The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-02
THE HOPPER OPERA.
The. Last Musical Comedy of the Sea
$500 son Proves Also the Best.

1t may be a cold day when De Wolf
Hopper gets left, but hot night also
has a bad effect on his drawing powers.
The torridity of last nights tempera-
ture was doubtless the reason why the
Worcester theatre was not crowded to
the doors, for Hopper is recognized here
as well as everywhere else as the
greatest of all opera comedians, and
The ,Charlatan" affords him liberal
chances for his talents. As it was, the
orchestra was solidly filed, but the at
tendance elsewhere was on the fringe
order.
Last night was, in way, an epoch
in the history of the company. Alfred
Klein, who has been with Hopper ever
since the latter embarked as star,
and Nella Bergen and Alice Judson,
who also have had lengthy service in
his cause. have left and Monday was
the first appearance Of their successors,
Snit Edwards, Hilda Clark and Jessie
Maekaye. Statuesque Jeanne LAWYER,
too. left The Geisha' to make her bow
in the role of Sophia. The only one OF
the absentees who was missed was MI.
Klein. HilGa Clark is superior to Miss
Bergen in voice, acting and stage ap-
pearance. Mr.. Edwards was accept
able as the tragedian Jellikoft. But
the great hit of the evening, after Hop
per, of course. was the other debutante,
Jessie Mackaye. This young woman
has been with Naude Adams in The
Little Minister and is as sweet and
winsome and generally charming as
even her former star. Her acting of
Katinka was delicious in its cOquetry,
and devoid Of the unpleasant pertness
and too sophisticated air that the gen
crafty of opera soubrettes seem to find
it necessary TO instil into their COncep-
tons This daintiness viii prove Miss
Mackaye's fOrtune-till she loses it.
Inthe score il is plain to see SOusa has
occasionally striVen after higher things
than he has before reached. and has
by no means failed of success. There
are certain ensembles scattered
throughout the first two acts, to say
nothing of the finale TO the second "a
paraphrase on the Russian national
hymn that are models of excellent
work; while in the popular vein, Hop
per's entrance song, with the witty
patter of its lines and its rOllicking
chorus, is of itself enough to make tht
fortune Of the opera. This number j!
repeated fOrtissimo to make the finale
of the first act, and so delighted tbs
audience that they re-demanded il
vigorously; but Director Paul Stein
dorff. who has a prejudice agains
working over time, made a break fol
the stage the instant the curtain fell
and so Hopper had to give a few ex
ira remarks in the wrong place to qui
ct the applauders. Mr.. Klein has writ
ten a bright book, witty clean and re
freshingly free from cheaDness.
Tenor Stanley was in magnificen
voice last night, or else the music suit
ed it perfectly, for he never appeared
here before to so good advantage
Hopper, too, seemed in capital spirits
and fairly dubbed over with jOllity
His topical ditty contained some up
to-date verses on May l as Dewey
day" and the Worcester-M Ontrea
struggle, and the two 'twiXt act:
speeches had an agreeable air o.
spontaneity about them. The scenery
and costumes were on the usual liberia
scale.
The members OF the company wit
messed the ball game in the afternoon
by invitation Of the management, anC
the opera people returned the compli
ment By rendering both teams promi-
nent. places at the theatre in the eve
ming.
BESIDE the bonnie brier bush.