The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-30
First Performance of the
Mandarin Zune.
Manager BOyden Entertained
Company at Crescent Park.
Weeks Bills at Lothr0p's Opera
House and Westminster Theater.

Manager George Boydsn and band
master ID. W. Reeves entertained guests
at Crescent Park last evening by the
premier OF the new comic opera entitled
ssMandarin Zune, which was produced
with gorgeous effect in the Floating
Palace Theater. The guests included
city and State officials. representative
professional and business men, music
lana and music lovers. and newspaper
men. They were all astonished at the
elaborateness of the floating theater,
which is equipped almost equal to the
best OF permanent theaters. The house IL
handsomely decorated and the surround
Iugs are especially agreeable to the eye.
1t was q pretty home for the birth of the
new three-act comic opera, the book OF
which was written by George Warren
Currier of Boston, and the music by ID.
W. Reeves. MIR. Currier is not so we'll
known, but considerable was anticipated
from the musical part OF the work, and
no one was disappointed In this respect.
Composer Reeves has given the music a
Distinct Chinese flavor and some OF the
effects are almost startling. lt suggests
the celestial hop and the innumerable
antics popularity supposed to animate the
Mongolian race. Ii will be understood by
this that the music Is lively, full OF color
and ell the while tuDeful and agreeable.
The composer has been especially success
full in the Instrumentation. Ii is Reeves
in his best style. This was accentuated
by the characteristic music proceeding
the third act, which was OF high order
of merit. Ii had the martial spirit OF
Reeves and its fetching power.
The nbretto is rather commonplace, and
ss the story has been told in The NEws
II is not necessary to repeat 1t. The scene
is laid in China and the scheme consists
OF the abduction and rescue OF an Ameri-
can girl A dashing lieutenant OF the
United states navy is the rescuer and the
tenor singer The stolen maiden, who Is
in the mandarin's harem, short time, Is
the soprano, and her distracted maid is
the contralto, while the bass 10 sung by the
chief conspirator, and the baritone by q
comic sailor OF the Dick Deadeye type.
The chorus is made up of singers who
have had experience in comic opera COM
panies, end they sing the stirring con-
! corted music with spirit and dash. This
part OF the work and tho fnales OF the
acts are particularly noticeable for their
merit. THE curtain always fails on inter-
esting tones and pictures.
The chief comic character besides the
Mandarin is the keeper OF the harem. He
10 an Irish deserter from the American
navy, and opportunity Is offered for the
introduction OF q stage Irishman who
sings Characteristic songs and infuses
considerable life into the action OF the
piece
The oper, has been handsomely
mounted. Attractive scenery ard fetching
costumes In harmonizing colors make the
STAGE under the glare Of calcium light
especially charming. In fact "The Man
DARN Zune,' when II is whipped into its
best shape and few specialties are intro
duced to keep the interest continually
sustained will be just the thing for mid
summer entertainment and will increase
the pleasure of a trip to Crescent Park
materially during the next eight or 10
weeks.
The opera is produced under the su-
pervision OF James Gilbert who so skill
fully managed the Brown University
students operas the past two seasons. He
10 q stage manager who appreciates all
the possibilities and his handicraft was
IN satisfactory evidence last evening.
The principal parts are IN capable
hands. All OF the leaders are more than
average good singers and actors and their
previous experience contri buted largely
10 the success of the trying opening
night. Miss.Balch was particularly sue
cessful as the lost maiden and she was
made happy by the presentation of two
mammoth bouquets OF flowers passed over
the footlights. MIR. Knights personal
ny fitted the hsndsome lieutenant and
general pleasure. Mr.. Hitchcock, Mr..
QuiIter end Mr. Felch were likewise
competent.
The full cast is as follows: The Manda-
rim Zune, cool schemer who Is never
phased Raymond Hitchcock; Fish, his
harem keeper, Richard Quilter; Chaaung,
captain OF the Mandarin Guards, George
Hall; Wat Yuen. special agent OF the
6hee Wry, Peter Mclaughlin; Iii Chang,
ofiicer OF the Emperor's body guard,
Frank Soule; The Emperor (Lord OF
ten thousand years), Edmund Kissam;
the four choice flowers OF Zune's WELL
stocked harem, Jaw Jaw, May Mitchell
Me Tu, Miss Rose Dodge; So Rad, Miss
Nellie Blanchard; Lu See, Miss Helen
RutIedge; Roland, Lieutenant u. 5. NJ,
on shore leave, r. NJ. Knights; Dick,
his servant. Stanley kelch; BOLSTER, an
old salt, Sinclair Nash; Bayley, an able
seaman, Lionel Hogarth; the consul, u.
=. Diplomatic Corps, at Pekin, Richard
III. Geiger; Lusette, companion TO AL
thea, Miss Emma Glenn; Althea, the
Consul's daughter, Miss Ethel Balch.
"The Mandarin Zune" will have its first
public performance this evening and will
continue to be the attraction at the