The Portland daily press., 1896-03-17
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
Wilbur Opera Company.

Auo "lipur opera company opened
two weeks session at Portland theatre in
1.-The Two Vagabonds. alias Erminie"
alias Robert Macaire," last night, to a
very large and much delighted audience.
Mr.. Wilbur has been so long in the bust
ness OF light opera that he has got the
popular taste in the slang of the day
down fine" The opera with which he
opened last night did not afford an op-
po1tunity to display the vocal abilities
OF his principals to any extent, but it
served to, introduce them all. 1t also
served to show of a very large bevy Of
attractive young chorus women,a variety
OF rich costumes, and, what is more, two
worry good oharacterizations of the dash
ing thief Robert Maoaire and his servant
| and boon companion, Jaques Strop, in
the persons of Mr.. e. A. Clark and W.
! II. Kohule.
| Mr. Clark has fine face and figure,
and from the little wa heard of it rich
| baritone voice, while Kohule was most
nimble and refreshing rascal. Mr.. Con-
| ley, the familiar ten or, was seen in the
part of Leon, but had no chance to show
his voice except in concerted music. Mr..
Amsden as the Maruis, and Mr.. Drew as
the Count. both acted well. Miss Morti-
mer has capital stage presence and
apparently very sweet voice, and her
rendering ssof the lullaby in the second
| act with chorus, was the best number in
the opera and extremely we'll done. The
martial song and chorus, "Bugle and
Drum" was rendered In most spirited
manner by MI. Amsden and the compa-
ny. It was, however, the ohoruses, that
had the bulk of the work and they re-
sponded we'll They sang with life and
| precision that, while it lacked in shad-
ing, it didn't in volume, for they went
at everything as If sin the bri ght lexi-
| cans OF youth there was no such word as
| fail" But that's all right; one doesn't
| expect grand opera for 25 and 30 cents,
and these people are to be praised for
doing what they do, well. The marches,
especially the one that opened the third
act, was a capital thing and it deserved
the hearty encore it received.
The Giving Pictures" that closed the
evening, fully sustained the reputation
hey have elsewhere obtained.
The matinees will be given every day
at 25 cents. "The Vagabonds" will be
| given at the matinee today and "Marit-
ana" in the evening.
| The Tabers.
Mr.. James Huneker thus disposes of a
Romeo and Juliet that now excite con-
troversy: 81 saw Mr.. Taber, a tall,
stout legged gentleman. go through with
his lines in a most phlegmatic manner.
| His voice is not bad, but his features
| are not eloquent or symmetrical. Nc
man with chin like his can make love.
Julia Marlowe-Taber is a pleasing young
lady, who acts more subdued than she did
five or six years ago, but without illumi-
mating spirit, and without an atom of
genuine temperament. She was mo re
matter Of fact than her husband, and
her balcony scene was jerky in gesture
and smothered in diction. / waited for
the great Improvement spoken of, but
it came not. Mrs. Taber has brains, but
her acting is angular and her readings
commonplace. Not spark did she evoke.
not cord CT the magic music of the
play. She was colloquial, and I suppose
attempted to be modern and realistic.
But the Duse technique is not for all,
and it is a dangerous two-edged weapon
in the hands Of an amateur"
| Notes,
The Royal Handbell Ringers will give
the next entertainment in the Stock
bridge course, on March 18th, at City
Hall. Tickets should now be secured at
Stockbridge's.
March 26th Is the date selected for the
appearance of Nat Goodwin at City Hall
and the play, one in which he has
achieved much fame all over the country,
no other than "a Gilded Fool"
Next Thursday the sale of seats to the
concert to be given March Both at City
Hall by the Brown University Glet
Club, and Brown Banjo and Mandolin
Club, will begin at Greasy, Jones &
Aliens. This will be one Of the social
events of the season.