El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-06
Last Nights
Entertainme
A Most Enjoyable Concert
Given at the pera House
by Roney's Boys.

The entertainment given by Batch
ford Kavanagh and Roney'S Boys at
the Myar opera house yesterday after
noon and evening tested the full ca
pec.ty of the auditorium at both per-
formances. The fact that the concerts
were given for the benefit of the public
schools. added to the unique character
of the company. of course, had much
to do with the size of the audiences.
but IL is safe to say that should they
Ieturn their reception will be as fiat
terine as il was last night. The ma
iority of those who were present went
10 the opera house scarcely knowing
what 10 expect. Boy singers ranging
in age fro eleven to fifteen are apt to
arouse certain amount of scepticism.
but the work of these particular boy
singers proved a delightful surprise.
Mr. Roney. the director. is a specialist
of many years experience iE developing
the vocal organs of youngsters, ard the
little fellC WIS who sang their songs last
night showed the perfection of that
kind of training.
The children of the public schools
took an important part in making the
entertainment a financial success, for
they sold a great number of tickets. By
way of reward the schools were closed
a little earlier than usual and the little
ones were given tickets for the matinee.
They filled every nook and Granny of
the house and made their little hands
sore applauding the songs of other
Juveniles on the stage.
No less enthusiastic was the audience
at night, nearly every number on the
program being encCred. Mr.. Roney,
however found it necessary during the
rendition of the second number to stop
and administer a striking rebuke to
the ushers for the noisy manner in
which they performed their work. 1t
ready seemed as if the employees had
entered into an agreement to see how
hadr they could slam the seats down
and create as much disturbance as pos
sible- Moreover. this is matter of
general practice and should be consis-
teptly condemned
The first number on the program was
violin solo by Master Tracy Hol-
brook. 1t was that brilliant but ex-
ceedingly difficult composition. Wieni
awski's Second PolonaiSe. and it was
rendered by the young artist in man.
ner that at once established him with
the audience. The work of young vio-
lin virtuosos is more frequently than
not a sort of gymnastic exercise ard
rapid dignity of manipulation, but not
so with this youngster. His playing
showed that he was not only master
of the instrument but that he loved it.
In the polonaise he exhibited wonder
full technique and fine bowling, and in
Schubert's by the Sea" a sympathy
and delicacy of touch no less remark
able He was recalled time after time
and fairly captured the house with the
artistic manner in which he played that
sweet old song THE Last Rose of Sum-
mer" Harold Maurer. the "ontralto.
a boy of a. sang Rodney's Tile Sol
dier's Dream with fine effect and I'M
His voice was very
sweet and even. the lower register be- |
ing exceptionally good.
Master Harry Cockrell. aged II. and |
the baby of the company, brought a |
smile to the lips and perhaps n little |
moisture to the eye by his singing. |
He was such a tiny tid-bit of child |
mood TO have his place upon the con- |
cent stage; one felt that he ought to be |
at home and tucked up in bed. Never |
theiess he did his little part in fire |
style He warbled in the most remark |
a bic way in a staccata polka by Null |
der. his voice running over three oc-
tayes with astonishing ease. AS an
encore he sang a dainty little bit Love |
Went Singing.
Then came Master Jamie Crippen,
aged 13. Among the child artists there
is no doubt that lie is the star. With
a IuOSL WHILE NOiCS
sweet pathetic and true in every note,
a perfect enunciation, and self possess
ion without forwadrneSS, he charmed
everyone present. He sang that diff
ficult aria from Mignon. "Dost Thou
Know That Sweet Land" with a con-
ceptio nof all it contained that was lit
tie short of marvellous. In response to
the enthusiastic encore he gave the
song when I'm Big I'll Be Soldier"
iroIr
His voice is a baritone of
The richest quality and as it natures it
will undoubtedly be n remarkable Or
gar He sings today with the same ar
tistic thOroughness. added to more
mature understanding as characterized
his work as a boy when he received
81 900 night. He feels what he sings
and he makes the audience feel too.
His singing of Bucks "Bedouin Love
Song" and CowIes's Forgotten" earn
ed the wsrm approval of the audience.
and in resDonse to repeated demands
gave "The Kentucky Home" with much
feeling In addition to the solos there |
were duets and trios and quartets, all 1
Of a class of music which test the vocal
powers Of matured and cultured sing
ers-
The program in full was as follows
Violin Solo Second Polonaise Bril-
l1dnt -WlenldWSkl
...! Master Tracy Holbrook.
-ontralto Sole 1.-The Soldiers
Dream Rodney .......
Master Harold Maurer.
SONG "Staccato Polka"-Mulder
Master Harry Cockrell |
Ara .post Thou Know That Sweet
Land'-Thomas Mignon
Master Jamie Crippen
Trio I'm Old Madrid"-Trotere 80.
Masters Cockrell, Crippen, Maurer
Songs a I'm the Oak. in the Dew,