Evening star., 1895-05-28
IN SICAL CIRCLES
A Question as to Whether Summer Opera
Can Be Sustained.
Some Enjoyable Musicales During the
Week-A Church Music Tour
of Europe.

Does Washington want summer opera? Is
a question that has puzzled managers. and
which is yet not definitely solved. In
years bygone the John McCaull and Carle-
ton opera companies ran during the hot
weather and drew crowded houses. True.
the prices were extremely cheap and the
members of the companies were the same
whom II had cost a dollar and half to
hear during the winter season. Then the
capricious public rather forsook summer
opera and took to summer comedy. 1t was
claimed. and with a good deal of justice,
that the opera companies were not so good
as they had been; that cheaper people
were secured and that an organization
having only one or two first-class people
and the rest worse than chorus folks had
taken the place of one with all good
principals and large and efficient chorus.
Last years summer opera season resulted
disastrously and ended in a complete
fiasco.
1t was urged that a real good company
singing at cheap prices would always COM
mand good audiences in the spring or
early summer months. Last spring the ex-
pertinent was tried in its highest form by
the Hinrichs company, the principals Of
which were all artists who had gained
opera Kronold, Van Cauteren. Fleming,
Guile, Michelena, Del Puente and Viviani
were names that were well known, and
with a superb orchestra and an adequate
chorus, performances were given that
would challenge comparison with those
of the highest priced companies, so far
as general excellence of singing was con-
cerned This company was well patron
lied last year and there was general regret
that it could not remain longer.
1t
company equally as good as on the occa-
sion of his first visit but the patronage has
not been equal to that of last year.
In place of Guile he had Dante Del Papa,
who Is equally an artist, and Sig. Campa-
mari is superior to Del Puente, for his voice
has all the resonance and volume Of the
latter. with the advantage of being.young-
er and fresher, and he Is equally as good
an actor. To be sure, the weather has been
bad during a large portion of the en-
gagement, but there have been splendidly
sung performances where the house has
been remarkable for the number of empty
seats. The opera that has drawn best was
The Barber of Seville" both perform
ances of which were witnessed by large
audiences. La Gioconda" drew a splen-
did house on its first presentation. but its
repetition did not draw wen at all. Last
week, with the addition of Guile Tues
day nights performance of THE Hugue-
nots drew one of the biggest houses of
the season, as did THE Jewess" Friday
night. in which Guile also appeared. Sat
urday night every seat in the house was
sold on the occasion of the farewell ap-
pearance of the company. Stll the sea-
son was not as profitable as was an
ticipated, and the question of whether
Washington wants good opera at cheap
prices still remains unsettled.
Miss Eva Mills gave an enjoyable mu-
sicale with her pupils at OF 18th street
Wednesday evening. The program includ-
ed many Interesting selections, all of which
were well sung. A mandolin club and Miss
Ellen Fockey gave valuable assistance
Miss Mills will >be remembered as one of
the best sopranos that Washington has
ever produced, and her farae was not con-
fined to this city, for she was the original
Josephine in 'Pinafore' in this country
when that opera was presented at the
Standard Theater, New York, and after
singing the part for six months there she
toured the country at'the head of the best
company ever sent, out, except the Boston
Ideals. Miss Mills has devoted herself to