New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-06
MUSlC-THE DRAMA.
4 NEW OPERETTA.


When Mr. SoLsa, already we'll known rs a cor,.
poser of marches that exercised a sort OF marica,
influence on the legs and arms Of the big public
Ga Sousa march appeals quite much your
shoulders and elbows as II does to your knees and
ankles)-when this Mr.. Sousa entered the field ~
operetta writing there was no want OF critics who
said that musical comedy required something mora
than march tunes to be successful. Some OF the
critics were even bold enough to say that thu
language of the brass band could not well he
translated into the language OF the lyric s,ass
Others as was only natural 10 expect, though,
that Sousa WAS so stupendous musician that he
must succeed In all he attempted. and they saw
the path of glory grow wider as he extended hi,
activities. Last nights production OF The Char.
Iatan' at the Knickerbocker Theatre brought the
rival camps nearer together than they have ever
been.
Mr. Charles Klein. who wrote the book Of The
Charlatan." and Mr. Sousa. who composed the
music aided and abetted doubtless by Mr. De
Wolf Hopper. couragcously call their offspring
comic opera" Tears. pleadngs protestations and
definitions put forth solely In the interest OF correct
nomenclat ure for over a decade having thus been
set al defiance again. there is nothing to do but
beg the question as 10 what The Charlatan"
Is and combining one self TO few
observations concerning what IL looked and
sounded like. and what the audience thought Of
II as testified by the applause Of those In attend.
ance From a critical point Of view the evening
offered admirable opportunity TO hear that
voice Of God to which small minis like to appeal
when newspaper Judgment seems TO have gone
awry An exceedingly large contingent Of the
usual FIRST night audience was kept al home by
the heat and (was # IN consequence there was
notable lack Of those kindly -disposed gentlemen
who seem 10 know better than anybody else jug,
where the deserving things in play and music
were: 50 there was much less applause than one
is accustomed to hear at first operetta night
This added much 10 the enjoyment Of the judicious
Of course: but. since IL would not have done for
n new operetta 70 he brought forward without
calls for the principal comedian and the authors
this was decorously accomplished after the
ond act. and Mr.. Hopper and Mr.. Sousa talked
In the key Of the operetta Mr. Klein gave a
modest exhibition Of himself. and all was well.
As to the merit Of the piece itself
praise and disprase would be more than
likely to fall into the strain that has be-
come conventional since it became the fashion
to At out operetta comedians with roles
IN which they amuse the public regardless Of
what dramatic cOngruites exact or musical
siferations invite There Is tenor in the company
who sing very happily represented in this in
stance by Edmund Stanley, also a soprano-Miss
Mile Bergen-who proves herself worthy COM
panion Wherefore she marres the in spite u
many disturbing yic.ssitudes), likewise a sman
person who can, by standing a-tp-toe, look archly
into the eyes OF Mr.. Hopper (and Thereby illustrate
one Of his chief dependencies for a comic ehecO.
Mr.. Hopper himself. he was, Is and ever shall
be- comic operetta without end. the amusing Alfred
Klein who IL Mr. Hopper's conventional satellite.
many other clever people. a tunefu chorus. we'll
dressed company tMr. Hopper only performed a
solemn duty in mentioning the costumes In his
speech md 10, Of pretty music exceedingly well
set FOR the orchestra. Ostensbly the play is Rus
SIAN and Mr. Sousa. who gathered together 4
bookful OF National music when he was bandmas-
ter in Washington. might have given US bit OF
Russian color: but he didn't. He has introduced
the Russian national hymn. but that is about as
Russian as The Star SpanSed Banner IS Amer
team.