The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-12-01
A GREAT SUCCESS.
BELLS OF BONNEVILLE DRAW A
LARGE CROWD TO THE RHODE.
PRESENTED BY LOCAL TALENT
I5 Was the Best Thing of the Kind Ever
Given in Kenosha-Al1 the Perform
ers Do Well and Several Score
Decided Hits.

When it was reported that the ladies
of St. Matthew's church had decided
to present the Bells Of Bonneville al
their entertainment on Thanksgiving
evening every one thought that they
had undertaken something that was
| beyond the Ordinary amateur talent
but the performance at The opera house
| Thursday evening showed that they
had made a wise selection, for it was
the best amateur performance ever
j given in KenOsha. 1t is generally be-
lieved that newspapers always use su
perlative epithets in their criticism Of
local performances, and that every
! thing done by home talent is necessar-
! lily good, but it is not on this theory
that we commend the production of the
Bells Of Corneville. 1t was perform
ance that would have done credit to
many professional company.
The opera house was filled when M.
B. Compton gave the first tap for the
orchestra to prepare for the overture,
and from first to last there was no
hitch in the performance. The staging
of the play was pretty, and there was
a sense Of lite and action in every
scene. Details had received close at
tenti0n in the preparatory training and
every little point in side play was
brought out distinctly.
The chorus work was especially
good, the singers coming in promptly,
and there was a conspicuous absence
of drag" that so often destroys the
effect of good chorus singing. The
Ding Dong refrain by Miss Head and
the following chorus were probably the
prettiest and most effective scenes of
the entire performance.
To the work of the soloists nothing
but praise is due. The parts had been
we'll allotted and the principals sang
their parts eXcellently. SerpOlette,
the good for nothing of the village, was
we'll taken by Mrs. Tanner, and her
rendering of Just look at this, just
look at that" was charming. Her
acting and singing was easy and she
was an ideal sOubrette. Miss Head as
Germaine, the lost marchioness, sang
beautifully, and in her duets with John
Kupfer showed q wonderful skill in
tone and meditation, her voice blend
ing delightfully."- with his tenor. Mr..
Kupfer, as Henri, Marquis Of COrne-
Vile, was good, his courtly acting be-
ing we'll suited to the aristocratic Mar
quis. His singing was a pleasant sur
prise, for few were aware how we'll he
could sing. and his solos were charm
ing Mr.. Wheeler, as Jean Grenichean
sang his part we'll, and was funny in
side play. Gaspard, the miser, was
we'll rendered by Mr.. Ellsworth, who
has a fine bass voice and sings in ex-
celIent style. His song over the treas
ure in the ruined castle of Bonneville
brought out the richness of his voice
and his cleverness Of style.
The funny" man of the play was
G. FL. Sieg as the Bailli. His makeup
was droll and his dancing brought out
the most enthusiastic applause of the
evening.
1t is impossible, however, to do jus,
tice to all the commendable points of
the performance, and to all the little
things that go to make up an easy and
a charming production. The ladies Of
St. Matthew's church deserve great
deal of praise for the really excellent
performance of an opera by no means
easy. When they repeat the perform
ance next Saturday evening they
should have a large audience. Several
of those who were present have ex-
pressed themselves as pleased with the
opera and say that they will hear it
again. There is no truer compliment
to any performance than the wish to
hear its repetition.