The record-union., 1896-12-23
ADJUSTMENTS.

Inc Gfau Comic Opera Company
greatly improves upon acquaintance 1t
is unQuestionably a deserving and most
entertaining group Of good singers and
very capable actors The opera last
night was the very light, very merry,
very pretty, tuneful Paul JONES'" 1t
was sung before an audience that
should have been four times as large
Last night the orchestra was augment
ed, and With decided advantage. These
two pieces, however, will not play to-
hght. -Four others should replace
the1n The four musicians Mr.. Grau
Drougnt with him are competent and
skilled, and Mr.. Rantenberg is an eX-
perlenced and S<illful director 1t is to
be hoped that either, or both, of the
| arrangements will augment the orches-
ira for the remainder of the season
and thus add to the attractiveness and
success of company of decided merit
and good balance, and that has a most
appetizing repertoire that ought to be
given with large volume of orchestral
support, including reed string and
brass. Another comedian of the COM
pany made his first appearance here
last evening, Gilbert Clayton. He is
in comic opera, both as a vocalist and
actor. His passages with Mr.. Felch,
himself a comedian of more than clev-
erness, were of the most humorous
character, both in lyric and dramatic
GuSlneSS-indeed, these two with Miss
Lodge and Mr.. Lett form a quartet of
tun- makers with musical trimmings,
that is not often equalled. Miss Lodge
had no minor part, as on the first
I light, and proved her singing and act
ilg capacity to be of excellent char
acter. She has strong, well-man-
aged voice, very sweet also, and ex-
pressive, and she is a capital foil to
the low comedians Mr. Lift doubled,
and with such success, and might
well awaken envy among rivals,
both parts being on low comedy
lines and calling for skillful
character acting and disguise. Car
RE Ward and Mollie Moeler, two
comely and graceful young women of
the chorus, appeared in a Spanish
dance that won a well-deserved recall
In its notice of the first appearance of
the troupe the Record d-Union'' by mad
vertence credited Miss Carle with men
ton intended for Miss Johnson, and
vice versa. Both ladies had congAnial
roles last night Miss Carle was the
CHEF figure in the opera, she assuming
q. male part, the title role. She ap-
peared to greatly better advantage, the
part of Paul Jones giving her fine, rich
cCntralto of exceeding breadth of regis
ter excellent opportunity in some very
tuneful passages, notably in duets with
Miss Johnson, the leading soprano, who
also had far better work in this second
opera, and won a warm place in the
estimation of the audience. Miss De
Costa also had a singing role minor, it
is true but prominent enough to prove
her to be a very servlCeable member of
the company. There was less import
ance given Mr.. Dunbar, the tenor, in
last nights opera. The piece was ex-
Cellently, indeed richly, costumed, and
proved 2. spirited and enjoyable three
act work. If the company had appeared
in it the first night we are convinced
that it would much have improved it's
last nights house. The troupe is an
excellent organization of comely people,
well trained in chorus work, and with
sufficient good leading singers, and
with a very much larger number of
capable actors than any Operatic troupe
brought here in years. To- night there
will be a double bill, the full opera of
Fra Diavolo' and the grand finale of
Lucia" thus introducing all the mem
bers of the company and in excellent
singing parts.
At the Clunie Opera house this even
ing the threeact farcical comedy,
'.Confusion,'' with the following strong
cast Christopher Blizzard, w. L.
Gleason; Mortimer Mumpleford, Chas
F. Gibney; Doctor Bartholomew Jones.
AL. H. Hallett; Rupert Sunberry, Maui
rice Stewart; James, Henry Stock
bridge: Muzzle, r. Lee Harris; Lucre-
tia Trickleby, Helen harrington Rose