The Washington times., 1906-10-09
NatiOnal-JefersOn De Angels in "ThI
Girl and the Governor"

Girl and the Governor"
It needed no ghost come from the
grave OF first performances to tell one
last night that friends Of the authors
were present in force at the National
Theater "The Girl and the Governor"
a new comic opera by Julian Edwards
and j. NJ Brenner. was on trial ana 70
the uninltiatcd tbeatergoer the verdict
seemed Overwhelmingly Favorable.
Julian Edwards musical successes
have made him as well known 10 the
public as JEFFERSON De Angels, the star
of The production But s. NJ. Breuner
is a new Richmond in the field of
hbrelusts and critical interest last
night centered on his share Of the new
theatrical Offering.
The plot OF The Girl and the Gov
ernor' is quite as attenuated as the pro-
verbally impossible comic opera usual
By offers. and iu the hands Of a less
gifted comedian than De Angels The
stars lines would be considered most
commonplace One would never have
suspected this. however, from the tu-
multuOus applause of Afr Brenner's Bal
umore friends when given the slightest
prOVOcauOn. The appreciation was so
manifest that IL soon became transpar-
eut and served 70 discount the applause
which at times was really deserved
AiT De Angels haC several numbers
which took well.
His last song, Have You Ever Heard
lt Told That Way Before, was d fea-
ture Of the evening. AS "a whole, how
ever, the play does not afford the staI
20 good an opportunity es he has had
On some OF his earlier successes TIE
4 book does not by any means sparkle
IN .HaHHI saH... Ia
Mr Edwards has given The public
some exceedingly catchy and melOd-
lous airs in his latest composition
some OF the numbers stand out as ~
the duet rendered by Miss Wentworth
and Mr.. Ling in the first act. fFdTe-
well, Fond Dreams The composer has
ln several numbers borrowed Hberally
from old Spanish airs, or, at least atrs
accredited with Spanish names. but t4t
locale Of the play makes this entirely
permissible.
The cast and chorus we're on the
#hoIef sausIdcJoi4. MISS EsLrile " ei,t'
worth, who sang the role of Ruth Gran
vile. the English Btrl, has soprano
DI wide range and rare sweetness
Richie Ling. as Dick kingsley cap
tured the honOrs Of the evening, in tne
contingent OF male voices with clear
lyric tenor. Henry Nogelr as the med
iCl1c man. was given hearty applause
after his vocal numbers ln WHieA Ala
rich bass was Wen handled Miss Maude
Ieakley. as the SenOTlJd, showed tilal
she possessed q powerful, and, on lht
whole. musical voice but soueHLlAi
lacking iu feeling. All OF Mr. DE Ange-
lis assistants could with profit improve
their hisJrlOuic talents.
The chorus ia The Girl and the
Governor is one of the operas most
effective features. The members sang
with an ease and unity that is seldom
heard in premier production. Both the
male and female voices were rdu and
musical
The program states that the opera
IS produced under the personal super
vision Of Mr. De Angels, and such be-
ing the case be should be given unstlnJ-
ed praise for the richness Of the cos
tunes and brilliant but not jarring ef-
feet OF the color scheme I'm which
Spanish red and yellow are the predOml-
mating shades.
A peculiar feature OF The Girl and the
Governor. Is that men and women of
the chorus are distiuguishaDle by their
trousers and skirts There is no dis
play of lingerie. and. In spite Of the
Well-ErOunded belief Of producers, the
audience seemed 10 appreciate the more
ueroTDU= idea
Rather am amusing oversight is TO De
observed In the first act in which the
home OF the governor is shown with
glass Wlndows-and the time Of the
play is 1880, when queen Bess alone
could boast such "a luxury But why
should such an auaChIOnism be mention
ed when Mr.. De Angels In the next act
sings of the Home of the Brave and
the Land OF the Free" D." and saJiTiZes the
affairs OF the present day2
one of the charms of comic opera
however, is their responsibility After
the first act author, composer, and stan
were brought before the curtain. but, iu
spite of the iusisteut demands. nC
speech was forthcoming