The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-29
IN THE CITY PLAYHOUSES,
A FAVORABLE RECEPTION AC-
CORDED THE WARTIME
WEDDING"
THE PASSING SHOW" IMPROVES
SOME EXCELLENT WORK IN THE
PRESENTATION OF THE
STOWAWAY."

"a Wartime Wedding" which was pro-
duced for the first time on any stage at
the Columbia Theater last night belongs
to the new school of opera which Reginald
de Koven appears to have established in
his later works.
1t cannot be classed under any other
known head-not grand opera nor opera
comiQue nor operetta, but rather a con-
glomeration of all three. Sometimes
the score scars almost to the alti-
tudes of Wagner and at others it falls
lower than the mundane plane of the
lightest opera. The method in this pot
pourri style of composing is that each
character is fitted with music descriptive
of his role. The tragic hero and heroine
have music as dramatic as that of the
"Cavalleria Rusticana." The comic man is
furnished with topical sayings and num-
Der of intermediate styles, varying from
grand opera choruses to a Gilbert-like
waltz, are all to be found in ga Wartime
Wedding just as they are in De Koven's
latest works.
The scene &c. T. Darcy and Oscar Wells
opera is laid in Mexico, during the war OF '48
The first act passes outside convent and the
second in an orange grove, where the Ameri-
can troops are encamped. There is some
pretty music at the end of the convent scene,
SO far as to dance with guerrillas and peasants
and though the character Of the scene is Span
ish the composer has not been under obliga-
| tons to the score OF Carmen"
w. II. Macdonald as Ramon, a villainous
leader of guerrillas, introduces the first tragic
| element He avoWs his intention of marrying
| Mariqulta Mason, pupil al the convent, who
! is In love with Captain Harry Selden. At this
| point the music begins to get thoroughly
| Mascagniesque There is grand Gave Maria,
participated in by the entire strength of the
company, which has very probably been in
spired by, the prayer from "Cavalleria Rusti-
| cana" Many people will no doubt be of the
| opinion that bearing an immense crueifx
across across the stage was carrying the mummery a
| chapel, Bannon has q grand scene with Teresa,
young peasant girl, with whose affections he
has been dallying, and here the action is
almost repetition OF that between Santuzza
and Turridu, except that the barytone in
stead OF the :, tenor was the bored
LOVER tho and the eontFalto instead
woman. AS for the music in this portion of
| the scene 1t consists OF variations on the cor
| responding scene IN the "CaYalleria Rus
ticana," with the 'intermezzo' used as the
leading theme. The very familiarity of the
music, however, added to its attractiveness
with the portion of the audience which
generally applauds hardest, ana as the scene
was splend1dly acted and sung 1t was warmly
applauded. True to the Bostonian habit an
encore was given, which was about appro-
pirate as if Hamlet after reciting his soliloquy,
were to be prevailed upon to come forward,
bowling and smiling, accept bouquet and be-
| gin his reflections all over again.
| Toward the end of the first act which ended
with the triumph of the American soldierY,
there a very effective chorus, written in
heavy opera style. The convent girls also sang
a pretty waltz and refrain. The second act
opened with unaccompanied ehoruses for male
voices, sung by the United States soldiers
| Barnabee, who took the part of a Yankee
! dragon, also brought down the house by in
| Producing the song which he has sung for the
last thirty years, 'The Cork Leg"
The rest of the opera told the story of the
wedding OF the gallant captain to Mariquita
and the murder of the guerrilla by his SER
| want. The action OF the drama, however
was quite destroyed by the persistent giving OF
! encores upon the least encouragement. Works
of the ballad-Opera type will bear this sort
of thing, but modern works are destroyed by
| breaking the thread of the story. II must be
stated, however, that the work was well re-
ceived. The Bostonians were fully equal
| to the demands made by the heaviest as
| well as the lightest portions of ga War
| time Wedding" and both the music and the
plot are attractive, even if the former does
| show an admiration here and there for other
composers. Cowles splendid in the small
| role of Ramon's servant. Blake made a good
! Captain Selden and Alice Nelson was charm
| ing little ingenue. Vocally speaking, Miss
| Bertram has had parts that suit her better
| than MariQuita.