The San Francisco call., 1899-06-26
"THE CHIMES
OF NORMgNDY "
. Ut THE GRAND

THE stage manager at the Grand Opera
NOuSe possesses in perfection the
rhythmic sense and spares no pains 10
work his ideal into his reputation. Did
ctireE managers accept him as mentor
they might earn the right to live IN our
esteem, and in the words or Plato
might die with the faier hope" Plan
quette's merry opera, THE Chimes of
Normandy" is full Of old friends
yrappled TO the soul of the comic opera
composer this many a day and thrice dear
10 us for their very familiarity. Inc VII
lage maiden of obscure parentage IN
search of q family and always fouhN III
f7irnsv ambush in the nick of time TO over
hear what villains and heroes would fam
conceal and to that end talk in the open
at the top Of their voices. Or IL not IN
firnsy ambush perfectly disguised from
her Oldest friends behind the meshes OF a
thin tulle veil ,,
Consistency, thou art a jewel Inc
robust and fiorid Baelli, ci-deYant III
onlv for sour celbacy, yet madly IN loNe
With Mademoiselle a blushing bud oil
seventeen summers. he finds his ralson
d'etre as a mouthpiece for the toplcal
song. and with his horse play keeps the
unlettered in a roar. They think ne Is
funny and we are under no obhgatlonS 10
convince them of the contrary. Besides,
nerhaps he Is We have only as much
of the world as we can appreciate A4e H
cruel guardian who would marry peauty
TO q money chest and break the heatL u u
a fisherman lover, who sings ms tenor
sorrows in every disengaged eadud1u edau-7,Iid
does nothing else. The village popguiIa-
ron that makes a profession of attending
fairs by day and balls by night ana mas
no explained means of support beyond
the faith that God will provide.
They all ring muSlcally IN uIS
"C1bimes.'' so ably sung by the Southweli
company with its clever principals tItu
1ypii drilled choruses. The stage pictures
are beautiful. the figures, except a rev,
moving in perfect time and grace Ihose
few must inevitably find places IN tne
back row, for lack of time argues neh-
tsI infrmity. You can trace II from lIe
toes mn Thomas H. Persse sings the role
Of Henri to well merited applause, DuC
With a method calculated to break carry
a GOOD voice He carries his middle reg
feter roo high and holds his best notes
not at the option of good taste but 70 the
limit of breath and sometimes beyond II.
The audience approves, put no snser
ovree the pubIic so much effort. If 1t were
W3iIiian1 Wolff who did this we should
cav "Co on and lose your voice as Iast
stOId Musicians" and 'Dunston Krks
and Colonel Prestons" Of the future
mis- Jaspard was cameo; Edlth M MaSon' son
though lacking in magnetism. makes E2II- 3TI-
Dolette a most ingenious hoyden. MISS
Hattie Belle Ladd is charming GeI
maine, and in a Jessie Bartlett Davis qual-
fly Of voice sings hersgIa quiz qe,btIa en noison
turks for her In the folds of white gown
Her charm perceptibly lessons as soon
as she dons one. Even her voice seems
The cboruses and sextets in the second
act are the gems of the opera. and above
the beautiful harmonies the strong, sym
pathetic tenor notes of Miro DelamoTIII,d w,
rose and fell with infinite sweetness. Hi9
voice will last. for it is well posed and his
method good. The shivering trio was
more than well done, despite the fact that
the illusion was destroyed by a stage
much too light for groping purposes. The
enterprise Of the Grand Opera-house man
agement deserves recognition ana dp-
plause. They promise on Monday splen,,,
did production Of the Lilly of Killarney.
CHARL LOTTE THOMPSON.