The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-28

The Del Conte Italian Opera company closed
Its engagement at the Metropolitan last even
Ing with presentation of Lucia
1t was hardly satisfying performance of
Donizetti's melodous opera. Only once did
the audience respond with anything like en-
thus1asm, and that to the singing of
the great sextette. The company acquitted
itself creditably in this number. The re-
mainder Of the performance was not what
it should have been.
The role Of Lucia was intrusted to Signora
good stage presence and pretty features. Her
voice is pure soprano, Of a clear, ringing
quality In the top register, but its musical
quality Is impaired by pronounced vibrato,
which invariably renders the tones uncertain.
In certain portions Of the flute song Signora
Vicini was pleasing
The vibrato that detracted from the sig
nora's singing also marred the vocal efforts
OF Signor Collenz, in the role Of Edgardo
Collenz acted earnestly and sang with feel
ing, but the incessant vibrating quality was
unpleasantly noticeable.
Inc baritone, Signor Francescini who i'm
personated Enrico Genry Ashton) sustained
the dignity of the character and sang the
score with considerable dramatic power,
though he, too, was afflicted with the vibrato
trouble. Signor Girardi, who sang Bidebain.
was entirely free from it, however, and his
SOLO In the third act was much appreciated
Inc absence of Signor G. Agostini who was
down on the programme for the role of Ed
gardo, was a sore disappointment to those
OF the audience who heard this remarkable
artist in La Boheme"
The male chorus sang effectively and the
female chorus looked abomnable
In the afternoon the members of the Del
Conte Opera company gave a concert at the
Metropolitan. The programme consisted of
selections from 'Ernani,'' La Favorita ~
"Cavalleria Rusticana,' The Barber of Sc
vile, Faust" aida" and III Troyatore
McG1nty the Sport In the person of Joe
Flynn author-actor, came to the Grand last
evening and was received by the gallery with
an interest that amounted to enthusiasm
and by the lower part of the house with
more or less warmth. So much must be said
at the outset in justice to the play and the
players
MI. Flynn frankly admits on the pro-
gramne, that he is responsible for the text
and while a wrong confessed is half re-
dressed" the remaining half in the case Of
McGinty the Sport" is more than any one
man ought to have his conscience, but
MT. FLYNN, in his anxiety to do good to his
soul by honest, confession, does himself in
justice Mr.. Flynn did not write all of the
text. Some of it was the work Of the mound
builders, few1of the jokes have been ident-
1hed by antiquarians as belonging to the pc
Rod of the prehistoric era, and others range
from the time of the second crusade down to
Henry VIII. Il
Mr.. Flynn's fault lies in compiling these
time-honored witticisms, and adding to them
lew of his own that in some cases are
clever, and in most cases are not. One does
not expect much of the story of a farce COM
edy, but there is no reason why it should
not be clean, even If not clever. "McGinty
the Sport is neither the one nor the other
Besides, Mr.. Flynn labors under the deiu-
sion that it isFfunny to have a half dozen
artists falling about on the stage and that
1T Is excruciatingly amusing to knock people
down. He carries this to such an extent
that the poor drummer in the band who
strikes blow when any one falls was in
a state of complete exhaustion when the last
knockdown was scored
few of the speciaties rise above the
level, but most of the entertainment Is pure
ly athletic. The musical number by the Sis
tiers Clerisse was warmly received and de-
servedly so. Miss Gibbs, who has the merit
and pretty, and sang two ballads with a
voice that possesses much natural sympathy
Charles Boyle, as the tramp, was funny most
of the time, ard was able to do. a rather
clever turn
'McGinty the Sport will be at the Grand
the rest of the week.