The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-10-25
"HIS ENCELLENCY.n
Gilbert's New Opera Now Running at the
Broadway TheRter

broadway TheRter,
New Haven theater-goers may be in
terested to hear something about the
latest effort of w, S, Gilbert, the libret-
fist Of "Plnafore" Patience" Mi
kado," and the other we'll known comic
operas which We're the joint productions
of Gilbert and Sullivan, The wonderful
success of these pieces was due as much
to the clever book in each case as to
the tuneful music, Year after year
these operettas appeared, some better
than others, to be sure, but all of them
bright, both in words and music and
it was not until the great rupture oc-
CURED that the perfection of the coll
alteration was realized. Since then Gill
bert has written two or three books for
other composers and Sullivan has COM
posed to other mems rhymes, but
neither has scored a single success to
be compared to the old works, Two
productions of this sort are now run
ming at New York theaters. At Abb
bey's Francis Wilson has made sue
cess of THE Chieftain," Sullivan's mu-
sic to libretto by Burnand, the edi-
tor Of Punch" and at the Broadway
His EXcelenCy," Gilbert's book to DR..
Osmond Cars tunes Neither could
succeed without some special induce
ments in the shape of handsome scenery
and fine companies. Francis Wilson
has spent considerable money on THE
Chieftain," and that with his absurd
n Nd OH i,,r J,,l, ha
made things go merrily and prosper
ously at Abbey's. AS for His Excel
lency," everything is due to the splendid
company that George Edwardes has
sent over here. The chorus work is
something wonderful to our American
eyes, and without any disparagement
of our own stage beauties, it may be
said that Ellaline Terriss is certainly
| the most beautiful and bewitching crea-
ture on the metropolitan boards and the
other women of the cast are exception
ally pretty and clever,
| AS for the book it is not as bright
as "Pinafore" nor as clever a satire
| as Patience" but it is very absurd and
| the lyrics are perhaps more meodtous
without the music than with them The
story turns on the governor of Elsi-
nore's inordinate passion for practical
| jokes. He makes the army go through
| ballet dances instead of regular drill
| ing, he gives appointments and promo
| tons which are worthless and does
| thousand things which are not at all
| amusing to anyone except himself.
The prince, who has been absent for
some time returns disguised as
| strolling player. He discovers the pc
culiar humors of his governor and turns
the table to everyone's amusement eX-
cept the governors and marries the
beautiful ballad singer, Christina, whom
| he had won when he was still dis
guised, and raises her, like King Cop
hetua and the beggar maid to be his
queen. The book is full of bright lines
sparkling lyrics and must bring despair
| to the hearts Of the clumsy jugglers Of
words and epthets who write librettos
| for American composers.
| 1t would seem that such cleverness
must have inspired anyone to better
| things than DR.. Carr has achieved
| The lyrics are too heavy too sluggish
| in movement and the rest smackS too
much of the music hall. However there
were several pretty tunes and We must
| not grumble because we are serving
worse things than DR.. Cars right
| along, which illustrated with a little
| hOrse-play make instant success and
| then the ubiquitous piano-organ makes
us learn them by heart whether we will,
or no. There is nothing in His Excel
lency" that will reach the barrel-organ
unless it is the interpolated song about
| "Jim-Jam, That the Girl | Am" which
| is not by Carr and which Miss Terriss
introduces for no very good reason
Some of the critics have said that DR..
| Cars melodies sound like music hall
ditties. This is not exactly to be Won
dered at since he Is the composer of
that celebrated ode Marguerite of
Monte Carlon'
AS for the company, every part is
we'll done and the chorus work. par
ticuarly the male portion of it, is won
derfully good. The ballet dance drill
by the men is executed with the utmost
| precision, and the leader, as the pre-
miere danseuse, must be allowed to
share the honors with Mabel Love.
Nancy Mcintosh, who has made a
| great name for herself in England and
who is a sister of Burr Mcintosh, sings
| and takes the part Of the ballad singer
to perfection, She does the scene with
| the regents statue so well that she
| is probably capable of much better
| things than her part In this piece Of
fers. Ellaline Terriss we have already
| spoken of ,as quite the loveliest creature
we have seen in an age and Mabel
Love is a clever and charming dancer.
| The production as a whole is one of the
most satisfactory things that the sea-
son has produced. We wish that the
| original company might be seen in our