The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-30
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.

Herald Adam Warmth
Amida................... Helene Goruon
Marjory Scroggfns. .....H Hester Armstrong
q Dame Jarvis. ............... Bertha LoVeJoy
Lady Vivian. ....................Alice Judson
oMaid Marian. Eva Gardner
At the Providence Opera House last
evening The Bostonians produced their
newest opera bouffe. or as the program
~ styles It. with equal accuracy and more
novelty, romantic opera" maid Mari
an" the book by Harry p. Smith and the
music by Reginald de Koven, the joint
authors OF the original and only Robin
Hood
The new opera Is further described as a
sr''Seauel 10 Robin Hood" II comprises
the same characters In new environ
ment, new costumes, new scenery, new
music, new dialogue. spick and span
throughout. Its plot, music and fun sug-
eest that not only Is Maid Marian" the
sequel OF Robin Hood. but that II may
perhaps prove 10 be Robins long looked
for successor.
. ,, AT all events nothing so picturesque, so
--y yivacious and excellent IN a musical way
or so bright and clever I'm all IT'S parts,
with such effective possibilities In scenery
and costume, has been produced In the
line OF light opera since the famous and
so troublesome Robin Hood.
For that Robin Hood has been a trouble
and a handicap TO the Bostonians Is as
plain as that II has been an example3
triumph.
-N- Everything I'm this world, the ph1loso-
pliers and scientists tell us, has its COM
pensations and the compensation for the
Incompatible Robin Hood has been that
neither the Bostonians nor their public
has been really satisfied with anything
since.
! Their plight has not been desperate.
TO be sure. as was that OF g once popular
an accidental moment a work of genius.
was thereafter unable TO dispose or his
manuscripts because they yS,ns,v were not camp np
near starving TO death, but II has been
bad enough. undoubtedly.
rE And Just Investors have Tor years
,usbeen eagerly on the lookout for another
He'll Telephone" so the BostoniaEs have
been longing for another Robin Hood
Sometimes they have thought they han
Il in their grasp. AZ all events, the am. IN.
bltion thus stimulated has resulted In the
production OF good deal Ss OF remarRaSg rsw RaS,S
Hood has failed to cast It's shadow before
- II was likely that all hands interested
saw In a replica of the picturesque figures
E, from Sherwood forest chanoe TO dupii-
cate the original-and-oniy. and the result
in Maid Marian" really promises we'll
, Permanent successes are not settled upon
by an opening night nor even by a season
OF trial. The verdict on Maid Marian"
Hood. There ISN'T much doubt an to
that, and as the people become familiar
with 1t, II may reasonably hope 10 be In
stalled alongside the good old favortte on
the golden throne.
: -' Meantime. 1t IS mighty good muSfo and
q a mighty Jolly opera that one hears in
Maid Marian" As performed and sung
last evening at the close OF the Boston
= ian engagement II was a musical treat.
The members OF the company were IN nne
spirits and gave their new hopeful
splendid rendering. The distribution of
parts was the same as IN the cast OF Ro-
bin Hood with the exception OF Maid
Marian which was sung last evening by
Eva Gardner.
In the new stnry Roben and his forest
ers join the crusades which givos an op-
y .portunity for some elarChing costumes and
- gay scenery and trappings, although the
= green's and browns of their native hea tn.
which are repeated IN a new way, IN the
= first act OF the Maad are hard to beat
for potureeuueness.
While from one rendering Il is not safe
: TO determine how popular the music will
= be when II gets . hearing around the cir
cult, 1t u certain that a number of the
bits of the new opera are whistlea BILE and
! a smashing song. that Mcdonald and the
male chorus sing. with a line In II. ''Ho!
r for the forest, the greenwood 10 calling
q me- has the elements OF popularity equal
. 90 the famous Brown October Ale Mr.
Chambers has a rousing Drinking song in
the first act, Barnabee and the fun chorus
swinging thing entitled "a popular
tune" In the third act, the Maid herself
has severaf effective numbers, Aian-a-
Dale has one. though hardly in the class
OF the inevitable 20 Promise and
there are a number OF others which have
qualities TO commend them to the home
circle pianoforte.
But II Is In the ensemble and groupings
that the Maid nnds her greatest strength,
just as II was In Robin Hood And the
splendid company of singers rushed the
new piece into favor last evening with
-. lhne spirit The Bostonians as the only
exponents OF this particular form Of mu-
~rical entertainment have never been bet
ter equipped for the rendering OF their
repertory. This seasons company 10 a
splendid one and the good old Robin Hood
gend his new Maid Marian have been pro-
duced this week In the finest sort OF mus :
-'eAc cal fashion.