Evening star., 1896-01-28
ADJUSTMENTS.

auspices. n some respects: tim any
previous performance given by this excel
lent organization. In the first place the
vcrk had been under rehearsal for parts of
three seasons, and the members were fully
imbued with the spirit Of the choruses,
while their practice had given them COM
plete control of the technical difficulties OF
the score. The work of the society was in
every way commendable, and its excellence
was promptly recognized by the audience
in generous applause, the morning song Of
the young Philistine women in the third act
eliciting an enthusiastic encore Secondly.
the oratorio was given in Aliens Grand
Opera House, the stage of which was suff-
GENTLY large to allow of the proper ar
rangement of the chorus, and the audito-
rum ample for an audience that filled near
ly every seat on every floor This audience
was a notable one. 1t embraced the best
people in the city, as well as those who are
known as musicians and lovers of music.
There were clergymen of different denom-
nations who are rarely seen at public en-
tertainments, except those given by the
Choral Society, whose aim to present the
highest form of sacred music in the most
effective manner is thoroughly approved
ard encouraged by them. The soloists were
of high rank. and acquitted themselves
generally in excellent STYLE Nine. Has
tense dramatic feeling, and voice rich in
quality, of good range and cultivated to it's
fullest extent. She received an emphatic
recall after her duo with Samson in the
first act. Mr.. Carl Naeser, who had sung
the part of Samson in Providence, was
secured by telegraph as substitute for Mr..
Mckinley, who was ILL., Mr.. Naeser has
voice of much sweetness, but it Is hardly
Samson. DR.. b. Merrill Hopkinson accept
ably sung the baritone role, and Arthur
BeresfOrd, in the brief amount of work he
had to do, displayed the possession Of
ioh hoe rynto of ,rp6n
excellent control. Messrs. W. D. McFar-
land and w. ]. Caulfield, two local tenors,
sang couple of minor roles, but with good
effect. The orchestra consisted mainly of
the Peabody Symphony Orchestra of Baltt-
more, but there were special performers
from the Metropolitan Opera House, New
York. They interpreted the difficult and
elaborate orchestraton of this work ef-
fectively. Miss Anita ClusS was the harp
ist The whole performance was under the
direction of DR.. H. c. Sherman, the con-
ouctor of the Choral Society. ard to his
careful rehearsal Of the chorus and intelli-
gent control of the combined forces last
night the success of the oratorio was main
ly due.
The Lady slavey."-The presentation at
the Lafayette Square Opera House last
night of The Lady slavey" added another
success to the prosperous record of that
theater. The production was characteristic
of Messrs. Canary and Ledarer. There was
nothing lacking which might please the
eye, duO the costumes ana stage groupings
represented combination of experience
and good taste in such matters which few
OF the many managers in this field can COM
mand But prominent and satisfying are
the spectacular features, the piece, which
forms foundation for the display of color
and melody, Is NOT neglected. Notwith-
standing Its success in London, the desira-
bility of Americanizing the book has evil
IDENTIFY been recognized, for it lacks the pom
derousness which has distinguished even the
more successful of the British importa-
tions in musical comedy. Mr. George w
Lederer has been happy in his results in
the direction of sprightly dialogue, as well
as in dazzling stage effects. The work of
the company last night sh owed the in
huence of long and careful rehearsal, and
the smoothness with which the perform
ance went gave little or no suggestion Of
the fact that it was the first public presen-
alton. The story is not one which would
seem to lend itself happily to the purposes
of calcium lights and the jaunty apparel of
the burlesquer. The tale of the girl who, in
order that her father may keep up appear
ances, assumes the position of a menial in
ms household, has demure domesticity
about 1t which does not of itself seem to
offer much opportunity for Kaleidoscope
splendor. But fancy dress ball is the ex-
cCse for a lavish exploitation of the re-
sources OF the modiste of the ballet And
even in the first act, when the chorus ap-
peared as unassuming trades people, pic
turesqueness was not lacking One of the
novelties of the performance was the ap-
pearance of four girls on bicycles. Two of
them, Miss Della Stacey and Miss Jessie
Carlisle, are from this city
Iheir costumes were the first acceptable
attempt yet made to idealize the bloomer
costume sufficiently to make it acceptable
on the stage. There is much that is taking
IN Mr. kerker's music, and the audience
was especially pleased with the Baby"
song, which winsome Virginia Earle sang
gallery. The finale of the first act received
double curtain call. The company is one
which might be regarded almost insuring
success containing, as it does. well-known
players like Dan Daily, whose nonchalant
draWl Is delicious; w. H. Thompson, whose
skill as a character actor hardly found the
scope which it deserves, and Marie Dress
Ter, who is nothing if not emphatic. Chas.
Danby is good comedian, and in his pre-
sentation of the American parvenu gives
a decidedly clever caricature. Henry Nor
man has good baritone voice. He appears
as Vincent Evelyn. but the name does not
fit him. 1t can hardly be said that "The
Lady Slavey' will repeat in this country
the hit it made in London, for the work
which has been done in preparing it for this
country and the original music composed
for 1t by Mr.. kerker make it practically a
purely, American production. The only in
terpolation was the topical song ''And Then
ne woke Up in which Mr.. DAILY met with
marked appreciation, and which was writ
ten for him by Mr.. Philander Johnson One
OF the most welcome incidents of the pro-
duction was the graceful pas .seul of that
whose entrance from an immense pie was
both novel and effective. A successful
career for "The Lady Slavey" may be con-
fdently predicted
The National Theater.-"The Gay Paris
ians" is the name of the play at the Ma
tional Theater this week, and it was intro
duced last night with the pretty curtain
raiser, six Months Ago." which quite toned
up the audience for what was to follow.
THE Gay Parisians'' is three-act French
farce, and is especially remarkable in that,
with many possibilities of becoming even
F'rench!er than French, it does not lapse into
the risque, and the possibilities of danger
seem to add spirit to the fun. The fun is not
of the mental and profound sort, but of the
material sort, which results from situa-
ton. 1t is a story of three families, a
youth ard maiden, all of the most proper
kind, placing themselves in situations which
are funny because of the excellent charac-
ter of the persons involved. Chief in the
cast are Mr.. w. ]. Ferguson as Mr.. Ping
let. Mrs. e. ]. Phillips as Mrs. Pinglet, Mr.
Chas. Wells and Miss Odette Tyler as Mr..
and Mrs. Parllard, Mr.. W. R. Shirley and
Miss Josephine Hall as Maxine and Vic
tcrine, the maid, and Mr.. J. o. Barrows as
Mathien, the father of four daughters. The
rapidity of action and complexity of ludi-
crousness can only be successfully attained
by numbers, each equal to a star. This
makes 1.-THE Gay Parisians' gay indeed.