The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-11
4t The 5heaters.

The best in music, color light, form
especially form-is embodied in Luders
and Pixiey's new comic opera, king
Dodo." The largest Sunday night audi
| ence of the season, indeed, the largest
audience that the Metropolitan has held
any night this season, enjoyed last night
one of the years big theatrical successes.
| Only in the music is king Dodo'' in
| ferior to the ''Burgomaster." And there
are two or three songs in the former
opera that are infinitely superior to
anything Luders wrote for his earlier
work. Especially are the cforuses In
King Dodo' stirring. Frank Pixley
has tuned out clever book. He has
written some exceedingly dainty lyrics.
His characters are all excellent carica-
lures, the words he has put into their
mouths express genuine humor.
Mr.. Luder'S latest whiStling song, "The
Tale of the Bundle Bee found instant
favor with an enthusiastic gallery. The
pit appreciated the delicacy which the
words express and applauded the dainty
melody of the music
"King Dodo'' reigns in three acts, an
eccentric reign, wherein the king man
ages three skillful transformations. But
whether as the elderly monarch in search
of the fountain of youth, or as the in
Id1L InOHdTcH WHO has ldSlSu Lie waters
of that fountain; or as the aged king
again who has given up youth for love,
Raymond Hitchcock, who played the role
last night, was constantly and refresh
ingly funny.
In fact, Messrs. PiXley and Luders owe
much to the company that presents the
new opera. Seldom before have so many
pretty and graceful girls gathered on the
stage of the Metropolitan. Never have
there been so many tuneful principals in
an opera produced here. Not often be-
fore has so strong, SO musical a chorus
filled the house with melody. Harmo-
NOUS combinations of color enthralled the
eye. Tropical scenery offered an ade-
quate background for brilliant, shifting
pictures, in which posed principals and
chorus.
When so much that is satisfying is Of
fered it would seem churlish to cavil
at trifles. If one wishes to be critical,
however, he might wonder just what rea-
son there is for a third act in king
Dodo. A Change here and there would
make the opera complete in two acts.
Except for a delicious moonlight scene
and the chance that is given the king
to become old again the act has no special
reason for being. And the opera is rath-
er long one. But it never drags, it does
not become tiresome. Rather it is an
embarrassment of riches that is offered.
Naturally Mr.. Hitchcock, as King Dodo,
is the life of the play. His work is clean
cut, individual. His fun-making never
degenerates into horseplay. His humor
is never coarse. His transformations
were cleverly managed, his singing was
enjoyable. Mr. Hitchcock had some able
assistants. Miro Delamotta, as the court
aJo rt h11r VVoo1av T)r ENizz
the court physician; Charles w. Meyer as
Nudge, the court historian, and Albert
Juhre as Sancho, the innkeeper, were all
funny satellites of a funnier king.
The audience was glad to extend a well
come to Edward A. Clarke, who acted and
sang satisfactorily the role of Bonilla,
an Irish prime minister to savage
queen. The savage queen was Miss Gre
ia Risley who is the poSsessor of a beau
tiful voice. an expressive face and
queenly stature. Angola, the kings
ward, might just as well have been term
ed Angelica, for the name would not
seem homogeneous applied to the blonde
and sweet-voiced Miss Ryan. Gertrude
Quinlan was saucy Annette, who sang
with King Dodo the Tale of the Bum
blebee.'
The march of the chorus in the second
act was one of the best things in the
opera.
king Dodo'' will be repeated the first
half of the week with Wednesday matt
nee.
A vehicle for some fair vaudeville Is
1.-THE Irish Pawnbroker,'' which opened
the week at the Grand last night a
packed house witnessed it, and seemed
pleased.
James Wesley and William Murray,
bearing the appellation of the 1.-Two
Macs" and Maize Trumbull, very passe,
yet nimble as ever, have stellar parts in
the attraction Miss Trumbull is a
sprightly little dancer, tries to please,
and occasionally succeeds. She realizes
her inability to sing, and makes up the
deficit with talking number, assisted
in melody by fair chorus.
Unless it is the Two Macs who in
dulge in what might be termed noisy
knockabout, the vaudeville is given al
most entirely over to vocal numbers,
and some very creditable dancing. OF
the latter Miss Trumbull, Len Delmore
and Dick Ferguson are the only ones
worthy of mention.
Harry L. TaIley sings well. Charles A.