Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-04-19
l0LANTHE.

Gilbert and Sullivan operas was in
augurated in Wausau, Tuesday evening
when the soloists and chorus of the
Tuesday Musical club sang 'Iolanthe. y
1 1t was In ambitious undertaking carried
4 to successful issue and the thanks of
! the whole community are due Mr.. Geo
Andrews and the ladies of the Musical
CLUB for their unfiagging efforts to
give us an entertainment at once clean.
funny, tuneful and good 10 look at.
There have been attempts in some
quarters to hold up the Bohemian Girr'
al the expense of ''Iolanthen in other
quarters to cry "Iolanthe' TO the dis
credit of Bohemian Girl These com
parsons or arguments or statements are
odious to the last degree The
no more be compared than Shake
| speare's Hamlet and Hoyt's "A Texas
Steer" Each makes capital enter
| tainment. but they're not Ia the same
class They cannot be lined up for
comparisons any more than the storm
driven blllow OF the briny deep and the
beautiful, irridiscent SOAP bubble. Gil
bert and Snllivan's operas are all light,
tuneful, humorous; Balfe's masterpiece
is a tragedy in song
But please, good Mr.. Andrews and
the Tuesday Musical club, let us see
again the fruits of our labors whether
it be- Castles in the Air. or "Gotter-
damernng.
The performances of Tuesday and
Wednesday evenings were given before
well filled houses and that the people
were delighted is attested by the fact
that most of the first nighters were re-
peaters. 1t is astonishing that in a
town OF 5000 people company of
actors and singers can be got together
able to give such a creditable perform
dnce of standard work as was wit
messed last week, and we will ven
ture the statement that, given the benefit
of a few more performances to quiet
the nerves and bring up the assurance.
snap and attack and an orchestra of
some strength, their only rivals in the
field of operate endeavor will be found
TO be the ''Bosto -ians'' and the Castle
Square"
Mrs Hart, as 'Tolanthe." looked the
fairy down to her feet" She is an
actress of sweetness and grace and she
sang the music of the title role in
soprano OF surprising purity and beauty
ID voice we have come to know so well
and TO delight in so much
Mrs. Coates as the fairy queen was a
brilliant picture in bright red empire
gown. In her acting she shows the re-
serve power and the sure hand of the
practised performer. The music of the
fairy queen is not such as to bring out
to its fullest Mrs Coates florid soprano,
and she sang it with ease and telling
effect.
Mrs. Boehm was Phyllis, and had the
role been written specially around Mrs
RnnhO1's Iifu hnfta,.
could have resulted She sang and
acted the lovely little sheperdness to
the life. Her voice was revelation to
the audience and we shall hope soon
to hear it again.
Miss Harger and Miss Ringle as the |
fairy leaders were just about the best !
looking fairies that ever came down to
earth. They sang well and acted well |
and handled their forces admirably. |
They are stars in embryo.
The club is fortunate in the possess
ion of such versatile member as Miss |
Harger who occupied the conductors |
chair. She sings, plays and can con-
duct an opera all with equal facility |
Her work on Tuesday and Wednesday |
evenings was arduous and indispensable |
in keeping the performance up to the |
mark
On Miss Williamson, our thanks and |
praises must be showered generously |
for her yeoman services at the piano |
For about three quarters of the time |
she constituted the whole orchestra and |
carried through the entire score to |
successful finish, flawlessy.
Mrs. Andrews, as costumer and |
was an able assistant to Mr.. |,
Andrews in keeping things ship shape
and running smoothly
Mr.. John Andrews, as the Lord |
Chancellor, has proven himself comic |
opera comedian of the first water. His |
conception of the part was a burlesque |
of a delightful degree and for a sing
ing comedian he has voice unusually |
true and musical.
MIR. Mullen as iolloller, showed us |
tenor voice of surprising strength and |
sweetness His acting, too, seems to |
tell of experiences gone before" He |
is n veritable find"
Mr. Coates as Arrarat, was capital. |
His voice is a tower of strength wher !
ever you put it. The funny way in
which he carried off his situations and |
the drollery he injected into his lines
are beyond description.
Mr.. Geo. Andrews was Strephon. |
Possessed of a fine Stage presence, an
aclOI Oh HH6SSe anu G0uNlCllOu, WuOS6
every singing note is JOY and an in
spiration, it is easy to deduce that as the
half man-half fairy he was great sue
cess. There is not much music in the
part to bring out his voice to the limit
but his interpolated song, Tell her
love her so, was beautifully sung and
encored to the echo.
Sergeant Willis, in the hands of John
Curtis was a brave, bold Irish lad that
any fairy would rave over. John
played the part on broad, low comedy
lines and his manner of reaching for
high notes with the aid of his feet was
inmitable.
The work of the ehoruses, peers and
fairies, was splendidly done. They
sang and acted like veterans. The
volume was good and they kept close
to the score at all times.
The following is the cast and the
names of those who couposed the
chorus
The Lord Chancellor. .s...... Mr. John Andrews
Earl OF MOuntArhfat. ...... Mt. dOSepu coates