The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-01

hot huACtIy tIuB Oh lHe EnsllSn WI oADh'
Such book could never pass through the
mill Of Broadway theatre without having
its literary simplicity carefully removed
by one of the booksmiths who are kept on
hand for that purpose and having lot OF
| Tenderloin gags nterpolated. Letus be
grateful that these are fewer than usual
in this CAGE.
SuppG's music Is 20 far beyond the ordi-
nary level Of comic operetta scores OF
recent origin that II seems to soar into the
realms Of glory on pinions Of genius. For
the information OF those whose notions OF
comic opera have been formed in late years.
let it DO said that the score Of his work
does not contain single cakewalk or coon
song not even Russian one. IL IL bad
been composed In the year of grace 1904,
a Russian coon song would have been
inevitable.
But there are tunes possessed OF char
acter The Russian music sounds as II
It might be Russian. though It Is not, and
the Turkish music at any rate as nearly
Turkish as are the cigarettes made by
the red fezzed gentlemen In the Broad
way windows. Neither Is the real thing,
but both are good limitations. Best of all,
the music is always tuneful delicious to
the ear, and at the same time comforting
to the artistic conscience because II Is good
music.
II belongs to the aristocracy OF comic
operetta. It's school is that of Vienna.
school OF which Suppe himself was the
founder and Johann Strauss the con-
tinuator. Since Suppe's -Pique Dame
was produced In 1854 and Die Sch0ne
Galatea" in 1895. the style OF the viennese
operetta has been clearly defined The
second Johann Strauss. composer Of Die
Flederrnaus' Qs7D, -Prinz Methusalem'
(s77) and Die Lustige Krieg' (issi). super
imposed upon the skeleton framed by
Suppe the captivating exterior Of the
Strauss waltz What Wagner said of that
waltz may fairly be applied in COMPARE
Son OF contemporaneous operettas with
afhose of the Viennese masters
'One Of Strauss's waltzes "a far sur
passes In charm, finish. and real musical
worth hundreds of the artificial compost
tons of his contemporaries as the tower
of st. Stephens SURPRISES the advertising
columns on the Paris boulevards.'
The operetta OF to-day Ia as the Partisan
advertising column in tho presence OF the
St Stephens Tower Of -Fatinitza. All Of
which makes it the more saddening that
the performers occupied 80 industriously
in the exhibition now current ct the Broad
way Theatre know so little OF what they
are doing FRITZ Sohed herself wss~1H<
Monday night "a most etaidand decHa&3
representative OF The gay and dashing young
| Vladimir. who ought to be a veritabe imp
Of deviltry. In he abbreviated skirts Of
the false FdtinitsG the soubrette comported
herself like one in the midst Of a Brooklyn
Sabbath.
Where were the impudence, the assur-
ence, the perfect SELF confdenoe OF our
little Museta? All lost, irretrievably lost
in the woods of comic operadom, where
the cowardly lion roareth and the straw
man mourneth for his lost arms
But If she was a disappointment, the
same cannot be said Of such impersonators
as Albert Hart and Louis Harrison These
did just what was expected OF them. The
former is product of recent years and
his training has been entirely in the field
of the so-oalled comic opera and musical
comedy of to-day. He made valiant
yet futile attempt to play Rdntehukof
as it ought TO be played.
He was wise enough TO perceive that the
sidewalk conversational methods OF the
contemporaneous comic opera comedian
were unsuitable to this operetta. But
when he put aside that with which he Was
familiar he had TO attempt that with which
he was unfamiliar. and the attempt was
crowned with faded laurels.
OF Mr.. Harrison it is not possible to write
with patience. He has always been
burlesque actor ever since he cavorted
through the realms Of the Rice extrava
ganzas in company with Willie Edouin.
Henry Dixey and John Maokey. He was
perfectly at home in that line OF business
and he has been in il ever since His con-
fdential communications TO the audience
and his drawl were insufficient for an inn
personation OF Isef PGshd, who is delight
full parsonage when mfettered by the
chains OF Broadway jests and the bonds
of sordid slang.
As for the others engaged in the revival
OF "Fatinitza. it can only be said that they
must have been chosen with a view to
economy or TO the early burial OF one of
the best operettas ever written. 'Fatinitza-
demands good singers and good actors
in all the parts. even the small ones. The
performers betrayed upon the stage Of
the Broadway Theatre rely upon public
lTIdHlnHNlDu LOT NlltH blhSHlR anu ulOn
the habitual resignation of the period for
their acting,
Yet there is no intent to censure these
persons for their inability to interpret
real operetta. They have no models and
there is no school. Let any one take a
glance over the field and discover legiti-
mate comic operetta If he can. The con-
ooctons which are now called comic
opera are not even as good as the bur
lesciues and extravaRanzas which Edward
f. Rice used 10 project into the world oil
amusement.
-Eyangeine" would be classed as
comic opera if il were produced to-day. and
'Hiawatha- would almost be accorded
place among grand operas. Az for -Hor-
rors,' that certainly was more meritorious
work than some OF the things now called
comic operas.
What can you expect in time when the
music Of these things is orchestrated by
contract and the fact advertised in the
programmed 1t is true that line on the
house bin at a Broadway place Of smuse-
ment only last week read something like
this The music 81 this work orohestrated
by the Double Basaoon orchestration
prraau