Evening star., 1896-04-07
ADJUSTMENTS.

Grand Opera House.-Grand opera at reg
ular theater prices is a decided novelty,
and people are usually skeptical when this
is announced Song birds who have been
educated abroad come high, and with the
principals must go a large chorus and or
chestra, and these cost money. Mr.. Hin
rchs, however, has shown the Washington
public before that he could give opera in
good form at reasonable prices. In his
present enterprise Mr.. Hinrichs has gone
beyond his former attempts, and has got
together a company admirable in every
way, supplemented by an orchestra which,
though not SO large as is usually heard
With grand opera, is composed Of excellent
musicians and is well balanced. The sea-
son opened last night at Aliens Grand
Opera House with Meyerbeer's "Hugue-
sized audience. who expressed it's satisfac-
ton in the most liberal applause. The
'Huguenots' is a work that is familiar to
opera Soers of several years ago. and it Is
the best exponent of the transition stage
between the old Italian style and the later
German school. 1t is rich in melody, and
yet it is continuous musical setting of
one of the most tragic historical Incidents
The orchestration Is the fruit of Meyer
beers best power, and that this part of the
work was satisfactorily performed by the
musicians who played under Conductor
Hinrichs' baton last night was evidenced
by the fact that their. efforts were fire.
quently applauded To properly interpret
Meyerbeers greatest opera requires a COM
pany of far more than ordinary abilities,
and the principals whom Mr.. Hinrichs pre-
sented last night were nearly all fully up
to all the requirements of the score.
Miss Minnie Tracey. an American girl, the
daughter Of Gen. Tracey, the superintendent
Of charities of the District, was heard here
for the first time as Valentine, and at once
established herself as an artist of superior
merit Her voice is dramatic soprano Of
full tone and rich in quality, flexible and Of
extensive range. She sings with great spirit,
and is an excellent actress. Her duet with
Marcel In the third act and her entire work
in the last act were such as to excite posi-
tive enthusiasm in the audience, and at the
close Of the opera she was again and again
called before the curtain. Miss Louise
Natalie made a graceful Marguerite de
Falois and sang effectively; Miss Kath-
crime Fleming made of Urbain the best in
her power, although the memory Of Scalchi
would draw comparison. Jules Gogny
made a splendid Raoul, with a tenor clear in
tone and virile in quality, and a manly
feeling. ard acts with earnestness. Louis
de Backer's fine baritone made prominent
the part Of Nevers, and he fully deserved
the applause he received. The Marcel Of
Eugene Lorrafn was an excellent attempt,
although the score was rather too low for
his voice, which Is hardly basso profundo
1t is rather a basso cantante Of great power,
and he uses it with artistic effect. The
showed the result of careful training.
Tonight Faust will be the attraction,
with Miss Tracey as Marguerite, Miss
Alice Judson, Washington girl, aszSiebel;
Michelena in the titls role, de Backer. VAL
entine, and Lerrain as Mephistopheles and
the opera house should be crowded.
Lafayette Square Opera House.-De Kov-
en- and Smiths tuneful opera Rob Roy" is
now paying it's second visit to this CITY
and was heard last night at the Lafayette
Square Opera House by q large ard enthu-
s:astic audience. This Is the most popular
of the efforts of those two collaborateurs
except Robin Hood" and 1t is crowdinE
that opera very hard. The scene Of the in
cidents affords opportunity for the most pic
turesque display of costume and scenery,
and this is Improved to the fullest extent
The piece Is splendidly mounted and pre-
sents to the eye series of beautiful stage
pictures. The music is in keeping with the