The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-08
LOttie Collins Draws a Large Crowd
at the California.
WILL o. THE WISP III MOROSCO'S.
Lalla ROOkh Still Draws at the TiyOli.
Marie Heath at the
AlCaEar.

operate performances ii could lie fur
nisned by the auditorium of the Baldwin
Theater last evening. 1t was packed TO
its utmost capacity, with a selvage of
ISLANDERS lining the walls-wall- flowers in
common parlance. The welcome extended
to Nine. Tavary and her people-especia lily
to the madame herself and the tenor,
Guile, was warm and positive, almost
10 the point of effusiVeness. The audience
represented every intelligent class in the
community; but the opera they listened to
was not in the English libretto, as one
would be led to suppose. 1t was poly
glot. All the principals, excepting
Mertens (Sparafucile,. the assassin sang in
Italian, while Mertens' English had a
most decided German brogue. Nine.
Tavary is leading prima donna dramat-
lea assoluta. and came to this country
few years ago under engagement to
Messrs. Abbey. Grau & Schoeffel,
after having acquired. a lyric repu-
tation IN Europe of which any
artist might well be justly proud.
Her voice, however, does not seem to have
stood the influence of passing years since
the time she fascinated that erratic King
of Bavaria. Ludwig, who had wheels in
his head. The middle and lower registers
of the prima donna's voice are somewhat
register some of her trillS and roulades
were executed with great brilliancy and
precision OF lnt0natlOn. This was notice
able in the scene with the duenna, Gllda,
and her father, in the second act. Her
best singing was done in this pa rite nlar
part of the opera.
Mr.. A. /, Guile, the little tenor, as he is
called, easily carried off the honors Of the
evening. His voice has lost none of It's
purity and sweetness, his manner none of
its vivacity. His opening song in the first
act. "'Mongst the beauties around" was
full OF The old expression and OF the same
tluency In delivery. and so with the other
mum ers that fell TO his lot. The hack
ueyed Donna mobile" (Woman is ever
fickle) was freshened and beautified under
bis treatment. His voice also came out
splendidly in the great quartet OF the last
act.
Miss Won Doenhoff Nladelena. sister
of Sparafucile) has a small part. but it is
long enough to show the admirable Con-
tralto quality OF her voice, and in her act
ing she was full of chic and vivacity.
Mr.. William Mertens did the difficult
part of the un fortunate buffOon with con-
siderable effect playing a role mat re-
qures him TO jest with his lips while his
heart is wrung with agony. His voice has
not improved since he was here last. His
recitative, of which he has good deal.
grows monotouous at times.
'RigOetto." the story of which is taken
from Victor Hugo's lie Roi s'Amuse,"
and which has furnished the material for
The Fools Revenge" as well, has not
very Agreeable libretto. 1t borders on the
CHASTITY in fact, yet the musical setting is
one of Verdi's best efforts. But it must
be we'll sung, which cand0r rompels us to
state It was not by some of the principals
last evening. AS for the chorus we have
rarely heard better one-prompt in its
attack, full in its volume and expressive
in lis phrasing The orchestra was we'll
handled and the leader deserves common
dation.
I'll Trovasors" will be sung tomorrow
night
Miss LOttie Collins made her bow to
comfortably filled auditorium at the Cali
fornia. ana the entertainment which she
introduced TO the notice of her admirers
was pleasant pastime indeed. Light.
piquant and laugh-provoking, this TrouDa-
dours' programme Is just the thing to
make one forget the cares Of the day, es-
pecialy when handled by herself and the
encourage of clever people who acknowl-
edge her as their leader. Ward and Curran
oueu the performance with a comedy
skit. and are followed by Miss Anna
Millmuth in song which the young lady
sang very we'll indeed. Then comes a
Equestrienne." which revives recolec-
lions of the late Rosina Vokes in THE
Circus Rider" Miss Collins asserts her
self as Dolly Mortdale. breezy English
wife with mo nonsense about her," The
scene is at her husbands chambers in the
Megatherium Mansions, Piccadilly, Lon
dom. Every mOmsnt consumed in
playing the piece scintillates with
! fun. A sort Of interlude succeeds
this. in which Marion. Hayes and Marion
! do a dan cling trio, with the aid of Ina
Winship, Lillian Bishop and Mary War
ren-girIs with laughing eyes and light
heels. Wood and Shepherd indulge in
scena, whats Your Pleasure?" and then
the Brothers Mesrs from the Nouyeau
! Cirque, Paris, do high wire act, the wire
| being only half an inch IN diameter. This
lonks difficult and dangerous as viewed
from the front, but evidently the acrObats
consider 1t a mere nothing. 1t was a
wonderful piece of work. nevertheless.
| The last piece on Miss Lottie's programme
| is farccal operetta queerly named the
| Devll-bird, which was set with remark
| ably beautiful scenery, and which turns
| OF the fact that Branda. the Devil-oird
| miss Lottie Collins), is winsome widow
VhO sings and dances her way into the
| affections of everybody, the audience III
! GUIDED. Miss Collins makes striking eff
! fects with her lower lin bs-what dan
| seuse might call tours de force; what
modern minstrelsy terms song and
i dance. There is some ensemble music in
| this operetta that is catching, ''The Tom
my Atkins Quartet" for example, and al
| together it WINS It's way with applause and
en- cores to the end.
The now play presented at the Grand
| Opera-house last night, "Will o. the
| Wisp," follows a simple plot, which is
we'll set forth. Mr. Selden is better
known as sOngwriter than as dram
atist. but his play last night possesses "a
| good deal of ability. AS Oiny Darrell tie
author-actor made a good impression and
| carried the house with him. Mr.. Swain
was 10 his element aud reveled in low
comedy Irish role, which is one of .be
| best things he has ever done.
| MIR. Holden was as usual portrayal of
| he acme of yillainy. and Mr.. Gleason
| played cockney guide with much ability
Mr.. Beninno made hit as the old Inn
keeper.
OF the ladies Miss Gleason was sweet
heroine. Helen Henry was a bright little
colleen, and sang couple of songs with a
great deal of taste. Julia Blanc was con-
scienllous in the rendition of her part, as
usual.
One of the chief features of the perform
ance was the stage settings, which were