The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-02-21
OPERA Of SONGb|ROS
MAKES A BIG HIT
woodland Heartily Re-
ceiyed at Columbia.

The stage of the Columbia became
1eafy forest last night and on the
bra5--.. trees modest little
wrens chirped, shy doves cooed. ehaunt-
icleer strutted. the owl looked wise and
hooted, the peacock strobe contelnptu-
ously. the eagle ruled with majestic
mien, and the blue Jay, the canary, the
lark and all the other feathered song
sters hoped from bough TO bough with
biithe song and light hearts
It was tuneful assembly, indeed.
The owl is fine bass chorister, If hui
mans only knew It, and the nightin-
gale and the lark when melted by the
criticism OF their fellows, Guido all
the traditions of song and story. AS
for the blue jay, the peacock. and the
rooster-if they do, perhaps. lack a lit
tie In voice quality, they make up for
that lack twenty tunes over in clever
ness and wit.
Bat in woodland there is more to
do than o1ereiy 10 carol away the summit
hours. Composer Luders and Lfbrettist
PiSiey. have seen TO that. King t;agie
must rule wisely and Well General
Rooster. the cher OF police. must ca.ch
the troublesome thief who has stoien
cherries n broad daylight. Prince Eagle
and his eium, Robin Redbreast. must be
brought back from college To enter the
royal army. the Blue Jay, with craft
and deceit, must uSurp the throne. Lady
Nightingale must be constant To the ex-
He'd prince. And all the other lady birds
must vie for the favor of his pretended
majesty. Blue JAY.
Miss Roosevelt and Many Others Present
y distinguished assembly looked on at
these birds last night. In one Fatty were
Miss Alice Roosevelt, Baroness Won
Tuyll, Miss May, Baron Won Tuyli Mr.
Won Ruhido Itchy. and Henry c. May.
jr. Others prominent socially who were
present were Mrs Sunrnerland and Jar
~, Drs James D. Morgan and party.
Col. and Mrs. L. 2. Siebert and party.
Mrs, James G, Blaine. jr, Representa-
Mrs. V. G. Fisher. and Representative
Thomas and party. These, and every
orc else In the audience. which crowded
the building, looked on at this curious
ana fancifu opera IN manifest enjoy
nlent, The performance was evidently,
IN their judgment. an unalloyed success.
|of birds. Manager Savage met and
solved with fine success 81 series of try
ing problems. He could not dress his
actors IN feathers without making them
ridiculous II he provided them with
heads OF papier mache he lost all the
RACIAL expression and abandoned the add
vantage OF the lady birds loneliness
What he did do seems like an artistic
Inspiration. He made studies of eth
flological color schemes and executed
them IN cloth. There are not half a
dozen feathers on any costume in the
whole opera.
THUS Judge Owl is fluffy and white.
witt great shining yellow eyes and
broad beak in his cap Lady Nightin.
gale is dun and dull Madam Parro,
chatsers from a color symphony OF green
and white. Old General Rooster, with
his spurs and club OF authority wears a
red comb and the notified brown and
canaries arc cleaning yellow. Prince
Eagle ana his fellow-students swoop
and sway like real masters OF the air,
moving masses of white and black. The
blue jay. like the tramp politician he is,
IS unkempt and rough-coated.
But Nine. Peacock is most effective
of all About a figure of substantial
personal beauty is wound a gown of
peacock green. and sewn all over that
gown are gistening spangles of bronze
and silver. Back of her shoulders is
broad shield of peacock blue, bordered
III cleaning disks, like the centers of
peacock feathers. And above her head,
trembling On twisted wires of gold, are
half dozen nodding peacock piumes,
bending and waving TO every motion of
the lady's graceful figure.
Singing for q Kingdom
In and out, here, there, and every
where. In true comic opera fashion. these
characters wind their way and sing
their songs.
Judge Owl. If humans only knew it, is
a most effective basso. Relieved OF his
and his solo. AT Night" with which
the curtain rises. gave as much pleasure
| as any other number in the opera.
FRINGE Eagle is Louise Tozier, disguised
Lucille Nelson. as the knocking bird,
even talks like the bird General
Rooster deprived of his strut becomes
Frank Deane, and the successful COM
edy eff the role is then understood
These all have songs, but with the
exception of AT Night they did not
| find so much favor yesterday evening as
."Fhe Dainty Little Ingenue.' Il duet for
Robin Redbreast and the Dove-Doug-
| las Ruthven and Margaret Sayre; NO
Bird Ever Flew So High He Didn't Have
to Light" by Harry Bulger, as Blue
| Jay THE valley of Hocus Po,'' by
| the Blue Jay. the Owl, the Raven and
| the Rooster; and Thine is Flying" and
"rhe Message of Spring. by IGa Brooks
! Hunt as Miss Nightingale.
As Lady Peacock. impressive and
| Clever Emma Carus, was applaudef
| heartily for two songs. VIII You Be
My Little Bride?" and sort of Dan
| DAILY number, Society" Near the close
/ OF the onera all the birds entered sing
| ing contest, in which finally the award
| went, not to the Nightingale or the Lark,
| or Jenny Wren-who is Helen Hale. and
/ sings a coon song, 'If You Love ME.
| Indy" with fine effect-but TO Miss
Turtle Dove. for song somewhat on
| the order of THE Tale of the Bundle
bee" which is called 1.-The Tale of the
Turtle Dove"
| After this singing contest, when Blue
-