The Washington times., 1903-01-13
The ToreadOr" Heard and
Applauded by Good Au-
dienCe - Work Almost
Void of Merit-Brilliantly
Mounted.

flOQtIICDs
If proof were needed chat the comic
opera had now reached the full stage of
It's potential development. il might be
found at the National Theater this week
IN a performance of The Toreador." by
Francis Wilson and a company Of &C
eepta5le attainments. Ten years ago
this Offering would have excited some
thing of a sensation Today it drags
along duly and vacantIy except as an
occasional skeleton Of melody or in
spired contortion Of the star awaken
gIImmer of interest among lovers of the
music or surprise the audience into
laugh. The Toreador" clouds the hori-
zon OF comic opera ominously.
The truth of the matter is that com
positions like a Chinese Honeymoon
and THE Toreador' however well
staged. costumed. and interpreted-hav
so little substance that they can hardly
serve either the theatergoer or the actor
as heaIthful diet If the music were
consistently good, as in the writings of
Sir Arthur Sullivan or in Mr.. De
KoveB's robin Hood" an audience of
intelligence might survive the poor dia-
Iogue. II the dialogue were bright, as
has occasionally been the case, the same
audience might survive the poor music
Bat when mediocrity is piled high on
mediocrity, when the music at the very
best IS only not distressing and the dia-
Iogue depends for its merit entirely on
the inventive genius OF the star. endur-
anee abandons the field.
NoW, Two causes operate 10 prevent the
use Of either good music or good dia-
Iogue IN a distinctive comic opers-the
present vogue of musical comedies
and the insistent demand for good Iegi-
innate comedies. The musical comedy
Is the comic operas logical outgrawth
II lacks plot. foundation wit. music, in
terest-eveTything excepting only gor-
geous costumes and suggestive coiloquy-
But any wit and music susceptible Of
such uses and on the market are pro
cured to bolster up the shadow of the
enterprise and permit the audience 10
befooI itself further such entertain
ment draws WE'LL IL is at present d
profitable investment: accordingly it
prospers and opera suffers. As for the
lack Of good dialogue. what man of wit
viii provide a bright book, accept for it
only the most moderate pay, and then
see himself subordinated to manager.
star, assistant star. star comedian. star
soprano. lyricists. director, and COS
tuner?
This is not meant TO say that 10
marrow there VIII be no more comic
4 opera. The likelihood is that this en-
tertaInment. ike poor melodrama, will
survive 10 indict itself on countless
generations. But it cannot much longer
occupy the talents of capable comedians
or fair vocalfsts lit has never com
manded the services OF good yocaIists
as q class Thomas O. Seabrook' s
struggle Of several seasons ago, Digby
Bells fight to get away from it. De
Wolfe Hopper-s present engagement in
good comedy with little music in
troduced incidantally-these are events
Of much Significance in this connection.
Eventually the studious. scholarly
gentleman now appearing ut the Ma
1ionaI as ounoon must certainly Iif-
himself out of q rut which has proven
TOO irksome even for men with only
half his ability.
This present offering is like all the
rest. Half dozen persons are named as
authors The cast and chorus include
anywhere from 60 to 100 persons. .Thera
are brilliant costumes which bewiIder
and confuse both by their multiplicitp
and color Miss Christie Macdonald and
q George Frederick sing several weak "
RIGS acceptably- Joseph Coyne contribute 5
an Impersonation not without comic in
terest. but much less entertaining than
1t was a year ago Mr.. Wilson creates
an illusion as a coachman only to de
stroy il at every turn with kicks,
& grimaces. hIIips and eontortions. Finally
chorus OF large women performs fair
music fairly we'll There would be no
comedy at ali except for the great abi-
lty Of the star and the secondary ability
8 Of Mr. Coyne
n the face or these observations it
IS only fair 10 record that an audience
OF good size sat through the Offering
3 last night, applauded ali the lyrics
good. bad and ndinerent-laughed at
every opportunity, and greeted Mr. VIII
son SO enthusiastically thai he vas com
PEELED TO make q speech For those
Who like this sort OF thing. this is
evidently the sort Of a thing they like.
But thar speech by Hr. Wilson should
have aroused them 10 his greater eaD8-
bisities Il anything could 90 SOFT was
50 allied with genuine humor. 50 huently
g expressed. SO promising Of splendid re-
suits if only his hearers would permit
him 10 divert his talents 20 some more
s. reasonable channel A. D. A
The Coiumbia-"Way Down East"
According TO the program OF the Co
Innibia this week three people are dl-
rectIy responsible for me production OF
s. Way Down East" Which forms the bill
II that house Tia play was written by
s. Iottie Blair Parker, elaborated by 10
s. seph Grismer. and produced by William
q L. ~. 49, i ..----- Il l. -