The San Francisco call., 1904-10-12
LEHAR'S MUSIC
CHARMING IN
RASTELBlNDER

Like q bit OF Vienna looks the cor
ner OF Eddy and Mason this week with
the Der RzsteIbinder'' flaming under
the TivOIi sign Inside Il IS still more
like Vienna. with the fascinating lit
OF Franz Lehar's music Waiting into
the whistles
We have had the honor OF having
the American premiere q Der Rsstel-
binder" this week. indeed OF hearing
the first performance OF the opera in
English The makers or II grew tired
OF hearing its praises tOngUsd in moth
ing but French and German, and Rus
sian. and Italian. and 50 on. 50 sent
the opera over here They probably
knew what they were about in letting
the Tivoli have IT. II they did not. WE
know that Der Rsstelbinder's chances
OF American success are as two 20 one
with a TivOE introduction One is
quite sure OF getting the best OF the
opera and one may as well say here
that the best OF Der RaStsl0inder' Is
something 10 be grateful for.
More in the music than in the story.
though that is OF refreshing Quaintness,
lies the charm Mr. Lehar's music is
the prsttiest liveIfest. neatest trim
ming 70 a story made in Germany since
Strauss-whO made his in Vienna, 70
anticipate the hyperCritic.
AS with Strauss. Lehar's strength
lies in his waitZy tunes. and these have
the happiness 10 suggest only their
author There are some euchauringly
pretty duets and triOs SO rhythmed and
at least half the audience rather
waltzed than walked out last night
humming and whistling the waltz
finale
The story. too strange not 70 be true
in its chief fact. concerns the betrOthal
OF two children. Yanku. aged p
mOusetrap peddler (rasrelbinder). and
Suza. aged s. with the trouble cOnse-
quent upon the two finding fOrgetful-
ness and other loves during their twelve
years OF separation This child be-
trOthsl among mOuSetrap peddlers II
SlavOnia. il seems. Is q custom and re-
garded as only little less sacred than
marriage
Undaunted BY the difficulty OF the
production. Nr. Lehar brings on the
children. gives them grOwn-up recita-
tives. solos, with clforuSes for child
cOmpa Mons Nor Is IL the TivOlis way
TO be abashed by q little thing Of that
sort The part OF the boy Yanku was
sung and acted last night with an even
exquisite naturalness and feeling By
little Harold FOrman. whose accom-
plshments as a singer rank with those
OF the best OF the cast Perhaps
HaTOlds best bit OF acting was the
seriousness with which he took Papa
HaTtman's baritener- EuniCe Gilman
was effective though theatrical as
Suza. the quartet between the two and
Bessie TannehiI and SchusIer being
one OF the prettisst things OF the even
ing.
Between the prologue and the first
act twelve years have elapsed YsnSu.
who has left home 10 seek his for
tunes as mOusetrap peddler. has be-
come the prosperous assistant in a
hardware store and the prospective
son-in-Iaw OF its owner SuZa Is still
a lOWly maid. and comes 10 town 10
seek her soldier lover and 10 take a
situation as servant girl with TanZus
employer Miss Edith Mason returns
10 take the grOwn-Up SuZa part. and
very charming she Is as the Dig-tailsd-
fiaXen-haired. simple Dutch madChsn-
Thomas H PersSe is the Tanku. and
brings a full. smooth and sweet tenor
and q highly agreeable personality 20
the part Kate Condor is cast as the
soldier lover. and looks. sings and acts
handsomely Miss de FeIIiDDs Is
clever as Yanku's sweetheart and
Simms is excellent as the father. Schus-
ter's bass looms up nObly. Teddy Webb
has a lively moment and Bessie Tan
nehill contributes a capital sketch But
Hartman. in a Hebrew makeup that
would drive Barney Bernard 20 drink
and with the famous Hartman voice
doing the next thing 10 grand opera.
is the funniest thing there.
BLANCHE PARTINGTON-