The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-22
Military Opera at EngIish,s.

When Stanislaus STANCE, the librettist,
and Julian Edwards, the composer, put
their heads together and invented the spec
tacular military opera, when Johnny
Comes Marching Home" they hit upon
genuine novelty-novelty that does not lie
in new ideas brought to the footlights, but
in new combination of elements that the
stage has known for many years. Patri-
otto melodrama and tuneful comic opera
have never been harnessed together before.
Strange as it may seem, the team pulls
very well together-and this In spite of a
commendable lack of horseplay The new
opera was presented at English's last night
for the first time in indianapolis, and was
greeted by an audience which was not
large as 1t should have been. considering
the sterling merit of the attraction, but
one which was not slow to grasp the many
good things of the production and to APP
plaud them most heartily.
Without the music, when Johnny Comes
Marching Home" would be nothing more
than a melodrama of the Held by the
thing but the usual comic opera yarn. But
| the music is there, and very bright music
| it is too, Julian Edwards having composed
| for this piece the best score that he has
turned out since he wrote Dolly Warden
| for Lulu Chaser. He has taken the popu-
| lar old melodies of the sixties and inter-
manner that is at once new, interesting
and attractive. There is no plagiarism
about the work, however, as the composer
has frankly adapted the old melodies so
as to make them blend artistically with
| the airs of his own devising. The ''big
numbers" OF the score are examples Of eX-
tremely clever musical composition and
| both vocal and instrumental arrangement
| and the finale to the first act wherein a
half-dozen of the old tunes of civil war
days are carried along a theme that is
4 the COMPOSERS own. is of the most
| striking ensemble numbers heard in comic
opera here for many day.
XXX
One doesn't often run across comic
| opera with a real plot, but when Johnny
| Comes Marching Home Is the proud pos
| SCISSOR of one. 1t is rather a hackneyed
plot that Mr.. STANCE has dished up-that
| is. hacKneyed in dramatic way, although
brand new in comic opera. But, after all,
| the plot is foundation enough to support
| many delightful features that go to form
a splendid entertainment, and its lack of
originality is not worth any serious atten-
ton. The story of the piece can be told
| in a few words. The Johnny" mentioned
| In the title is the son of a Southern planter.
| Johnny runs away from home in his youth
| and returns during the war as a Union
| colonel. Although betrothed while still a
boy to the daughter of General Allen, his
| fathers friend, he is In love with Kate
i
| involved in the theft of important war dis
| patches stolen by Kates brother, a Con-
federate spy. and is arrested court
martialed and sentenced to be shot, through
| the Vaccinations of deserter from both
/ armies who passes himself off as the real
| Johnny" In the end the hero is, of course,
| saved through the efforts of his sweet
| heart Kate. Peace is declared and the
| opera comes to close with the conven-
| tional happy finale.
The first act takes place in General AL
| lens headquarters, where a birthday party
| is in progress, and everything starts off in
| such a merry way that the audience is at
once in the best of humor. The Southern
bellies come on the stage in the old-fash-
| Toned gowns that were once considered so
| fetching. They wear the wide hoop-skirts,
| the long lace-trimmed pantalettes and the
| cross-band slippers, and they all have the
curious little corkscrew curls that used to
| be just 1.-The thing" This very first number
and received many encores But to go into
| the piece in detail would be to take up more
| space than is permissible. There are many
delightful songs and choruses. the most
| tuneful being the patriotic gem, MY Own
! United States" sung by Johnny: "Just
Marry the Man and Be Merry I, When Our
while You're Thinking" Loves Night"
| Spring, Sweet SPRING" Kate. My South
| ern Rose and the admirable quintet in the
first act, with the old melody of THE
Suanee River" as the theme
The company on the whole, Is very
satisfactory one. w. H. Thompson is ex-
cellent as the hero. Johnny. 1t is role for
which he is well suited. and he makes the
most Of his opportunities. He possesses a
good clear baritone voice which he knows