The San Francisco call., 1895-10-09
THEY SANG ROBIN HOOD,
Enthusiastic Reception Given
the BoStonianS at the
COlum bia.
The Favorite Company Has Re-
cruited Its Ranks With Excel
lent Singers.

It was in De Koven's melodious robin
Hood" that the Bostonians reappeared be-
fore a San Francisco audience last night,
after an absence of years. Since they
first brought the work here, over four
years ago, its melodies have been whistled
on every street, sung or chortled by every
vocalist, played more persistently than
''The Maiden's Prayer" on the piano, and
performed in the shape of ''potpourris''
by every self-respecting band and hand
organ.
But with robin Hood" familiarity has
evidently not bred contempt. The mani
festations of delight which its strains
aroused in the representative audience
that packed the Columbia Theater from
floor to roof last night showed that 1t is
regarded with that perennial admiration
and affection that extremely melodious
operas alone possess the power of inspir-
ing in the hearts of the musical multitude,
Naturally the Bostonians themselves
came in for large share of the enthusi-
asm; each favorite member of the COM
pany was greeted with rapturous applause,
and when Barnabee came on, as the Sheriff
OF Nottingham, there was a determined
demand for speech, to which, after some
hesitation, he responded by saying:
Ladies and gentlemen, l am so pleased
by this reception that have forgotten my
part" This gentle reminder that the
stage was walting was greeted with one
spasmodic outburst of applause, after
which the opera was permitted to proceed
on the even tenor of is way, with the ex-
ception of every fam iiar number being
resolutely encored, and as most of the
numbers in "Robin Hood are familiar, it
followed tina t the greater part of the music
was given twice, sometimes even three
times.
There is no gainsaying the fact that it
was treat to see ouch thoroughly con-
scientious, artistic work as the Bostonians
gave last night One so often hears first
class music performed in a second-rate
manner, that to hear company
capable of doing much higher
order OF work giving its best to
experience. Everything in robin Hood
was child's play to most of the singers, but
they did the work as conscientiously and
carefully as if the opera had required them
to keep all their artistic abilities at con-
cert pitch. 1t is this thoroughness that
has made the organization popular
Taken altogether q better performance
was given of robin Hood'' last night
than when the opera was introduced here.
For one thing the chorus has been re-
organized and now boast fresh young faces
as well as good ringing voices. Tom Karl,
a good artist, but past his prime. is no
longer with the company.
Harold Blake, the new tenor, was greeted
with "bravos" from all parts of the house
before he had sung a dozen bars last night.
His voice is not phenomenal, but it is ring.
ing, especially In the upper register, and is
a0fo n fvax. f~~r
presence Is excellent, and as he acts we'll
his Robin Hood left really nothing to be
desired.
Helen Bertram, who played Maid
Marian, has won laurels in grand opera
since she was last in San Francisco. She
ls valuable addition to the ranks of the
Bostonians, as she can act as we'll as sing.
Her role last night scarcely gave her an op-
portunity of showing her real vocal abili-
ties, but such as her music was she made
the most of it.
Jessie Bartlett Davis also has parts that
suit her better than Alian-a-Dale. Her
beautiful voice is heard to better advan-
tage in music more dramatic than that
popular lay, 20 Promise Me-" but the
audience was evidently quite satisfied with
Nine. Davis in the ballad style of music,
for they encored her again and again.
Eugene Cowles was another artist of
whom people could not hear enough. His
rich powerful voice has lost none of its
pristine beauty, and his score in robin
Hood" always did suit him to perfection.
Macdonald was another vocalist who was in
excellent. voice, and thoroughly deserved
all the ovations he received.
The rest of the cast was well held up by
Cora Barnabee, who acted and sang
prettily as Annabel, Josephine Bartlett,
George rockingham and c. E. Landie.
The orchestra, under the direction of S. l..
Studley, was good and the staging was
satisfactory, though it is difficult to say
why the market-place in Nottingham at
the end OF the twelfth century should have
been represented with the architecture
that is met with everywhere in Italy to-
day, but is as un-English as anything can
possibly be.
A handsome new drop curtain repre-
sentlng the Yosemite Valley was used for
the first time at the Columbia.
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