New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-02
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
THE EMERALD ISLE"

The Emerald Isle which was given at the
Herald Square Theatre last evening by Jeffer-
son de Angels Opera Company for the first time in
This country, is hardly work that is adapted for
= very hot and sultry night. Nor is it that
seems likely I'll long felt want in the comic
operetta in the best OF weather. II is said TO be
the last work of Sir Arthur Sullivan LEFT incom-
r7lete his death, and finished by Edward German,
himself an English composer not without honor in
RS oRn country. How much of the music Is Sulh-
vans ana how much Germans does not appear
Few numbers" we are told added by the
lesser man But be that il may. there is little
or the spirit and lightness of touch little of the
spontaneous and unmistakabIe melodic vein Of the
Sullivan OF 'Pinafore'' and Patience" and The
Afikado' The music is well made. and is with
out the rhythmic variety the clever and ingenious
touches in orthestration and the Interviewing Of
the vocal parts that might have been Sullvans.
Some OF the ensembles. in particular are effective;
but a whole the music is heavy footed and rather
dull
The composers have not taken much advantage
Of the possibilities offered by the subject give
the music much OF the Hberniar coloring, and
there only few nun oers in which there is
anything enthusiastically Irish in the tunes or
the spirit. 1t is mostly of the accepted English
type
The uhretto is not one. either that could have
been a source Of much inspiration It is by Cap
tain Basil Hood. who has clearly taken Mr.. Gilbert
for his model. but who falls short of him in wit
and droIlery and verbal dexterity and the delicate
sense Of comic effect.
The story IS Of Ireland, about Lord Lieu
tenant Of very English views, who is determined
make Englshmen and of the Irish
peasants, and especially TO make them speak the
English language without 4 hrogue. Professor
Bunn, an English rectter. character imperson-
ator. ventriloQuist and hypnotist, appears upon
The scene. under contract to the Lord Lieutenant
10 discover the wheTeaboUts of one Terrence
O'Brien a young rebel who has been trying TO
undo the Lord Leutenant's work He is coerced
into Joining the Clan-na-Gael his arrival, and
undertakes TO aid the revolution by teaching
The peasantry to be Irish instead Of English, and
10 entice away the soldiers who have been sent
10 suppress the revolutionary movement This
is 10 be done by frightening them with stories of
the fairies supposed TO inhabit the caves where
Terrence is in hiding There is ii blind fiddler.
Murphy who being in the scheme leads the
Lord Lieutenant and his sodierY 10 the caves.
He is accused Of being spy by the conspira tors
of The clan. and is defended by his sweetheart
Molly O'Grady; but the soldiers in the mean
time arrive. and Terrence is taken. He Is about
II be shot. when Bum points out that he is d
descendant of Brian Boru, wherefore he is worthy
Of the hand of the Lord Lieutenants daughter,
with whom he is in love, and for other reasons
less convincing, but sufficient to release him and
10 turn the peasants into the paths Of loyalty
40 England
II is rather a laborious story, and. whatever it
NAV do in brsker weather, in the weltering heat
of last evening. and with the interminHble repeti
lions demanded by portions of the first night audi
,,os went forward rather lamely. Captain Hood
has not contrived to put much hunor into his
lines nor 10 produce situations OF much point
Professor Bum is the central figure and Mr.. de
Angels who enacts him. keeps him brisky and
Fumorously in evidence. Everything has been done
for the opera in the production. however. that
could reasonably be expected. 1t is well mounted
and in general, well sung: most of the singers can
sing some very well; the chorus is made up of
good voices. as such choruses go. and Is well
trained. and Mr.. Henry Waller conducted the per-
Torrance with much energy and spirit