The San Francisco call., 1899-07-01
SHgMUS O'BRIEN
us HE EPPEHRS
ut THE TIVOLI

n r. ORE than year ago our bet
NMN ters wrote paragraphs of un-
II " u qualified praise anent "Sha-
| X M Minus OBrien" as written by the
librettist. developed by the com
poser and sung by Denis O'Sullivan But
everything depends upon the point OF
view There is no castiron law as to
outlook, and this is a record of individual
opinion in the interest of a great mass of
intelligent, music-loving people who yet
are not musicians.
The librettO is a development of LIE
Fanu's stirring old ballad of the same
name, and thus the structure is not build
ed upon sand-rather upon the granite oil
a mighty Irish rebel character. Agitation
runs not in tiny current, but In a
mighty torrent, rushing through three
acts of riotous energy with occasional
Gibbs for a wider flow. The dialogue is
generally good and the atmosphere es-
sentially Irish. though this latter is, we
suspect, due a much to clever stage man
agement as TO the intention OF the hbret-
tist. He manages his entrances and exits
with an. eye for the picturesque, and cos
tunes his people, most of them, IN true
Irish eccentrcity The sullen mutterings
of his trades-union crowds makes us hope
for handy policeman. We stand some
what wondering spectator at the edse
of the fray and give to the two olG IOlhS
at the right a. special sanction 10 hgit i,t
pantomime done by these two people,
Fred Kavanaugh and Christie STOCK
meyer is worthy of special mention lhey
are reminiscent of nothing unless II pe
No hidebound timid conservatism has
actuated the musical composition, put IN
his desire to get away from tradition the
COMPOSER has rendered himself uninteIll- =
gible to the vast majority. Nothing IL
done for display or. desire TO daZzie: II
has sonOrous brilliancy, but does not I'M
press the lay sister, as either a rythmlcal
creation or one of lyrical beauty. 1t IS not
melodious-it is not companiona ble II
has spirit and color. but no swing. Its
giee is classic. as are it's anger and its
sorrow There is nothing shy or dlf1ldent
about it's intentions, and yet 1t fans 70
make itself understood. Like unto the
old border ballads, to which 1t seems TO
bark back. it has tragedy and fierce ac-
ton. but it does not stir the blood.
The perfume of femininity exhaies from ON
women. The musical phases they sing
are beautiful but are in most instances
foreign to the demeanor of the charac-
The passages of love and coquetry seem
to have been written by muscular male
who must .kneel at the foot OF woman
he would make Kitty sing her coquet-
-ries true The music was not written for
the shallow nor yet for the lover OF mu-
sic-hall ditties and hence Will not appeal
to the unlettered Even realizing this,
we confess that it sits little heavily
'upon our unprotected head and is bewil-
dering in its Brahmlike sldps. its heavy
and crowded harmonies. In places 1t at
tracts by certain rough ugliness and
lack of connection and mixed rhythm
1t seems to- promise and not fulfill. 1t all
seems more potential than real and leaves
one rather cold and Unconditional. In
word. it is. chaotic and may we be for
given for our heresies!
Shamus is a splendid character, and he
leaps boldly into the middle of dull things
with a sureness of purpose and conf
dence of approval that clear a space about
him at once. Mr.. O Sullivan sings well,
but he acts better. In the field of roman
tic opera he probably has a good future,
but in the field of romantic drama he has
a great one We like his voice but why
worship the qualities, however good. that
are fatal to a mans best future interests?
We are free to choose our own profess
sional diet, and perhaps Mr.. O'Sullivan
will say that he knows what he wants,
and it is not advice. The cast is excellent,
Rhys Thomas. Phil BranSon, Anna Lich-
ter and Anna Myers being especially good.
The beautiful distance effect and sug
gestion of the intangible that come to US
in the wall of the banshee are to be highly
commended. The second act is the most
appealing musically considered, and the
first one triumph for the drama Neither
Kitty nor Nora understands the nature of
Irish children. No boy with spirit would
allow himself to be led around by the
head and smothered in capes and gen
orally made a puppet of for three weary
hours. If there must be a child, let him
be natural. The opera will no doubt draw
torious production.
CHARI OTrE THOMPSON.