The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-16
"THE SNOW MAN."
SHUBERTS MOST AMBITIOUS PRODUCTION AT HYPERION

Big Audience Enthusiastically Receives
 Premier Performnnce--A Thoroughly
 MeritOrious Piece = Performances
 Again This Afternoon and Evening.
 The much heralded appearance of the shuberts' new opera "The Snow Man" which appeared at the Hyperion last night, fully measured up to the most sanguine hopes of both managers and audience. Reginald deKoven, the famous composer of a score of operatic hits, wrote the music, while his no less distinguished colleague, Stanislaus Stange, was the author of the words.
 "The Snow Man is the most ambi- tious production that the Shuberts have yet sponsored. Money has been law ished like water on the show, and the outlay has not been in vain, for the piece Is worth all the money and care that has been expended upon it. Good comic operas are scarce enough nowa- days and getting scarcer all the time, SO Wll6n u IlldlIdSCA uOVG SCN AlOAu OA Ne meritorious show he is willing to spend an amount of money in producing it that would have been deemed absolute ly fabulous ten years ago. This is the policy the Shuberts have followed in the case of "The Snow Man" and it is safe prophecy that the wisdom of their heavy investment in the new pro- duction will be amply justified when 1t is taken down to New York for its metropolitan run.
 "trhe Snow Man" Is on the shadowy border line between an opera and a musical comedy-which latter, by the way is itself a hybrid type of recent growth. Its authors called it, Ia fantas- tical musical play" meaning, probably, a musical play of fantasy, for that is the adjective which best describes "The Snow Man" In spirit it is utterly diff ferent from the board and often vulgar tone of the present light operas. This light opera has plot an actual tangi- ble plot that one can put his finger on, and one that reads like an excerpt from the most delicate of Nathaniel Hawthorne's prose fancies. It tells of the woes of a snow man brought to life and subsequently, made wretched by the coIdness of human kind toward him. He comes into existence in the first place in fulfillment of, condition that the girls father makes to her lover and which of course the father thought impossible to carry out. But the lover has a magic liquid which will vivify everything it is used upon, and he utilizes the spell to comply with the hard condition of his marriage. The snow man, once brought to life, can be laid again, only by granting his first wish or by inducing him to wish him. self lifeless snow image again.
 The snow man, however, falls in love with the young mans betrothed, whom he wishes for his own bride and the subsequent complications form the basis for the third act of this charm ing opera Much genuine humor is in troduced by the characters of Genera Groseman, a part of which was clever ly played by Frank Deshon, and Prof MIaximilian Hooker Charlatan Extraor- dsnary, which was the part assumed by Willie Edoin, the star of the piece, and by hi mcarried out to the summation ot ludicrosness. Ariella, cousin to Mephis. to, and brother to Ariel if names mear anything, who is the spirit of the magic phial, adds an elphin atmosphere that was delightfully."- brought out by tht leading lady, Vera Michelena.
 The scene of the play is laid in Liege Flanders, in 1887, time and place givD ing ample opportunity for the richest O costuming and stage setting. The glet chorus was large, tuneful and comedy and as for the magnificence of thei dresses verify Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one.
 ''The Snow Man" will be again at tn, Hyperion this afternoon and evening It is a thoroughly meritorious ligh opera, and we'll worth anybody's going ve.