The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-27
tertainment will go toward sending a boat
crew to the regatta in Philadelphia this
wear
THE PASSING SHOW.

A great deal has been said, and much
more written in the last three weeks,
about the wonder of John Philip Sousa
having written both words and music
for his latest operate offering, The
Bride Elect" AS a matter of eompari-
son, a number of things have been
printed, all more or less original about
syndicates writing English musical COM
edies, and all that sort of nonsense. To
be frank the least creditable thing Sousa
has done in a long time was monopOliz-
ing the authorship of The Bride Elect
In doing this he showed an undeniable
amount of versatility, but it has been
said thai that very trait has ruined many
a genius, and it has certainly injured
the work of one. The general public
doesn't care a continental whether one
man wrote a play, or one hundred-its
interest is limited only by the worth of
the product. If both score and libretto
of an opera are praiseworthy. they form
an alliance that draws, but the fact
that one person was responsible for
both could hardly be taken as an ex-
cuse for either.
It has been a very long time since any
more brilliant or charming music than
that in The Bride Elect has been heard
here and the more often one sees the
| opera the more he appreciates this fact.
| In theme and treatment. in the unanim-
| ity OF orcheStratiOn and the smooth mel
| ody produced only by accurate knowledge
| of harmony, in all that goes to make
| the strains of an orchestra or the tone
| of d voice pleasing to the ear, the piece
| is charming. Christie MacDonald's
Snow Baby; NeIIa Bersen's card
| Song Melville Stewards solo in the
! first act, and Frank Pollock's in the
| second; three or four choral numbers:
| the two topical songs; an Italian cake
| walk, and the three marches in the
! opera. make 1t a treat not soon to be
! forgotten. Even the lyrics, though old
| in idea, were.not bad, The Goat and the
| PhonoGraph' being ripe in possibilities
| that. recognized or unrecognized by its
author, nevertheless suggested them
| selves to his audiences. But that done
| Sousa had reached the bounds of his tai
| ent and it became dangerous for him
| to 30 further.
When the musician commenced work
on the book of his opera he began with a
persistent hand TO shatter the idols he
| had created. 1t is never best to look for
| success far out of ones own path,
Charles Klein, a playwright of infinite
power and capability, became stupid and
tiresOme when he constructed Eel Capi-
opera
made even greater blunders in arranging
THE Bride Elect" The piece does not
contain an original idea or witticism
that has not a family tree and a lega
line of descendants. The story is con.
ventional, the handling rough and care,
less and the opportunities very limited
indeed. Not a single point in the entire
libretto deserves anything but severe
censure.
1t is not generally known that "Tht
! Bride Elect" was written when SOusa
was directing the Marine Band, in this
city, and long before Eel Captain" wa!
ever thought of. During his odd mo-
ments the March King" composed thu
charming airs that make the opera pos
slble and pleasing added the lyrics ant
finally the entire book. The work wa!
offered to De Wolf Hopper and declined
, with thanks. Francis Wilson is ais,
said to have had chance at he compost
| ton and to have respectfully refused it
Nixon and Zimmerman, now members o
the theatrical trust, read the offerinl
and returned it with the usual remarks
1t was then put away for an indetinit,
period.
. Meanwhile its author was making NOR,
and more of a reputation both at HON,
and abroad. His stirring marches ant
brilliant musical work won unanimou:
appreciation and another opera was pro
duced with remarkable success by tn,
} man who had refused his first effort
: The attention of the musical world cen
tered on the man who could write sucl
inimtable melodies and one day abou
a year ago. the very people who hat
last refused THE Bride Elect asked
for it. Sousa was quite willing to lie
them have it, AS the story goes he sen
word that he had made great improve
ments in it and that If Nixon and Zim
/ norman would come to his rooms, h
would play it for them. Dame Rumo
says that Mr. Nixon replied to the eff
feet that he did not care to listen to tn
: opera before buying it. that its wortl
had nothing to do with the matter am
: that Sousas name was all that wa
needed. For this, or some other reason
: tho sale was transferred to Messrs