The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-30
AT THE THEATRES.
NatIonaI-.sThc singing GIRL,

Duke Rudolph .................... Eugene Cowes
Count otto ............-.........-. Richie Ling
FRINGE fufnpernicSei ...--..... Joseph W. Herbert
AufpaSsan ..............--...--- Joseph Cawthorn
stephan John Sl1vin
Marie .--.---.--.---.-..------.- Luctiie saunders
Elsa Jennie nawley
What a practical astronomer might have
called "a brilliant meteorological display"
was witnessed by great number OF the
atrical observers last night at the Ma
tional where Alice Nielsen was seen In
Victor Herbert, Stanislaus STANCE. and
Harry B. Smiths "The Singing Girl The
display aforesaid proved more than
brilliant it was remarkable. in that 1t
had to do. not with falling stars. but with
rising ones. Hardly over year ago Misa
NIELSEN, very shaky. little luminosity
indiscernible to the aged eyes OF those
operate antiquities. the Bostonians, came
lpto view at the large end Of Washington's
critical telescopes. Having had the meta
phoric planet pointed out to them. specta-
tors crowded to the Lafayette where 10
was on view in The Fortune Teller" and
so enthused at it's scintil!ance that only
return was necessary to universal acknowl-
edgement. fester-evening a house full O,
gazers welcomed the temperance Of the
that conceded fixed position in the his
trionie armament.
Carefully eolsidering-and with consid-
Grafton dropping literary pyrotechnics-
there is scant reason for wonder at the
rapfdity with which Miss Nielsen has won
her way into the esteem and affection OF
local amusement lovers. When, yester-
evening" the curtain fell on the second act
of THE Singing Girl and left the prima
LII Ia
child. in the centre OF the stage, one had
but to use his eyes to discover the cause OF
her popularity. The most fanciful could
not imagine Jessie Bartlett Davis. or
Nella Bergin. or even Camille DAryille.
in such a picture-in any picture that did
not include stalwart tenor. an enraptured
smile. and calcium ray. Miss Nielsen Il
delightfully."- unstarlike. She is as piquant
and dainty and unaffected as OF yere. hav-
ing grown neither stout nor stupid with
success. Pretty in form and feature. sweet
Of voice and of manner. apparently pleased
with the mere pleasure of pleasing, Alice
Nielsen is simply the most delicious bit
of femininity before the public today. Were
her defects doubled and her merits halved.
she would remain the favorite that she has
come to be-
All OF these things being true. there IL
not much need for laying especial stress
on the fact that THE Singing Girl Is an
exceedingly satisfactory vehicle Tor the
talents of the woman whom IL exploits
or who exploits IT. There is not much
to Stanislaus STANCES book. The story
is not especially clever. and Ii is
not cleverly told. There is paueity
of incident and there are several moments
that might prove downright dull did the
opera depend upon its lfbretto alone. But.
when the miro starts wandering from
-mlrthless situations and old ideas. the eve
Is attracted 10 the beauty CT production
and producers. and the ear to the charm
of music SO delightful that he who seeks
excuse to cavil must be more than crdi-
narily stupid himself.
Victor Herbert's score depelopes the
same strong features that the composers
admirers have come to expect froaI him.
The melodies which he has evolved are
rhythmieal and swinging in the extreme.
while their lack of monotony Is marvellous
when one considers the number OF works
which Mr.. Herbert turns out annually.
As usual. the accompanying orchestration
is fine. there being no apparent limit to
the oddity Of the effects achieved. Briefly,
the score Of The Singing Girl is unsur-
passed-even more musicianly and yet
more whistlable than was that OF The
Fortune Teller" In order that every i'm
pOIIauI
fitting entrance song Mr. Herbert has ex-
erted himself especially in his primal act,
Eugene CowIes "Love-Bah. Merest Bosh
and Folly" Richie Ling's who Is My
Well Beloved?" Lucille Saunders If
Only You Were Mine. Dear" Alice Neil
sens 1.-THE Singing Girl" and even Joseph
Cawthorn's "All in the Cause of Morality
being excellent. Donizetti-like finale to
the scene brought a curtain call yester-
evening. Then. Love is a Tyrant' and
Good Night chorus prove gems of the
second act, in which Mr. Herbert has
chosen to show anew his appreciation OF
national color with a solo and refrain,
MY Siren OF the Ballet" The Song OF
the Danube also scored an instantaneous
hit. through its grace and quaintness.
Were it set to these airs, the reading
of the Declaration of Independence would
make pleasing entertainment.
While Miss Neilsen's performance. which
has been criticised already. is OF most note
in the Interpretation. the cast cannot be
passed by without being allotted some
portion of the praise it deserves. Joseph
Cawthorn's dialect continues to provide
greater cause for laughter than does any
other feature of the presentation. and Mr.
Cawthorn himself Is as funny as OF OLD
His pronunciation of sentence well
stocked with RS" can be compared only
to the result Of a "fre-in-unison COM
mand being given to cadet company. anu
last nights audience positively waited Tor
the comedian to light upon such speeches.
John Slavin and Joseph ". Herbert work
hard to further Mr.. Cawthorn's efforts,
and with effect Eugene Cowles' magnl-
hcent bass. Richie Ling's robust tenor
and Lucille Saunders eontralto all are
heard TO advantage while the trio acts
almost as caDably as it sings. large |
and coueIy chorus. magnifcently CARRIED
lends variety to the spectacle and volume |
to the ensemble numbers AS has been
said. the settings are appropriate to the /
several excellencies of what undoubtedly I
is the most enjoyable operate performance |
of the season.
"The Singing Girl will be given until |
Saturday. when The Fortune Teller" is I
10 be revived for 4 single night
4, Left Unule.'r /