Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-01
THE STANTON COMPANY.
Members Sing Fairly Well but Their
Pronunciation Is at Fault.

The SaddeSt duty of dramatic writer
is 10 be obliged generally to pen nothing
but the truth: for him is not the festive
fake. the facile stippling brush welded by
the hand of personal sympathy, the quill
guided by the fingers of sentiment.
If this rule of the profession is rigidiy
enforced in the case of the Josephine STAN
ton opera company, which gave its initial
performance in Butte at Sutton's tneater
yesterday evening, there would be waiting
among the ladies of the company and
snashing Of molars among the gentlemen.
In the effort TO strike a happy mean the
rule Will not be followed at this time,
but the public is cautioned to be exceed
insly chary of biindly believing that
everything in the article which follows
is founded on the gospel-allowance
should be made for errors of Judgment.
The Stanton company spread its tleds-
ling pinionS a short time ago and started
on its flight through the operate at1nos-
phere. Though it has been in commission
so brief period. it has already mounted
to heights sublime and deserves to be
regarded as one of the very best on the
road. In "Dorcas," which was graciously
furnished cosmopolitan audience last
evening. the company covers itself with
the roses of artistic ability and the car
nations of costume. There are places
where the carnations are not well
sprinkled, but that barely cuts a figure.
So far as Individual performance is
concerned, Mr.. George Lydng easily car
ries off the sponge cake. Mr.. Lyding is
so Well reinforced by Aeolus in the matter
of voice, said voice being of timbre d.
vine. that he was found too costly a
venture for the Tivol theater in San
,,.,;e IL,
gagement. He played one night at
Morosco's and it was currently reported.
made so great hit that his salary for
the second night was more than Walter
could stand; SO he and George parted
company after the first night.
J. Clarence Harvey, as Lubin Mugby,
host of the Lambourne Arms, is perhaps
the worst performer of the lot. He keeps
people laughing all the time, and this
violates the ethics of comic opera. He
comes near monopolizing the attention Of
the audience from the rise to the fall Of
the curtain, especially in the second act
during the minuet; this is an exhibition
Of selfishness on the part of Harvey and
deserves severe condemnation.
Clara Wisdom is wise enough to adhere
to her lines in the matter Of phraseology,
saying that someone or other SHOULD
make restoration and that certain acts
made her "1ush,' and yet destroys any
mistaken impression on the part Of the
audience that she is not an orthoepist
when off the stage by distinct enuncia-
ton of the 'u' in the word suicide. A
delicate combination Of orthoepy and
fidelity to lines shows considerable per-
spicuity and perspicacity: therefore, Miss
Wisdom deserves to rank among the
knowing ones of the footlights. Mr.
Lydng's pronunciation of incognito is
worthy of favora BILE mention in the same
connection. He pronounces the word by
accenting the penultimate syllable, ma
jority of the other photographers by
getting there one syllable ahead of him;
he gives to the "i'' in that penultimate
syllable the mellifluous Italian sound,
while nineteenth century photographers
We're content with the short sound.
OF Miss Stanton herself as Honoria,
Lord Lambourne's sister, who assumes
the character of Flippets, a novelty ped
dler, and Dorcas, a village belle who mar
ries Mugby, it may be said with perfect
good faith that she is as good as when she
appears here with the Boston Lyrics. 1t is
to be hoped this declaration of individual
opinion will not be misinterpreted.
Gertrude Nuremberg. who appears in
| the role of Joan, Honoria's maid, masque-
rading as Flippets' man, John, exhibits
a pretty face and shapely figure forming
an enjoyable combination from the sitting
! point of the bald headed row." She Is
cool and composed, however, and her
physical advantages need not necessarily
prevent her from attaining future dis
tinction on the stage.
This evening the company will furnish
production of Fra Diavolo at the Grand,
with the famous sextet from Lucia; on
Tuesday evening THE Mascot" and on
Wednesday evening Girohe- Girofla. There
| will be a matinee performance on Wed
nesday, at which Photographic souvenirs
of Josephine Stanton will be presented
| to the members of the audience. A
special wire will be run into the Grand
this evening and election returns an
| nounced from the stage.