New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-27
THE FORTUNE TELLER. !"

Tho snnearanc. OF Miss Alice Nielsen as a star
at the head Of operetts company Illustrates,
among other things, the scarcity al the present
moment of sopranos capable OF occupying that
position Az such time promotion Is rapid. ana
4, is not perhaps. altogether Miss Nielsen's fault
~ she comes forth az rather unripe prima donna
She has not made her own arrival unduly ostenta-
tious. Her librettist and her composer have given
her rather a burdensome part, or pair OF parts,
but nobody VINO the performance Of The For
e-Teller" at Walacks Theatre last night would
have known If he were not told so. that she was
supposed TO be a star. The other women OF the
company were not allowed TO become TOO con-
spicuous but the comic men held high revel. and
the who sang bass was permitted to shine
es freely as anybody The applause, Of which
there was an unstnted amount was one-tenth for
particular persons In the cast and nine-tenths for
the music on the whole the applause was justly
distributed
The score which is by Victor Herbert. is the part
Of the work which gives 1t whatever distinction 1t
has and which will probably carry it 10 success
II is full OF spirit. vigor and tune and II has no"
and then a bit OF National color. that color being
according 10 the OF the operetta. Hungarian
II Is especially noticeable in the orchestral portion
where the distinct character Of the composition Is
helped out at one two places by the Introduction
OF the Hungarian cymbal an interesting instru-
men, which is not often heard outside the dis
tinctiveiy Hungarian orchestra. Mr.. Herbert has
devoted himself especially 10 the arrangement OF
effective fnales for his acts They are bit LOUD
perhaps but they are stirring and catchy. and. as
one OF the characters in the piece constantly says
they are .Iikely 10 become popular In time
The book by Harry Il. Smith might 80 easily be
much better than II is that II seems pity TO have
presented the work without the changes which
can be made ana II is TO be hoped Will be made
with the expenditure OF half an hours work this
morning There was king once who, having
grudse to settle commanded his servant 10 say to
him every morning: Master. remember the Athe-
MANS" Mr. Smith should instruct his servant 10
greet him always at breakfast with: MT smith. II
you please. sir the language OF the Bowery II not
spoken In India. IN Egypt, in Scotland or In nun
gary" IL is not likely that he would remember
It even then but It would be worth trying Inc
deathly silence OF the audience Uhe only sign OF
disapproval that the American audience Knows
whenever Mr. Smith blurts out his SHY ana vulgar
slang should have taught him its worthiessness
long ago but IL did not He still believes tha' hh
slang is hurnor and almost all humor Is slang. his
story In the present case. though starting VIII"
some promise is also s.ngularly incoheren'' eve"
for him That q woman should disguise herseh '"
escape from a dsa greeabe marriage and tnen come
back and reassume her own likeness for no o'her
than 10 get back into the same SITUATION sun
equally distasteful Is degree too diotic even to
operetta.
1t IL an advantage that there Is no real s.aI =.
this company II allows the company which -
IN general good one. 10 be seen ana heau 'S %
Herbert. as a composer in a grotesque likeness o.