Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-02
THE ORCHESTRA WAS BAD
But the Stanton Opera Co. Made a
Creditable Showing.

Those who had gained an impression
from the initial performance of the Jo-
sephine Stanton Opera company that it
forms an aggregation of second-class
artists were agreeably surprised last
evening by the production of Fra Di-
aVolo' at the Grand. AS a whole the
company made a very creditable show
ing, convincing the auditor that the quas-
ton of environment cuts quite a figure
with the spirit of their performance.
| In Fra Diavolo' the chorus is one of
the features, while in "Dorcas," which
| was given at Suttons, it is very slightly
IN evidence. The Stanton organization
mas chorus for which no road company
| should need to offer excuse and the OPP
portunity furnished in the play last eve
ming for it to show itself and be heard
could not but add to the favorable i'm
| preston created.
/ Henry Hallam, taking the part of the
roCber chieftain. appeared to excellent
| advantage. AS a tenor singer Mr.. Hal
| lam shows plain that when not laboring
under any impedmenta in the matter
| OF voice he is capable of something very
|.praiseworthy. Last evening his voice
was rather husky, but sweet and pleas
| inc wthal.
Miss Stanton, in the role of Zerlina
| was all that could be asked for She
was in better voice than on the pre-
| cedlhg evening and on every score ac-
| quilted herself creditably.
| 80 far as dramatic ability is concern
! ed, Miss Clara Wisdom has assumed an
| inappropriate stage name She is unable
10 throw any force into her perforn-
ahce, smiles when she should froWn. and
| frequently looks panied when she smiles
! VI George Lyding it may be said that
he ana himself proud at several stages
u the play. His handling of Beppo in
.ne lhlro act was vigorous and natural
ne was in good voice, and when in good
Voice II may be said of him that ne
| SHOWS marked improvement over his at
tainments at the Tivoli.
| ). Clarence Harvey. as Beppo. and
Charles Van Dyne, as Gacomo. a.
quilted themselves as vel las could he
expected of persons with light voices as -.
| sulllng roles calling for bassOs In fact
the principal fault of the company is its
lack or bass and a barytone singer.
| owing to this defect in the personnel of
the company the sextet from Lucia
was virtually quintet and reminded
one OF the humorous story told reear l.
ing Bernhardt, who inquired of a man
, IN the front row why the audience Kissed
1ne performance and was answered
Madam, you are shy one Turk" She
4 nad advertised that six would appear.
out one got lost in the shuttle just prior
to the rise of the curtain.
George kunkle, whose heritage of fame
\ Is marked resemblance to Jim Jeffries
IN respect to facial appearance, sings
with perhaps the melodiOus note distin-
gushing the nightly serenade of the am
phlblans commonly found in the region
OF pond. He may learn how to act but
it will require hard study and careful
| attention to detail
90 The worst handicap under which the
! company suffered was the Grand opera
house orchestra. There may be worse
orchestras but certainly not in tie
northwest. Each member dresses as he
pleases, plays when he pleases and doe.
as he pleases. Last evenig the plan It
earned the salaries of the whole or.
chestra There We're times when moth
ing could be heard but the piano forte.
Occasionally, however, one of the othe r
members of the orchestra would vamp
in after a happy go-lucky method ana
make the labor of the pianist heavier.
In town the size of Butte where the
aters are so literally patronized, the or
chestra should be kept up to par ami
| the members to make a civilian appear
ance by dressing in black. This is not
i poetry.
H T., This evening the Stanton Opera corn
II papy will give a performance OF "Thc
II Mascotte," tomorrow evening of "Girofe
Il Girolla,' with matinee tomorrow at
4 which souvenirs of Josephine Stanton
Il will be distributed throughout the tn.
II ater.