The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-09-17
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.

At the Providence Opera House last
evening the Bostonians closed their brief
engagement with Smith and Herbert's ro-
mantle opera The Serenade."
II was a mighty fine production and a
mighty fine performance.
The Serenade" II a work that enjoys a
curious distinction. namely that IT is the
only opera that the Bostonians have been
able 10 make their public accept, with
any degree OF cordiality. since Robin
Hood"
Great triumphs are usually associated
with certain disadvantages, as the Bos-
tonians have found out. In the good old
days when Barnabee's legs were actually
as nimble as he makes them appear TO
be now, when Macdonald was as young
and handsome as he looks In his make
up. and when Frothingham's face was
cultivating the extraordinary mirth pro-
voking activities that today come as nat
ural as though the Lord had originally
charted them-in those hull corn times.
the Bostonians contributed their genius
and engaging abilities TO a musical work.
used IL for season or two. and found
their public awaiting with eagerness the
next new work
Then. one rarely fortunate and also
fatal night. robin Hood" was produced.
II. Perhaps no organization in the world
ever had anything like IL In the way OF a
permanent continuous insistent, as well
as pronounced success.
II was great stuff-it Is great stufr-but
IL brought Its attendant train OF disaster
as the Bostonians discovered wen they
undertook to produce something new"
OF the Robin Hood
For. you see. when ever anything new
was produced the Bostonians' large and
admiring public, from one end OF the
land TO the other, simply observed: Very
nice, OF course-but not equal 10 Robin
Hoodn"
Robin Hood became the standard.
The Bostonans struggled in vain. A new
gensrsti9n ,,nn,n S,noS came along that knew not
Words handed down by their fathers
Not up 10 Robin Hood.' and that settled
IL.
stories tells OF an author whose work
brought him in comfortable renumera-
sion md ana was pursued steadily and With
story that crea ted a whirlwind sensation.
After that the publishers required that
his stories should be as good as that
lucky effort. His regular output was
regularly returned as being below his
standard" with the result that he nearly
starved 10 death. and. for all the story
tells, ne finally had TO go into some other
business TO make a living.
That was about the case with the Bos-
tonians. except that the stage work could
be produced from season 10 season, as the
In a continued revenue The only thing
the Bostonians had to guard against was
that the public should not get tired OF
even the beloved Robin Hood" before
they succeeded in replacing II with some
thing just as good"
The Serenade' came so near filling the
bill that IL has served acceptably as an
alternate. as nothing else has-not even
the new Maid Marian" OF last season,
which waS an EFFORT 10 reproduce the
Robin Hood" atmosphere intact
This opera has spirit good comedy
good music, number OF fetching lyrics
and full store OF smashing chorusses.
Last evening the three original Boston
ians showed up In IT, Besides. there were
Mr.. Chambers an additional baritone OF
excellent quality and good actor. Mr.
Weeden. the tenor. who got only one
chance at a solo and then caught the au-
dlence immensely with his splendid voice.
Miss thinner, a Dresden china little act
ress and remarkable soprano, and Miss
Condor, gingery actress. whose fine
contralto contributes greatly 10 the Bos-
tonian work
The production, indeed, was so thor
oughly satisfactory that II suggested that
The Serenade" will some day share
honors equally with Robin Hood" and
the Bostonians will be saved