The Winslow mail., 1898-05-14

IF music be the food of love. play or,
Giye me excess of it, that, surfe.ting,
TIE appetiue may sicken, and SO die.
;" Twelfth Night
"The man that hath no music in himself.
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet
sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils."
, - - = - g Merchant of Venice.
Thus spake the sage Of Stratford.
And he knew men.
He who possesses not that spark of
the divine which finds in mqeic and
the drama kindred life, can no=Wise
grasp that One, Great mind which made
all nature vast stage, while from her
thousand hills a countless orchestra
pours forth rich peans.
1t would have required little exercise
of the imagination by any Of the ap-
preciative audience that gathered in
La Prade's Opera House last Tuesday
evening, and heard the truly remarka-
BILE efforts of our local talent, to think
themselves in metropolitan theatre,
listening to professional production.
The stage settings were artistic in the
extreme; the Individual make-ups akin
to nature; the dialogue brimming with
spontaneity and life. From beginning
TO end one saw the work Of profession
ais.
DR.. Dryden, Mr.. Burhage, DIR. Welch
and Mr.. Fraser left undone nothing
that their respective parts could de-
mand. All that art and ability could
evolve they did. And that subtle "fn-.
ishing to1ch," which, possibly, was alb
sent the first night, had been applied
with dextrous care and the result was
perfection.
The three other. gentlemen of the
cast, Mr.. George Wolff, Mr.. Hesser and
Mr.. Ben Downs also showed the results
of continued study, They sang in bet
ter form, their stage presence was more
assured, while their. joint work in the
captivating "Tea Song" showed greater
attention to technique and effect.
Mrs. Fred French, who selected the
opera and superintended rehearsals
met with her customary cordial recep-
tion and sang with her exquisite polish
the difficult solos which fell to her part.
Mrs. Hesser again won many plaudits,
by her faultless work, while Mrs Mel.
son, Mrs. Meers, Miss Henderson and
Miss Norris, by their charming natur-
alness and lovely costumes lent grace
and beauty to their several parts.
We jewellers in the wilderness" who
once were privileged to roam with Dam
rosch, Seide and Paderewski through
the halls of harmony find little food
for classic appetites out here. And
when one hears again the strains OF
some old master it comes like cooling
springs to the parched tongue Mrs.
Dryden and Miss Norris are each pian-
lists of power and delicacy. Their exc
cution combines f1rmnesa and elastlci-
ty, strength of tone aud aVenness of
production. In that the writer was two
years musical editor Of 9 New York
daily, he feels competent to judge good
music. And, be it said with all reser-
vation and conservatism, he found in
the "entre acte" duett, as well as the
overture, ''feast of the soul"
The closing scene of the last act was
one that long will linger in the minds
of all. Mrs. Nelson, arrayed as Cuba,
heavily manacled and bearing the Gu
ban flag made her entrance preceded
by the Stars and Stripes. A yolley OF
applause that made the rafters ring,
greeted her appearance. And as the
chorus swelled the stirring anthem
!sThere's Room for One More STAR" a
wave of patriotism swept the house
that was irresistible. "Three Cheers
for the Red, White and Blue" and "Ihe
Star Spangled Banner" only served TO
swell the tide of loyalty and the cur
tain descended on an enthusiastic ana
fully appreciative audience.
Flaws among amateurs are not un-
common, and faultless performance,
is exceptionally rage; yet the Work OF
the cast entire was such as any city or
any opera might yell be proud and we
congratulate them.