New-York tribune., 1896-10-20
AN IRISH ROMANTIC OPERA.

There are things about the new opera brougH
| forward at the Broadway Theatre last night We
! calculated to make the heart OF simple lover
| good unaffected tunes and amable old dramat1
device chanticeer. How like a breath OF fres
air il was to sit out entire evening with never
suggestion of Suppe-Strauss- Millocker polk1
march or waltz! Ingenious. much of Mr.. JuhaI
Edwards's music fs fngenuuuss . s~svrv zis< u
vites "A smile. both IN its superabundance Ok M
simple folk-song form and its leap into the dona
OF Donnizetti and Meyerbeer soon as the sha1
| rock green leaves the book and the people OF p
| fdious Albion, personfied in the Princess Efrd
comes to the fore. but it is all so honestly mad
without a sign Of false pretence 1t Is so frank
confession Mr. Edwards has simply put his hea
! into il. and because he felt naIvely when
wrote. he wins the sympathy OF his hearers The
| could be 10 question OF the genuine success OF
| piece at the end of the second act. Mr.. Edwar
| who composed the music. Mr.. STANCE. who wro
| the book Mr.. Whitney. who Is the manager OF Y
| company. and Mr. John r. Nash who put the ope
| On the stage were all called before the footligh
| and the applause which greeted them was as 4
, cited and unsophisticated were the feelings WI
| made Mr.. STANCES effort to return thanks TOT
| &c mpanions an utter failure.
| New comic operas or operettas. are plentiful
harvested at the outset Of every season: many
| them have disclosed much cleverness and insenu
In their efforts to reach the taste OF the people
| late years. Scarcely has gone so quickly a
directly to the heart OF the people as Brian BOT
| which was put together with almost childish
| ndence in the virtue of simple. old-fashioned me-
| ods and materials. Underneath IL all Is the eh
| tional plea which underlies every story OF
| pies struggle for liberty. In the plan there Is
! gular mixture OF historical elements national
! perstition and national humor. The factors w
on each Others heels and tumble over each o'he'
| their inoongruous confusion, but the amao'i'y
| the artistic proclamation warns the heart OF
J listener and disarms criticism. The broad cur'
| of the play is concerned with the poNticai 81
| which tells how Brian Boru, on the eve OF MS CO
nation at Ardreagh fell under the seductive III
ence Of a wicked English princess. and was rese'
by the fidelity Of his gentle Irish sweetheart AN
| broth Of boy of the familiar stage type. Al
| climax the rescue of Brian Is accomplished 0,
means with which Huon OF Bordeaux aees
/ plished all his romantic feats-only. instead
| blowing Oberons horn. Pat O'Hara. the new hu
| plays fairy fiddle. The expectation ina.
| fiddle will be played pursues the follower oi
| comedy all evening. but so tellingly Is the no"
| developed that when Pat thrummed the strings
| hear whether or not they had gained voice.
cordIng to fairy promise. last night. and then or
! into st Patricks Day" every heart in the tneA
seemed eager to join the English In Their eh'o'
dance Simple fooling. this. but sweet ana heA.'
! The music Of Mr.. Edwards Is largely H'"
| character. but his quotations or Nauoh'' '".N a.
not numerous-a suggestion OF the MihS"e'
| to introduce Brian's Irish sweetheart aisss
! among the English soldiery: THE Harp lha' "
| Thro' Tara's Halls, az the basis OF a eo..N
piece at the moment that the Princess Eni.N.
pears to have accomplished her wicked aess
| and "St. Patrick's Day." which IL the 'une v
Irish Pied Piper Tor nddler). are all the oo',o'
! tunes recognized up to the end Of the seco"a
! But Irish elements are cleverly Introduces "'.
songs Of the Irish characters. and the seco".
discloses some effective strivlngs after s"s
characterization. The preponderance OF ir'sn
and cadences works monotonously IN the 'o"s
and perhaps the piece might be shor'ensu
profit; but all Of Mr. Whtney,s people e;rs@roI 81
John s. slayin. sreak their lines so oaay oISu ' q
musical elision Is going TO involve extenSHn"A
dialogue II would better not be- attempsiiIv NJ
for entertainments Of this character. anu h sonos
the concerted numbers last night mao nars t and Ire
ness Of quality than We are likely to nsas 0p
asssemv Of ., M Music
for their singing, chieiest Of al, MI Mi's svoScsiy
the % REPRESENTATIVE OF the Princess Eltrids, ~,
Grace Golden who Is the Irish sweetmss'c s1, = cert
very sympathetic manner ana @ voice; % snr being
effective as 1t might be. But when all d'I a. its
all ought u be mentioned and 50 mere - w.
/ full: .~rrps
Brian Boru. Ireiand's Champion ss..nm,.si 1 q
O; donovan, his Foster Brother. r,cs H
O'Connor his Standard Bearer sirscS o.
Grns Rs, UcSnnpIs ,p,,s ssisf sn,eft:n ~ =
Johnny Dusan. O'Haras Rival. ;.s ;I sumns!1
baby Malone, the Child Of Giant Ame,u ussss Bre1
Mona OReillys Betrothed. ;'''.'''' I1ulse W
Fairy Queen the Spirit OF Ireland '''''' anSIe O.
chaF6.I u
1 Pat o. IIara. Brisn's Henchnlan. ss,c"' -
! ENGLISH CHARACTEhS' .,ann -
A Elfrida Princess