The herald., 1897-07-13

last night by the Columbia Opera COM
pany with the following cast of charac-
ters:
Don Bolero ................Jack Henderson
Aurora ........ ........ katherine MacNeill
Girohe, Giroia. twin sisters. Ethel Balch
Piqulta ........ ..............Agnes Millard
Marasqu1n ........ .........Harry Davies
Prince Mourzouk ...... ......Fred Huntley
Pedro. .....Charles Z. Huntington
Pirate Chief ...,. .......... Eugene Rogers
1t is compact cast, and it is needless
to say that the company was amply able
to do the composer justice. A little more
rehearsal might have made the dialogue
go with added smoothness in some
places, but the chorus was we'll UP to its
work and the men, led by Eugene Rog-
ers, specially distinguished themselves
for the dash and the harmonious energy
which they put into their numbers.
Perhaps the most satisfactory point in
the rendition of each and every opera
given by this talented company is the
rhythmical swing and perfect self-pos-
session with which the whole rendition
goes. 1t is expressed in the French word
"aplomb," and it is a capital thing for
company to have, individually and col
apprehension on the part of a sympa-
thetic spectator. The Columbias evi-
IDENTIFY understand their business, and
every one, from the prima donna to the
little chorus girl, and from the leading
man to the pirate chiefs apprentice is
on time, and all act and sing as if the
success Of the piece depended upon their
individual efforts.
With such people the light little
French comedy opera given last night
was easy work. Ethel Balch as the
twin sisters, was the only one on whom
the labor seemed to fall with unequal
weight, and this conscientious little
woman worked with as much earnest
ness as If she had nothing to do for the
rest of the week. The characterization
Of the twin sisters was done with just a
sufficient shade of difference to make it
Individual, and in the scene where the
wine song, "See. how it sparkles," oc-
ours, the actress managed to indicatethe
stages of alcoholic ''hypnotism" from a
society point of view with very amusing
frankness, The perfect abandon of the
scene was in Miss Balch's best vein.
Miss MacNeill was entirely too cap
shrewish wife of the unfortunate Don
Bolero. who was capitally done by Jack
Henderson. The two foreign suitors
made their mark very effectively; Hunt
ley especially had fine makeup as the
Moorish chief and played and sang the
part as if it were to his liking. A note
worthy element in his acting was that
he played the part as if it were real and
not as if he were conscious of the fact
that the Moor is intended to be a source
OF laughter If more players and singers
in such parts would do likewise they
would follow a good example. An audi
ence may be trusted to- find out the comic
points without the aid of diagrams and
many a burlesque part is spoiled by the
actor showing that he knows the author
intended his character to be funny.
Tonight the Gilbert and Sullivan per-
petration entitled ''The Pirates of Pen
zance." 1t should draw a large audience
ORIPHEUM. = Notwithstanding the
heat, this house was crowded to the root
last night, as usual, and new and OLD
turns alike were greeted with enthusi-
astic applause Most of the boxes an6
loges were filled with parties, and So
ciety was scattered very generally
through the house down stairs. In tbs
gallery everybody took his coat off early
in the fray, and prepared for good So
ciable time; and everybody in the bal
cony and orchestra seats wished they
could do the same.
OF the hold-overs, Conway and LIE.
land, the "merry monopedes," repeat
their clever turn of last week, and with
their balancing, tumbling, kicking an6
jumping, accomplished more than .
great many people can who have not me
with the misfortune which is here turned
10 such good account. The Russell broth
ers made up as Irish servant girls, agair
proved their popularity and kept the
house in genial good humor with theii
singing, dancing and mock heroics.
Little Miss Sabell, with her strong
clear musical voice, her handsome
French clothes and her archly confiden-
tial manner, owned the house from the
moment she appeared, and the glimpse
she gave of her dancing was tantalizine
in it's promise. AS it was, the audience
refused to be comforted with her two
enw English songs, and insisted on 1.-THE
I1OI lHle Ill OIQlOWH uHIll Lney RO1
it. Johnson and Dean also appeared ir
gorgeous raiment and repeated theii
success of last week.
The new people are all good of theii
kind, and the kind is good, too. Andy
and Flora Mckee, who opened the bill
are comedy sketch artists very funny
in makeup and business, and they
brought down the house at the start
Andy is made pafter the good old
Uncle Josh type, with brown jeans, Pan
anna hat and hayseed dripping from his
hair and galways; he makes good char
acter sketch of it,. Flora is buxom, but
she takes her weight as a joke, and
made up as tow-headed, smutty-faced
fat kid in a blue and white checkered
pinafore and lace frilled pantalettes
With a voice that would file steel, she
does some very humorous business.
Violet Carleton and John Garfield,
the other new team, take themselves
more seriously. That is although Vio-
let wears a short ffock that displays
a very shapely pair of black silk hose.
and short curly hair, and although John
is made up to look like nothing on earth
that ever was seen, yet they sing seri-
ously and well, and have little dialogue
that keeps up the general cheer.
Alex Heindl, the cellist, showed him
self to be a particularly expert artist.
His selections are made with distinct
difference to the audience he was to play