The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-09
TWO OPERAS THIS WEEK
sTHE sERENADE" BY THE BOSTON
IANs AT ENGLIsH's MONDAY.
'.lrhe GeIsha,- with Celebrated Geisha
Girls, of Japanese Fame, Next
Thursday-Music Notes.

The Bostonians make their annual visit to
Indianapolis this week in new opera that
is credited with being a famous success
1.-THE Serenade'' is the only opera they will
give during the brief engagement at En-
glish's. on Monday and Tuesday nights. 1t
was tried during long run at the Knicker-
booker Theater, in New York, last spring,
and was pronounced the best light opera
the Bostonians had produced since De Koven
and Smith fitted them with Robin Hood"
This season 1.-THE Serenade'' has verified the
first estimate and been accepted in other
leading cities as one OF the few operas in
the repertory of the Bostonians worth their
attention. 1t is one of the five operas which
Victor Herbert has had running at the same
time this season. The lbretto is the work
of Harry b. Smith, who furnished the book
for robin HOOD" and all the other DE
Koven operas for that matter. He also
wrote the librettos for Herbert's Wizard
of the Nile" and THE IDOLS Eye both of
which have been produced by Frank Daniels
with great success. 1.-THE Serenade' Is said
to have prominent roles for all the we'll
known members of the celebrated Bostoni-
ans. The part for that powerful and dra-
matte basso, Eugene Cowles has been es-
pecially praised. but perhaps no more than
the prima donna role for Alice Nielsen and
the picturesque part for the present queen
OF American contraltos, Jessie Bartlett Da-
Wis. The veteran Barnabee, the great fun
maker of the Bostonians, assisted by George
rockingham, star operatic comedian him
self. as well as that great baritone support
of this famous organization, william Fl.
Macdonald, are also supplied with impor-
tant business in the opera. The company
is carrying an extra supply of good tenors
this season, and is fortified with a chorus
which is claimed to be better, even, than the
usual great reputation OF the company, still
under the musical direction of IS. l.. Stud
ley. The engagement Is for two nights only.
Other members of the company are William
Philip, the new tenor; Josephine Bartlett,
Harry Brown, Grafton Baker, Nellie Guisti,
Helena Fredericks, Jennie Hawley, Charles
r. Hawley and w. H. Fitzgerald, helping
to complete a cast that cannot be duplicated
in the United States.
That novel musical comedy, 1.-THE
Geisha, about which so much has been
heard since it was first brought out in this
country by Augustin DAILY and with which
every society girl is familiar account of
the pretty airs 1t contains, will be seen at
English's for one matinee and night only
rext Thursday THE Gesha is a Japan
csc musical novelty produced by George Ed
wards with wonderful success at Days
in London and it has repeated it's success
at Days in New York When Mr.. Daily
sent the company on a tour of the country
he prepared another and continued It's run
in New York. It's tuneful airs have Lecome
popular instantly on its production in any
city. While it is called comedy, it is really
an opera and is staged with all the ex-
Jravagance of modern popular comic
operas. The costumes are said to be es-
pecially attractive and the musical score
fresh, crisp and fanciful with it's jingles of
original and unique music. The scenes are
laid in Japan and the tea houses of the
Japs and the palace gardens of the Imari
are said to be fetchingly beautiful. The
opera gets Its name from the famous Geisha
girls who are the great attractive feature
o the Japanese tea houses, and whose
charming offices rendered TO guests of the
tea houses have been much written about
In all books of travel in Japan. The mis-
sion of the Geisha girls is to dress Sc
ductively and sing dtvinely for the guests.
A charming love story has been worked
into the plot A party of English adventur-
ers have numerous comical and interesting
experiences with the Geisha girls. The
name OF one Of these, O Mimosa San. has
become as familiar wherever the opera is
given as was the name of Yum-Yum of
MikadO fame. O Mimosa San is in love
with a Japanese officer. but the Marquis
1mari, the japanese commander of the
province, takes a fancy to the beautiful
Geisha girl and uses his power to seize her
with the intention of having her all his
own. The Engishmen come to the girls
rescue in daring manner. They outwit
the marquis, and Moilie Seamore, one OF
the English girls in the party of travellers,
DISCUSSES herself as a Geisha and fascinates
the Japanese marquis. Her singing and
dancing is the feature of the performance
and ii brings a proposal from the japanese
commander. MimoSa San is grateful for
her release from the designing marquis and
etc IT, E1It,s ~~rr Tz11 no
The present company producing the opera
is described as excellent and the perform
ance for the single night at English's
promises a rare treat for all classes of
theater-goers. The tour is under the drec-
ton of Mark Smith, the wel-xnown singing
comedian who takes the leading Japanese
role Laura Willard with a mezzo soprano
voice of much richness, is the principal
Geisha girl while Mollie Seamore Is inn
personated by Miss Linda De Costa. There
are fifty people in the company, chorus and
all
That genial comedian. Henry Clay Bar
nabee, of the Bostonians. has not inaptly
been described as the Joe Jefferson of the
comic opera stage. Mr. Barnabee's quiet
methods, his keen sense of humor, his abil-
ity to produce an honest laugh without any
horse play are Illustrations of the COMPARE
son. Few names have been more familiar
to the amusement public during the present
generation than that of Mr.. Barnabee who
as singer, impersonator and operate artist,
has maintained position and pursued a
career which have reelected credit on the
American stage. He was born in 1888 at
Portsmouth n. II. At an early age he
evinced considerable talent and was an i'm
portant figure at every social function At
this time he was engaged in mercantile pur-
suits and although achieving great popu-
larity as an entertainer. he had not seri-
ously adopted his profession. In sos he
made his formal debut as an entertainer,
and for over thirty years has constantly
been before the public. Upon the fcrma-
ton of the Boston Ideals Mr.. Barna'Jee be
came identified with this organization and
has since that time confined his Efforts to
the lyric stage. Few comedians have played
so many parts ranging from grave 10 gay,
and giving such evidence of versatility
His repertoire includes over fifty operas
and among the parts with which his name
is closely identified are Sir Joseph Porter
in "Pinafore," the Pasha in "FatinitZar
the Sheriff OF Nottingham in Robin Hood
and the Duke of Santa Cruz in ''The Sere-
made" A capital story teller Mr.. Barna-
bee is always in demand at social gather-
ings where he shines as brightly as on the
stage. Mr.. Barnabee is thirty-second de-
gree Mason and member of the Ancient
and Honorable Artillery Company of Bos-
ton. and many other prominent clubs and
societies
Laura AIllard, who is principal Gesha
girl in THE Geisha." has delightful
mezzo soprano voice, which she manages