The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-10-22
THE HIGHFlYlIIN.
Opening Presentation of This New Opera
mt the Hyperion Last Evening.

mt the Hyperion Last Evening.
Last evening was a notable one for
the Hyperion theater as it brought be-
fore New Haven playgoers the new
opera, 1.-THE Highwayman," as well as
new opera company, which is likely
to win permanent place among the
best organizations of the kind in Amer
lea. In bringing together this COM
pany, which is to be identified with the
Broadway theater, New York. Mana
ger Mccormick has certainly aimed
high. The principal members are ex-
cellent singers; indeed, it may be said
that a better cast, vocally considered,
has rarely been heard in this city. In
the present days of so-called comic OPP
era, consisting mainly of topical songs
and horseplay, it is refreshing to hear
an opera company whose members
really can sing. Even the comedians
have good voices, and the chorus is one
of the largest and best ever heard in
New Haven. Mr.. Mccormick having in
view the presentation of romantic COM
ic opera went to Messrs. Reginald De
Koven and Harry b. Smith for his ini-
tial opera, these gentlemen having
written the most popular work of the
kind yet produced in this country. AS
"Robin Hood dealt with an outlaw
Of the thirteenth century, so "The
Highwayman' relates the adventures
of n Ivy, IND Tho ,roo6 old
days of George the Third. Judging by
the reception given 1.-THE HighWayman"
last evening, the opera is likely to rival
robin Hood" in popularity. For a first
performance of difficult piece the
rendition was a remarkably smooth
and perfect one The opera is in three
acts, and a commendable effort has been
made to depart from the conventional
ties of modern comic opera and to give
a series of pictures of English life in
the eighteenth century. There Is
genuine flavor of Charles Dickens
novels in the old tavern courtyard with
its motley crowd of village loungers.
The forest scene where the coach is
robbed, creates a genuine romantic at
mosphere, and the rustic wedding of
the last act is an admirable attempt at
local color.
The plot is an interesting one, an I'M
usually felicitous combination of COM
edy with romantic interest. Dick Fitz-
gerald, the title character. is an Irish
soldier of fortune, who has been ruined
by a gambler named Hawkhurst. Dick
takes to highway robbery. His par
NV or
stance Sinclair, who is IN love with him,
but the pardon has fallen into the
hands of Dicks enemy, Hawkhurst.
The later has determined to suppress
the pardon until Dick can be shot or
| hanged. HaWkhurst starts on a jour-
ney in the mail coach. Constance
knowing that that he has the pardon
in his possession, determines to hold
| up" the coach, and at pistols point get
| the pardon from HaWkhurst. In the
course of the complications Constance
is wounded, and the pardon comes into
| the possession of Dick, who encounters
( numerous dangers, having his own
| pardon in his pocket, without being
aware of what the document contains,
| Constance having exacted from him a
| promise that he will not look at the
| document There is a strong comedy
| interest caused by the fact that two
| others, of their own purposes, start out
| to impersonate the highwaynan (who
| goes by the name of Captain Scarlet).
| The result is that three different char
| acters in the scarlet cloak and mask
| of the highwayman are arrested, eacf,
| I1i ,tt,rr m no
| Captain Scarlet, while Dick Fitzgerald
| the real highwayman, is mistaken for
an Irish lord, whose clothes he has
| stolen, The rivalry of Constance and
militia captain, both of whom are
seeking for Scarlet and the thousand
| pounds reward offered for him, sup
| plies low comedy interest.
| Mr.. De Doven's music Is in his best
style. This composer excels in music
with the old English flavor and this
score of 1.-THE Highwayman" is UNI
doubtedly the best work he has done
| since Robin Hood" 1t is nearly, II
not quite as melodious, and it is more
original There are so many effective
| numbers that it is difficult to pick
out those deserving especial mention
| The most ingenious number Is the
| double quartette in the first act, ir
which the eight principal characters
| all sing different melodies which COM
| bine tremendously. Each one of the
| eight is engaged in a different tasl
and is singing about what he is doing
at the time 1t is an exceedingly orig.
inal idea.
The most popular song in the score
| will probably be the Irish love song ir
the second oct, while the showiest anC
| most brilliant is the moonlight song
which immediately proceeds it. A see
| song in the third act is full of dash
and the finales are stirring and effec
| tive.
The work of all the principal mem
bers of the Broadway Theater Opera
company is deserving of detailed criti
cism Mr.. Joseph O'Mara in the it'll
role presents the remarkable combina
ton of a fine tenor voice and grea
ability as a comedian. He plays tn
part with all the humor of a Bouci
cault Irishman. and his three dashin,
songs We're sung with splendid effect.
Miss Hi1da Clark, who was the Bos
tonians' prina donna last season, as
sumed the role of Lady Constance
She is a captivating picture in he
cavalier dress, her music was delight
spirit and animation. Mr.. Van Rensal