The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-25
---AT ST.
THEATRES

FROM ''LOhengrin' to The Bohemian
Girl is rather far step. 1t meas
ures the distance between opera that
is grand and opera that is comic. Yet
Balfe's opera is more than comic OPP
era. Ii is comic opera written in an
inspired moment. Organ grinders new
er succeeded in stating the melody
of its music. nor have Indifferent per-
formances convinced lovers of the OPP
era that it has no longer anything in
the way of variety to offer.
The Castle Square opera company
persuaded those who needed persua-
sion last night that the music of The
Bohemian Girl' still conveys an ire
sfstible appeal The members did this
by singing the opera spiritedly, by act
ing 1t, for the most part worthtly.
The audience last night was large.
Better than that. it was enthusiastic.
People love familiar things. Beautiful
music becomes more beautiful when
! associations cling to it. Doubtless
that is why last night I Dreamt That
l Dwell in Marble Halls" The Gypsy
I, Bride "The Heart Bowed Down" and
Then You'll Remember Me" were so
heartily encored. Another reason was
that they were all really well sung.
Yet the success of the opera does
not depend altogether on half dozen
beautiful solos. The three acts are
full of life and color. The composer
has breathed fnto5 the opera the very
spirit of the freq wild people he
sought to portray: If its melodies
are Irish in their essence rather than
Bohemian, plaintiye rather than wild,
they are haunting melodies for "a
that"
Miss Norwood, Who sang the soprano
role in II Trovatore" last Monday
night in Minneapolis, last night sang
the role of Airline. She is comedy lit
tie woman, and though her voice lacks
freshness 1t is, a good organ, depend.
able, always, and clear and sweet and
flexible in all its registers. Dramatt-
ically and voeAIy sthe role of Airline Is
entirely within heF scope and her en-
tire work last night was as even as
the range of her voice. The solo. ~
Dreamt That q Dwelt in Marble Halls
was one of the satisfactory efforts of
the evening.
Miss Norwood played opposite
rather uninspiripg tenor. D'Aubigne
is to woodeny to be impressive in the
role of the lover. On that account the
part of Thaddeus was utterly lacking
in dramatic. intensity. So far as mere
vocal quality is concerned, the tenor's
voice is adequate but it is colorless like
his acting. More life was infused into
his solo in the last act than into any
other number he sang last night and
in that number, therefore, his voice
was heard at it's best.
Mr. Carrier, who played the part of
Count Arnheim showed a nice literary
appreciation of the lines he read or
sang last night This gave a dignity
| to his portrayal of the chara cter that
| it might otherwise have lacked, for Mr.
Carriers stature is not impressive nor
| is his voice big voice. He uses the
latter well, however, and on that ac-
count his solo, The Heart Bowed
Down" was thoroughly appreciated by
the audience. 1t was sung without
theatrtc effect
M. Fulton was able to extract no
genuine comedy from the role of
Florestine. Mr.. Boyle, who played the
| part of Devilshoof, was more success
| full, and he made the part funny
enough. The role demands no substil-
| ties and was quite within Mr.. BoyIe's'
province.
! Miss well was most satisfactory as
! the gypsy queen. She made the most
| of the many dramatic opportunities af-
| forded by the role and her lament in
| the second act was vocally satisfactory
and his ironically impressive. The
choruses sang with spirit and excellent
effect. The violin solo that preluded
| the last act was exquisitely played.
'Lohengrin" will be repeated this
afternoon and 1.-The Bohemian Girl" to-
night.
"The Strollers," with Marguerite
Sylvia in the principal female role. will
be next weeks attraction at the Met
ropolitan.
The first matinee performance OF "a
Ragged Hero" will take place this aft
| ernoon at 2:30. The production which
| Manager Fielding has given it this
! year is a decided Improvement over
| that of last.
At the Grand opera house next week
| Billy B. Van, assisted by Nellie O'Neil
and company of comedians, singers
and dancers, will present farce COM
| edy entitled 'Bolivars Busy Day"
The bill given at the Star this
week by the Bohemian Burlesquers- is
| sufficiently good to keep the house
| filed with appreeiative audiences. It
| is full of good vaudeville features and
| the burlesque afterpiece is cleverly
constructed and funny.