The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-28
First Production at The Providence
Opera House.
A Large and kindly Disposed Audience
Was in Attendance.

..................G George III. Freese
Gitanas. as...............,..Fl .Florencs Slocum
...................Ho Howiand :. Pitman
First Masker. r.................. Ethel need
Second Siasker. ........ Walter G. Baker
First shade. ..... Robert q. q. Linke
Second shade Michael MEG GwinDe
Eoro ...................,h n. =. Oou
Hlngo.. .................... Ihos. Jones
Friends and flowers and sympathetic
audience greeted "Satrrnalia" which had
its premier In the Providence Opera
HCusa last evening. The first time OH
any professional stage is an interesting
thing. therefore the new comic opera
with libretto by Myron V. Freese, and
music by -Louis M. Monroe, local young
men Of talent. was OF sufficient Importance
to attract large audience. TO bs sure
the majo part of the house was per-
sonal friends and acquaintances of the au-
tbors and ladies ana gentlemen employed
in the cast. There was also n sizaDle part
of the audience interested In the work for
t0e works sake. The blase theatre goer
did not anticinate great deal from young
men unknown to fsme in tho operatic
Held and amateurs in the part Of play and
music making, ana did not reckon much
on the impression that company of
amateur and semi professional performers
would produce In new work not trimmed
and guided by old hands IN this rather
difficult business
10 estimate the posi- biIities slumbering
in this work by the performance of last
evening mj9ht possibly result in disad-
vantage TO the authors. 'Saturnslia" is
as sensible III plot ana purpose rs ''li92"
and that musical. or so called muiscal
work set New York and the rest OF the big
towns by the ears. But "li92n mad flip
lf nx.A k..u "a.
txings which are conspicuous by their
absence in "Saturnalia Perhaps .he
new work, II IL bad teen placed in -
hands of an p-to-the-times literary stage
carpenter would have reeked With yaude-
Vile specialties, and then there would be
no question Of Its success and probably
market could be found for it In the met
ropolis As il stands now il cannot be
ci8ssed with the successful comic operas
of any degree.
In the first Mace no author has the
right 10 inflict u performances more than
three hours long on any'audiencs possess
ing respectable homes. "Saturnalia' can
be pruned tn n great extent ana the parts
Topped of will never De missed From )
TO ii 30 O'Clock last evening was rather
weHrying on the patience. The demand
on time was not due to delays attending a
first performance. Indeed, the performance
was remarkably prompt in this respect.
tnors who were 10th to sacrifice any Of tho
work. IL will have 10 60. however. in
the end. That is If the young men antici-
pate 'Saturnalie" making stir in the
professional world.
The music was much better than the
libretto. The story maker took his
friends and others from carnival on
earth for it was in New Orleans, to the
rings of saturn. and after be had given
them somo experience in the clouds
dropped them TO Hades unseremoniously.
See what good opportunity there was to
introduce specialtIes by the occupants Of
Saturn. Then in IA ldes a stunning fire
dance could have been given and the sew.
eral characters could have raised the very
devil.
The authors slipped up, for they triod
to carry on the fortunes Of the victims of
earth n the hereafter under the rather
thin excuse of a dream. lt was altogether
too much for the Imagination TO see n
tipsy man leave the earth iDysteriously
and land In upper bliss. only to Se fired out
In a short time TO hold rather uishenrten-
ing conversation with his satanic mel
esty.
Then they woke up ard all difficulties
were settled amicably on earth again.
The estrsnged lovers were brought to-
aether happily and all differences between
the PARENTS were reconoiled in tho best Of
good nature. TIE opera had "a pleasant
ending, at any rate.
The prominent thing about the opera
Vas the excellent orcbestratiou. IL was
elaborate ana breathed the breath Of
music. Tie chorusts were jineIy and
rosSessed snap but, Of course it was not
demonstrated ut the hands OF the singers
last evening. Several of the songs. while
not strictly original. Were sweet and
tuueful and in two or three instances
they were charming. AS matter of
fact. the music throughout was preten-
tious and meritorious, and when the
large flCral horse shoe went down the
aisle to the young author sitting in the
conductor's chair ana dtTect1ug the large
orchestra, the audience mantle steG its
approval by u very warm recognition of
the appropriateness OF the gilt
There were many things about "Satur.
MALTA" deserving Of the commendation,
and had 10 received its first interprota-
ton from professionals perhaps the
premier Impression would nave been
different
Of the cast. it can be said that Mr.
Blair. the professional, worked hard and
it was app0rent. There was no spontape-
ity about his comedy and his singing
was almost equivalent TO "a shuddor He
cannot te classed as n good comic opera
artist at his lest.
DR. Davis sang like n professional
operatic artist. aud he was the only one
who seemed 90 have absorbed the trick of
singing from the stage effectively. His
acting, too, was surlris Dgly good. IL
might have toen much better however.
DIR. Clarke OF Boston. better known here
rs the basso Of the RugRles street quar-
iet, was amnteurisb. but II was an excel.
lent uerforamnce from that point of view.
lie SANG his solos finely, but ne seemed
to lack steam. Stage Singing Is much
different from church or platform vocal
ism, and all the good singers In this cast
suffered because Of lack q experience IN
tins way.
Mir. White ard Mr.. Kranz both Jos-
sessed the draTatic instinct and gave good
.mpersonatiohs Mi. White was q favorite
and NJ sang we'll too. Mrs. Pttmnn-Wes-
lsy looked charming ard sang swectly.
she was repUseful aud made mo- efOrt tn
act Incre is where ste showed her good
sense. Mis-. Bosworth, Mr.. Johnson aud
the other singers were entertt lining and
received kindly greeting from the audi
encH.
An opportunity will be Afforded to sees
the new work this evening and tomorrow
afternoon and evening