The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-03
Grnnd-"The Little CorporaI.-

sembles a doughnut The scenery is ex-
cellent, and the ladies are all well gowned.
Grand-"The Little Corporal"
The Grand Opera House was rehabitated
yesterday by nearly 5000 of the admirers
of Francis Wilson. All through the morn
ing a long line of people wendell its way
past the box office window, and when the
sale for the afternoon performance had fin
ished that for the evening be-
gan with renewed vigor And the
two big audiences assembled seemed
to enjoy the stars presentation
of The Little Corporal, too, al
though the theatre was so cold during the
matinee that one could hardly have said
whether the gathering was clapping its
hands and stamping its feet with the idea
of expressing enthusiasm or for the pur-
pose of getting warm.
In good sooth, this latest effort of Lud-
wig Englander and Harry B. Smith is a
most enjoyable one. Both of the collab-
orators have worked hard and well with
their subject matter. and both have sue
ceeded in a manner more than worthy of
themselves and of Mr.. Wilson. The music
of the opera is unusually charming. Quite
as scholarly as are the compositions of Vic
tor Herbert, it has all the swing and deli
doors of Reginald de Koven and Gustave
Kerker. Occasionally one meets with a
reminiscent strain or a familiar chord, but
these are few and far between. The score
is not of the sort that can be whistled by
the galleries, and correctly whistled, three
bars ahead of the orchestra. From the first
notes of the "Marsellaise, which begins
the opening overture, until the last that
precede the fall of the final curtain there
is very little that proves faulty in this
labor of the man who wrote Half King. "
And as to the ballads and choruses and
marches themselves-Denis O'Sullivan's
first solo, Sons of France" has the true
military swing, while the duet rendered by
this excellent tenor and Mr.. Wilson,
facetious affair, entitled The Little Great
Man have a tendency to make an
army mule keep step. OF almost the same
order is the catchy Song of the Cobbler, y
with its rat-ta-tat accompaniment that re-
minds one of The Tinker's Chorus and
THE Stonecutter's Chorus from Robin
Hood" and The Wizard of the Nile"
There is the same melody in the following
Song of the Tradesmen" and the delight
full "Plowboy's Whistle" which Mr. Will
son and Lulu Chaser give with very neat
dance after il. "Coquette Jeanette and
when Love Is True are also good, and
the rollicking Horse of the Bold Dragon
ends with a dainty refrain in tempo de
valse that might be hummed forever.
Sweetheart. Goodby, proves to be a
charming duet. There is quintette in the
last act with a thrilling Hungarian strain
TO it, and finally the topical song of the
piece, We Haven't Discovered 1t Yet, -
has not been composed on the metrical sys-
TEN and does not deal with drunken hus
bands or Infatuated mothers-in-law.
The story Of work may Told
briefly. Petipas, the devoted servant of
the Marquis de St Andre. has been left TO
take care of that nobleman's estates while
he is a fugitive from the emissaries sent
cut by the new republic of France. The
marquis returns home TO claim a royaIist
bride who is in the neighborhood. and to
lay hands on the treasure in his castle.
He is pursued by the soldiers of Bona
parte. and the Wallets anything but -origi-
nal story of a ghost haunting the house
having met the fate it deserved, the two
are taken away as scientists who may be
Of use to the army, this move being the
result Of some trumped-up astrological
terms used by the inventive valet. Both
suspects are carried into Egypt, whittier
they are accompanied by their lady loves,
who for various reasons, have changed
places with each other. In Alexandria the
marquis is recognized and about to be
shot, when Petipas opportunity arrives,
disguised as THE Little Corporal" In
this rig the faithful server is captured by
Mamelukes and taken to a Bedouin camp,
from which, after figuring in all sorts OF
complications. he escapes to wed the
woman he had supposed to be an arsto-
crat. and tc see his master married to the
girl who had figured as peasant
The book is not wildly novel, but il fits
Mr. Wilson as might a tub of water. and
is. therefore wonderfully successful. The
lines are unusually bright, and the plot is
I told lucidly and cleverly. There is an in
finite amount of atmosphere about the
( weaving of the tale, coupled with more
legitimacy and sense than are generally
evinced in comic opera. While the last
act has been bodily taken from THE
IDOLS Eye" il is very laughable and the
whole entertainment gives the star the
most boundless opportunities. When as
the wise astronomer he coins English
more spurious than the wares of any other
known counterfeiter and less Ineligible
than Richard Carroll's famous "Jabber-
wock poem when he appears as the willy
Corsican. and when he is finally seen with
the Mamelukes dressed in costume that
seems compromise between the bloom
ers OF bicycle girl and the jersey of an
oarsman, he is alike irresistibly funny
Francis Wilson is the same comedian
today that he was when Caddy was first
given to the world. His conversation is
as proboscisian as of yore, and his meth
I eds as refined and agreeable. He takes
( every chance offered him for humor, and
! never fails to score. Charming Lulu
! Chaser frisks her way through a dainty
/ part with all her accustomed lightness-
! now feeding TO her star. now taking the
center of the stage herself, but always
/ laughing. vivacious and magnetic Not
! the least praiseworthy thing about Miss
/ Chaser is her articulation, and no one who
| listened TO her solos could have helped
wishing that she might have the oppor-
tunity of instructing some of our pet
prima donnas. Denis O'Sullivan looks
handsome and sings well as the Marquis.
| Louis Casavani makes fun in a broad way
| with good results, John Brands fine voice
is heard to advantage Maud Lillian Berri
| is histrionically poor but vocally good.
/ and Allene Crater does the little she has
| to do with her accustomed grace. The
! scenery is excellent, and the costumes
cheap but adequate.
Co1umbia-"s Reign of Error"
"a little nonsense now and then is relish
/ ed by the best of men There is a great
deal more than "a little nonsense" IN John