The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-03-04

onS runs, has preceded IL here, and all
York and Boston, where ii enjoyed
providence seems intent upon giving
The organization a rousing welcome
This VIII be the first engagement. of The
Eride Elect in Providence and Messrs
klaw < Erlanger and b. ID. Stevens
promise identically TIE same cast and
magnificent production, complete in eV-
cry particular as that which marked
the famous run of the opera at the
knickerbocker theatre in New York.
They have a well earned reputation
Tor lavish stage mountings, and from
the echoes of other cities where THE
Bride Elect" has been, the assurance
comes that il is the most magnificent
production of comic opera ever seen in
this country. Sousa i'm himself is a
magnet few can resist; his music IL
alone worth hearing, but when il is
surrounded by great cast Of operate
artists and a mise-en- scene costing the
management more than $4,000 it Ia
readily understood why the crowds
flock to see The Bride Elect"
The cast is noted for it's general ex-
cellence. the prima donna role is SUNG
alternately between Miss Hilda Clark
and Miss Alice Campbs I'll. Miss Clark
Is well known in Providence, where
she is an established favorite She
has appeared here on two previous oc-
casions, with The Highwayman" and
The Bostonians." Miss Campbell win
be heard here for the first time. She
is young and pretty and has scored an
individual success in this opera AL
fred Hart i'm the leading role, is one
OF the most effective members of the
cast. His two topical songs. Don't
stop at That Hotel and the inimtable
Goat Song in the last act. in which
he sings about a goat having eaten up
the cylinders of a phonograph. never
flh oil tU u
Macdonald, soubrette. whose first big
hit with Francis Wilson brought her
into prominence, sings and acts most
charmingly the title role. which, il is
said. fits her as If IL was written espe-
cially for her dainty style. Miss Mac
Donald's solo I'm the second act, the
Snow Baby" song. is one OF the gems
of the opera, and is in point OF fact the
most classical composition Sousa has
yet produced. Mabella Baker. one OF
the best contraltos on the stage. and n
very handsome woman, has good op-
portunities i'm The Bride Elect" where
her stunning stage presence and rich
contralto voice add most effectively TO
the stirring finale of the second act
Melville Stewart, a strikingly hand
some baritone, who came 10 this coun-
try with the Abbey & Grau Grand
Opera company. singing at the Metro
politan Opera House in New York has
one OF the principal parts in The Bride
Elect He looks "a picture in the sew
eral different costumes worn i'm the
three acts of the opera, and his melo-
dious baritone voice is frequently en-
cored. George Lyding is the tenor. and
he is said 10 be one of the few who can
act as well AZ sing. Others i'm the cast
are Charles II. Drew. H. r.. Shafer
Harry LuCkstone. O. II. Johnson. Lola
Allen, Marie Franklin and Edith Mil
ward. The chorus numbers sixty voices
and includes young and pretty girls and
fine looking men. Thcv have quite
as much to do with the success OF the
performance as the principals and the
production itself. In the second act the
chorus is seen In one of the most effec-
tive features ever introduced I'm a COM
&c opera. The full depth and width of
the stage is required, banked on the
sides and In the rear with the elabor-
ate stage settings Of a ruined castle.
The entire chorus OF sixty people. to
the tune of Characteristic SJusa two |
step. dance what has been termed AN
Italian Cake Walk" There are innu- |
merable figures in this dance which |
never fail TO receive from ten 10 n !
dozen encores at each performance The |
orchestra Is augmented on this occa- |
sion. including an Italian harp. which |
is feature Of the orchestration and |