The evening world., 1895-05-17
1.-THE rxl0ANH."

|
most Of the applause induced by THE
Tsigans" production at Abbey's Thea
tire last night. Mr.. Freeman. who 10 .
triple plated artist had contrived .
series OF group! nss made up Of Russian
merchants. Cossacks. Tslgani. hussars.
village children and masqueraders that
were surprisingly beautiful. while
Henry Il. Hoyt evolved an Ice palace.
which. at the close Of the act. melted
away. and disclosed a tabiesu-not vi
vant-representing the Russian army
marching to the front. This was most
impressive. II quite frenzied the audi
ence. Patti baI never been yelled for
more Enthusiastically than was Henry
E. Hoyt who bowed his applause with
Freeman. On Freeman's face was the
gentle air OF placid. triumphant salts
| faction comparable only to that which
pussy wears when she looks at the
empty bird-cage and seems to say: II
nave eaten the canary Hal Ha!'
| The next best" applause during "The
Tzlgane" performance was obtained by
the Messrs. De Angels and Herbert In
novel act" as Proctor would say. 1t
wasn't novel act. but It was a good
one. copied from Hill and Hull at Kos
ter 4 Biars. Hill and Hull have had
many imitators In their quaint "Oh.
Susannah" speciality. You know It, Of
course Ono OF the two pretends to be
inanimate, and the other pounds him
about. and has high old time. De An
CELLS and Herbert did a good turn"
and during the Summer II will be worth
at least $50 per week to them on the
roof gardens. It was not particularly
out OF place In 'The Tzigane." 1t
caused laughter. and smiles were very.
very badly needed until the comedians
thawed the leaden apathy that was CO.
agulatins around the auditorium. OF
course. their act was buffoonery Of the
most pronounced description. but-any
port In a storm. De Angels and Her.
bert went we'll with the audience.
And now we come TO De koven and
Smith. who. lerltmstely speaking. are
the founders OF "The Tzigane." The new
opera Is unlike anything that they have
ever evolved. 1t resembles their Fen
cling Master more than anything else.
but nobody who saw THE Tz'gaEe"
would ever suppose for one moment that
its authors were also responsible for
Robin Hood and ROB Roy" De
Koven's music Is tuneful chow l loathe
that expression). but II has no new idea
to set forth. As n rule. De Koven recalls
memories OF better things SO artistlcally
that you don't care rap about the other
things. In "The Tzigane" he has not
done this. The memories are all there,
but they are inartistically present. for
they have not been neatly turned and
daintily finished. There is scarcely a
whistlcsome air In the opera. Yes. l
know It's very vulgar Ia whistle. but the
street urchin's recognition Is the sweetest
that can fall to any comic opera COM
poser. The Tzigane song in the third act,
sung by Miss F!nlayson, Is perhaps the
most popular" thing In the opera 1t
suggests Erdelyi Naczi and his Hungs-
rian orchestra at tho Eden Musec. New
York has had plenty OF Czardas lately.
but De Koven's supplement is most
agreeable.
Harry B. Smiths book 10 the worst
no has given us. 1t is deadly-heavy
as uncooked lead and the story Is .
hopeless labyrinth. I carefully studied
tho synopsis" beore went to Abbep' 9.
but even with that aid. l was abso-
lutely unable to grasp the story. Vera
loved Kazimir. and was ordered to
marry Nassill; Vassili was secretly
married to Maryska; Bogustav was in
love with Maryska, and from these
amorettes, conventional comic opera
complications were set forth unintelli-
giby. Some OF Mr Smiths lyrics, how
ever. are dainty. And q song by Lillian
Russell Is really charming. 1t fell fiat.
but that doesn't matter. 1t Ia charming.
ore of the stan2as is as ollows:
A nightingale one. ~eo.a a meons..m
And sent It's sweetest song abov.
TIL all the garden round wac ringing
With echoes Of iu joyous singing.
} cong whose theme vas love.
A cloud passed by, the moon was hdisa
10 faint % faint and far.
Inc s"ns v" n"Shs' a"n''s' une'ddeA
linen 'os' 'sA'" 10 WOO A'
Smith has also done something pretty
IN Neras sle'sh'ng song. ana IN Nea'
politan song, nut even MS lyrics snow
him at disadvantage
Lillian Russell In the hrst act was 9
gorgeous spectacle. worthy OF the scene
painter. In fact. more radian'ly love-
~ ngure can scarcely he 'magined. She
sang very well. but was not AS familiar