The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-12
De Angels in "The Jolly Musketeer."

De Angels I'm s'The Jolly Musketeer."
Another Of the big comic opera successes
Of the season will come to Engilshs next
Friday night for three performances, in
Guiding a Saturday matinee, when Jefferson
De Angels arrives with THE Jolly Mus
keteer" While The Three Musketeers'' is
being revived with great success in the
drama both in this country and Europe,
De Angels has the only opera that treats Of
the entertaining subject which was so clev-
erly handled here recently by Z. H. Soth-
ern. Since this season opened there have
been four big comic operas sent out from
New York that have attracted attention the
country over. These were The Fortune
Teller" with the Alice Nelson company,
which has been seen here and was so well
liked that it has been booked for a return
engagement; De Wolf Hopper's The
Charlatan," Francis Wilson'S THE Little
Corporal and THE Jolly Musketeer."
De Angels is very nearly a show in himself,
but when surrounded by a host of singers
and comedians the promise is for an unusu-
ally charming entertainment. The opera is
by Stanislaus STANCE and Julian Edwards,
authors of The Wedding Day" in which
the Russell Fox-De Angels combination APP
peared here last season. From the Hover
song, which opens the opera, to the repeu-
ton of the stirring chorus I'VE are the
splendid finale which brings down the last
curtain, a series of musical surprises are in
store for those who will hear THE Jolly
MuSketeerS.'
1t is replete with delightful music, grave
and gay, lively and melodic, which is par
ticularly rich and sonorous in concerted
harmony. There are three comic songs for
the mirthful star which are clever in orig
inal and unique Instrumentation while
topical duet for Mr.. De Angels and Harry
Marlborough his clever assistant fun
wins from twelve
encores. There are two songs each for the
Marquis. Yvette and Verve-duos, trios and
gavotte, with melodic quartet for the
four leading female voices-three sopranos
and one cOntralto-and one big ensemble
which serves as the finale of the first act,
are fine pieces of musical composition. Be
sides these, THE Wishing Well" "Oh,
Happy Days" woman, Source of all Our
Bliss, Wicked, Wicked Men" Just to
Pass the Time Away and THAT Sweet
Oblivion, Drink" are all understandable,
even to the uncultured, and to such an ex-
tent that the audience invariably wend their
way hOmeward from the theater whistling
and humming the catchy melodies OF Mr..
Edwards's score. The gods in the gallery
insist on helping Mr. De Angels out on the
Woman, Woman song everywhere 1t is
sung.
The company supporting De Angels con-
tains many who are prominent in the ranks
of comic opera among which are Harry
Marlborough that immensely funny come
role; Mr.. Van Rensselaer, Wheeler, who will
play the romantic role, and who was one of
the big hits of 1.-The Highwayman" in New
York last season; Winfred Blake. the basso
of the company, a big, fine-looking chap,
with a basso profundo voice. trained by the
eminent teacher of Jean de Reszke; Mr..
Norman and Mr.. Smiley. tenor and bass.
respectively, both well-known English opera
singers. The prima donna is Bertha Waltz
niger, formerly of the Bostonians and the
De Wolf Hopper company. Next is Maud
HOllinS, that winSOme SOubrette, famous for
beauty and charm, and long to be remem-.
bered by all who saw her in Jack and
the Beanstalk." Then comes Helena Fred
ericks that young singer with the BOs
tonians in THE Serenade" after Alice Neil
son left that company. and Edith Hendee,
a pretty girl who dances with much grace
and rhythm as we'll as being able to sing.