The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-04-03
Az Unqualified SUCCESS.
Lisht Opera Rendered by Home Talent for
the Benefit Of the Chil6rens' Aid
Society.

elaborate or requiring so much genuine
ability as the operetta rendered 10y them
last Thursday aud Friday nights, in the
Opera Housc, for the benefit Of the local
branch OF the Childrens' Aid Society of
( Pennsylvania. The performance was an
unqualified success in every particular
ana reflects great credit upon all who
were concerned ia it, chief of whom WAS
William II. Ruppel, Esq, who trained
All OF the performers and thereby demon
strated thst be has a knowledge Of music
aud stage technique rarely found in a
resident of a town the size of this.
For several years past it has been Gus
tonary to give aa annual entertainment
+ Tor the worthy charity mentioned, and
when the time approached this season
Mr.. Rugpei generously consented to lend
ms assistance and suggested that the de
! lightiul little opereita "rhe Merry
Milkulaids,' be produced. This sug-
! gestion WAS promptly adopted and in
/ brief time all of the characters represent
ed in the operetia were selected from
among the young ladies' and gentlemen
of the town and rehersals were soon un-
der way The labor Of preparing for a
[ production of this character cannot be
overestimated- probably less than a score
Of the persons selected for the cast hav-
ing ever before taken 4 lesson in vocal
mnsic-but the flattering success aehiey-
ed Thursday and Friday nights, should
go far towards compensating the musical
director and the performers for the labor
expended. The instrumental music.
which, by the way, was exceptionally
fine, was supplied 10y an orchestra COM
posed of members of the Lutheran
Church Orchestra, assisted 10y few other
musicians and 10y Mrs. Frank :. Gun
ningham and her sister, Mrs. Edwin
Love.
''rhe Merry Milkmaids'' is clever lit
tie musical skit, bsilt upon a iiimsy foun-
dation. The hand Of one of the maids
Dorothy is sought afler by handsome
young rGstic-Farmer Jim-who is the
envy of all his companions, when
dashing city chap-a Commodore osten-
sibly in the Queens navy, but in reality
tramp-appears upon the sceneand sue
cceds in sapP!anting him. The village
Dr., in the gIise Of peddlor, drops 10
tho Commodore's foul scheme and Detrays
hi:n in the midst OF company Of maids
and farmers boys, and Dorothy and Far
mer Jim are reunited.
\ number of brilliant solos, prcsty
/ duos and treos aro introduced while the
chorus Is called upon 70 execute numer-
ous dificuit numbers. Several humc--
Gus character songs arc also introduced.
I The dialogue Is breezy and refreshing.
I introducing characters that have nothing
whatever 10 do with the plot of the drama,
but go 20 make an altogether entertain
/ inc performance.
The principal role-'The Quoen''-was
assigned 70 Mrs. May B;eseciSer, who
made ont Of il much more than could
have been expected Of an amateur. In
] deed Mrs. Bieseckor sung the difficult
music outrustod % her wi,a hrilliancy
that many professional wcula DC ,..oad
10 rival.
Miss Minnie Pile made a charming
Dorothy and sung al of her music as
( though the score hai been specially writ
ten for her voice. She also spoke her
( part OF the dialogue with dramatic feel
1 ing ths. surprised her most intimate
friends.
As Monica : the Gypsy fortune teller,
Miss Emma Walter made much more cat
Of tie character than perhaps even the
author of the opoTc;ia forsaw, revealing
! the wide co:apass and iiexibility of her
well cultivated and naturally sweet voice.
TIE solos entrusted To tho Misses Walk
or. Schrock. kreiss and Shafer, were all
! capitaliy rendered. Miss Walkers sing
ing Of ''MilchiEg Time proving one of
the chief features of the entertainment.
Mr.. Charles +. Uhl. IT., made all that
was possible, Out OF his dual character OF
Commodore" and "Begsar.' Mr. Uhl
is the p0ssossOr Of an unusually rich and
mellow baratono and with proper cnlti-
vation he might aspire to music Of
higher grade. Mr.. Ubrs acting was also
especially good.
Mr.. N. J. Pritts, rs the "Judge," acGuit-
ted himself most crodltably and MeSsrs
+. X. Sanner and Joe Brallier made
most admirable Jolly Farmers"
Farmer Jim was difficult assign
menl for the editor of Il Democratic jour
nal in these charitable times, but editor
Linton threw his whole soul, as he al
ways does, into the character he is repre-
senting, and made i the star performance
of both evenings. His solo-"Hope''-
was possibly the most notable of his
numbers.
Lawyer Charles w. Walker made
characteristic stalwart rural physician
and an ideal German peddler. lie sung
both OF his numbers in inimitable style
and ELECTED prolonged applause.
Mr.. Willis Pisel maintained his estab-
Iished reputation as vocalist of ability
and rendered his single solo with his usu-
al vigor.
The members OF the chorus who had
pieces to say said them in a most intel
ligcnt manner, while the chorus as
whole was the best ever heard in Somer-
set.
The demand for tickets was so great for
Thursday nights performance that it was
decided 10 repeat the opeIetta Friday
night. The Opera Iionse was crowded
on both occasions hg enthusiastic audi
ence.s
The gross proceeds Of the two perform
ances was over s213.G3 and the net profit
10 the Childrens' Aid Society will be in
the neighberhood Of Sl5l09.