The Portland daily press., 1898-03-28
MUSIC AND DRAMA
rPAGLIACCI.

The Jaxon Opera company closed it's
Season at the jefferson with "Onvette'' at
Saturday matinee, and "Cavelleria
Rusticana" with Leoncayallos 'sI'Pag-
Iiaccip in the evening. There was very
large and musical audience in the even
ing. since "I'Pagliacoi'' was given for
the first time in Portland. Its great
reputation is well deserved. 1t is novel
in its presentation, that is novel to the
world of today, since the opera proper is
announced by a prelude, sung before the
curtain by one of the company in evening
dress, who, after giving the ideas of the
composer in regard to his work, makes a
signal and the curtain rises.
The scene of the story is laid in
Calabria, at the feast of the Virgin of
Mezzagosto. A troupe of strolling players
arrive in the village and Canio, the chief
clown, goes off with some of the COM
pany to refresh at the tavern. In the
meantime Tonic, hunchback, the
Pantaloon of the company, makes love to
Media, Canio's wife. Shs refuses his love
and he swears revenge. He spies on
Silvjo, a young farmer. He discloses
what he has seen to Canio, and the latter
nearly surprises the guilty pair. Canio,
in rage demands the name of the lover.
Media refuses to give it and Canio Selling
knife, is prev ented from stabbing her
by Peppo, the harlequin, just in time.
The act closes with the falling of Canio
on the steps of the rustic theatre with
CRY of despair for he is compelled to get
ready to act comedy with death in his
soul. The curtain rises on the second act
with tins villagers all seated on the green
waiting for the performance in the rustic
theatre to begin. The plot OF the play 10
be performed is really a burlesque OF
what has taken place in the first act.
Canio gets excited and loses his head. he
demands the name of Medals lover and
she laughs at him. The audience doesn't
grasp the truth and is much amused.
Then Canio snatehes a knife from the
table and stabs Media to the heart. Silvio
rushes to her rescue and he is in turn
killed by Canio. and Tonic stepping for
ward says to the rustic audience" The
play is finished"
1t will then be seen that the opera il
sufficiently Mvid 10 satisfy che most blase.
AS Media, Mile. Diard not only sang
her music well, she acted with much dis
elimination. When discovered with
Silvio by her husband she was as cool
and iInpassiye as the most hardened sim
ner, and her scornful treatment of Canio
in the play was admirably done. As
Canio, MIR. Clarke sang and acted with
much fervor, and his fainting scene at
the close of the first act brought a call of
the curtain, and recall OF the artist.
Mr.. Golf as Silvio, was acceptable, and
he sang the prelude to the opera SO well
that it met with an encore Mr.. Deshon
as the Tovio and Mr.. HaIly as Peppo.
added to the general effect of the opera
There are several striking numbers
notably the "Ding-Dong" chorus in the
first act, the duet between Mile. Diard
and Mr.. Golf, and the music allotted to
the principals in the mimic play. We do
not think that the work of the singers or
orchestra as a whole was quite up to
what it was in some of the other operas,
but the performance, for all that, was
makes so little pretension. With a great
orchestra and chorus, and principals of
the highest repute, "I'Pagliacci, or the
"Mountebank," must be the sort of opera
to thrill one through and through.
SECRET SERVICE.
Secret Service" William Gillette's
lat st play, will be on view for the first
Il ne in this city at The Jefferson. ssApril
/ and 2, with matinee on Saturday. 1t
will be presented by company which
has received almost unstinted praise for
the uniform excellence of the interpreta-
ton which they have given the play. So
much has been printed about the wonder
full achievements of this play in New
York, Boston and London that local thea
tire goers cannot but be familiar with the
career of the play. The Civil war has
been an lnexhaustible fund of complex
action, picturesque adventure and certain
appeal to alert patriotism. OF the numer-
GUS plays which have sprung from this
source, "Secret Service is the last, and,
according to critics who have seen it, the
It remarkable. In this play it is only
the ooho of warfare which reaches the ear.
y..er war plays have succeeded in
awakening enthusiasm by the presenta-
rion of scenes on the battlefield 'tSecret
Service on the other hand, suggests the