The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-07
FRANCIS WILSON.
The Comedian Produces New Opera,
Draws Crowd. and Makes Speech.

Francis Wilson received a great num-
Der Of his friends at the Worcester The
atre last night, and entertained them
until nearly the morning hours with
Smith & Englaenders latest OPERA
The Little Corporal The lateness
of the hour was due to the enthusiasm
of the audience. who vigorously ap-
plauded everything in reach, and there
by got all that was coming to them in
the way of repetitions and speech
from the star as bonne bouche.
The men in this country who can
write good light music can be counted
on the fingers of one hand, but Mr.. En-
glaender will rank pretty near the
thumb. His score fits pleasantly by
the ear. though little of it will linger
in the memory like parts of his former
work. The grenadiers' song and the
Bonapartist lampoon are perhaps the
most popular numbers, and the finales
are excellent examples of ensemble
writing
MI Smith. who has written and is
writing librettos innumerable shows no
sign of falling off in his brain fecund-
lily. The book contains as ingenious
plot as cleverly rhymed lyrics and as
WHY hldipS uN DIS lIlOukH IL were MS
hrst libretto instead Of his "umpty-
umpth. The story has already been
given here at length, SO il only need
be said that for confused identities, ro-
mantle situations and fascinating dis
guises, it is all that the most exacting
comic opera patron could wish. The
lines are full of epigram and quaint
comparisons. That girl is so far above
me that 1t makes me dizzy to look at
her ankles, is a good specimen of Mr..
Smiths drollery.
To say that Mr.. Wilson was himself
as Petitpas, is the shortest way to de-
scribe his impersonation, and the au-
dlence's huge delight in his work. He
sang and danced and gibed with his
accustomed airiness and grace. and in
response to an imperative call, enliyen-
ed the wait after the second act by a
breezy Wilsonian speech, of which the
part that viii linger longest is the quo
latlon from Monti1o to CerVera. Yours
is not the only squadron on the beach -
Miss CHASER pervaded the opera al
most as thoroughly as did the star.
She scintillates as brightly as used the
peerless Lolita, and she interpolates
gags with the abandon of Nat Good
win III his palmiest days ,LoIis Casa
want was capital as a battle-scarred
Old war horse, with a suscept; BILE heart
and a gTuff manner.
The new tenor, Denis 0" sullivan. who
is really baritone, is a young man OF
robust physique, good-hunored coun-
tenance. His voice is all that could
ne desired up to the middle register.
but he CROPPED for his few high notes
with the quavering uncertainty Of a
blind man feeling for a fence lie act
ed very well indeed. The other new
conner, Miss Maud Lillian Berri is a
soprano with a cheerful smile a good
voice and agreeable manner.
The chorus did its duty nobly and
several bits of stage MANAGEMENT were
to be commended, especially during the
opening chorus of the second act. de-
picting the entrance of the French ar
my into Alexandria. A well known an
ecoote of the great Napoleon and 6i-
vers familiar pictured attitudes of The
famous Corsican were amusingly bur-
lesqued by Mr.. Wilson during the
progress of his role.
The theatre win now be dark until
Friday when the brightest of all the
Casino pieces the Belle of New
York" with Dan DAILY and a lot Of
other clever people in the east. viii
play a series of three performances
Next weeks bookings include an APP
pearance of Sousa's opera, The Bride
Elect on Thursday and the return
of THE Telephone Girl" on Saturday.