but he ~
brought face to face with Ines. the
spouse Of Ferdinand, who claims him
as her own. Mr. Burnand has steered
cleal of the puns for which he 10 noto-
rious. Only once 10 no guilty. "fou
would scarcely have recognized me.
said Grisg, III YOU had seen me after
that desperate equestrian performance
l was quite a Rider Haggard" Mr.
Wilson. who Is always datte"ipgly con-
fidential. remarked 10 the audience
after he had uttered that speech. y
don't like that line myself. but It wen
, well In dear old England"
! Please note that l have just alluded
to the twisted and spasmodic Francis
, as M" Wilson. In ''Ths Chlsftain'
he was marvellously dignified and legtu
mate. He tore himself away from al
vulgarity. and carefully eschewed tn
fond and elusive gag. ] don't for
moment suppose that he viii keep VI
this conduct. 1t was hrst-night goo
behavior and nothing more. But afte
having seen him MAIN and dishgur
!. 1.-The Gondaliers" two or three year
= ago, 1t was eminently pleasing to not
|, his discreet treatment Of ''Ths Chief
o tain"
Il Miss Lulu Glassr 10 . biithe and joll
y little body. and although she sang fs
: on several occasions her winsoms pei
\ sonality carried her through her din
n cultiss, which remarks apply exactly
70 Miss Christie Macdonald. Rhys Thoma
= did himself proud. His voice 10 admin
;. " able, and his stage presence psrfecti
y convincing. Wilson has Jewel In Rhy
!. Thomas. The role OF Ines suffered. an
!. Il is q very important role. Miss Lila
;. Carlsmith tried hard. but 1t was to
E, much for her. What could Wilson haN
been thinking about whom he Above
this part to fall to the groupd7 new
conner. Miss Alice Holhrook. made a
excellent impression.
The only thing I'm afraid OF for 18th
Chieftain" Is that the public taste fc
comic opera has become 30 pervertes
50 abnormal. that folks have forSotts
what comic opera really 10. II 10 po,
sible to acquire unwholesome tastes, {
At least to deaden all desires for whole
some ones. Lorg diets OF "Kismets
and "sphinxs" must have fatal effec
As I heard q man in the audience r,
mark, New York won't know what HI
struck Il. THERE'S comic opera
town" ALAN DALE.
AETERwARDs.