The San Francisco call., 1904-06-26

The fine robin Hood" at the Tiv-
oil this week almost recociles one to
the fact that there will be no grand
opera this season. Almost, that is,
especially since the rumor that Herr
Conried is to bring the Metropolitan
Opera company here in the
spring seems likely to be verified. 1t
is a truly excellent production, from
/, all points of view. Never before, for
example. have they counted such
singing cast for comic opera as they
have this week given to robin
Hood" Barron Berthald our Con-
tinental neighbors spread upon the
grandest of grand opera. He goes
back to Bremen after this season to
do Tristans and things there. Vocal
ly one could ask nothing better than
Mr.. Berthald's Robin Hood. John
Dunsmure brings a fine broad bassO
to the role of Will Scarlett, using it
moreover in jovial. ample fashion
that leaves no doubt as to his re-
source. William Schuster, who has
the role of his life in Friar Tuck, still
sings a good song, and Arthur Cum
ninghams barytone is as reliable as
ever. One forgets, too, what a really
good little tenor Teddy Webb is. One
could go long way before finding an
ensemble like that furnished by these
artists.
Dora de Philippe still possesses the
most valuable voice among the
women. 1t is full and pentrating and
Miss de Philippe sings with all her
heart and soul as well as a good level
head. Kate Condor, the new cOntral-
to, is a very comely damsel besides
being a charming singer, and is also
an unusually graceful actress. Edith
Mason has more taste than voice
mayhap also more voice than she
makes use of. But Miss Mason has
still the engaging personality that
made her so well liked in the South
well opera days and is a welcome
member of the new company.
The chorus is simply admirable.
Male and female voices alike are of
the desirable sort, excellently bal
anced, well trained. They sing with al.
the spirit in life, and Mr.. Steindorff is
to be warmly congratulated on both
the technical excellence of their per-
formance and the enthusiasm with
which he has inspired the singers. The
scenic side of things, costuming, set
tings, ranks with the best of the
Eastern productions of the kind, and
Ferris Hartman has covered himself
with glory as a stage manager. At.
ter this production of robin Hood" it
will be more than ever difficult for the
comic opera road company to make
good" nor will it be easy. for the Tiv-
oil to live up to its own levels. 1t
looks mighty lax" the best thing the
Tivoh folk have ever done.
A word of the new comedian, Will
lard Sims, who has the famous role of
the Sheriff of Nottingham. Mr.. Sims
is an easy and ingratiating comedian,
with enough of a voice and a most
useful face. He is distinctly clever.
Altogether as the TivoI gives it, you
can afford to see robin Hood" an
other half dozen times.
But about that grand OPERA We
get none at the TivoH this year-only
grand comic opera. The Conried ru-
mors are ''splendiferous'' rumors.
Still, let us pray. And now, would
not this be an excellent year to bring
up the New Orleans French Opera
Company-to the Alhambra, Mr.
Greenbaum or to the Majestic, Mr..
Bishop? San Francisco is not used
to going without its grand opera. 1t
won't like it. 1t would like the
French opera company. if that COM
pany's reception on its last visit here
some years ago is aught to go by. At
any rate the Metropolitan company
does not come-if it does come-until
March next. There is almost all of
season between now and then. Most
gratefully, 1 think, some of the time
might be used in listening to the New
Orleans folk.
The company, last season, accord
ing to report touched it's high water
mark. though bad business manage
ment made the season they gave in
New York financially failure. They
have a repertoire, too, seldom in
fringed upon by the Italians, so that
singers, operas, methods also, would
be new to the local audiences.
There is again the Henry Savage
English Grand Opera Company, that
for some years has been promising
season here. This, Mr.. Savage, is an
acceptable time. Or are there any
wandering Azzali, lombard, or other
such grand Italian opera companies,
that will come here to sing, split up
and leave their COllamarinis. Bar
bareschis, Russos. for our after graft
fication? or. perhops, bring with them
a new La Boheme," with an Agostini
to sing it's hero role? Tis good
time to come, and meanwhile the
opera hungry must possess their souls
in patience and take the good Robin
Hood" the gods have provided.
There is a small list of recent addi-
tions to the music of the Congressional
Library in Washington that comes 70
make one more than little envious.
IT includes historical collections. the
complete works of Bach, Beethoven,