The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-06
MIDSUMMER SHOWS
"THE FORTUNE TELLER"
SUNG AT OLYMPIC PARK.
Refined Bill at Proctor's-Good vaude-
vile offerings at Electric Park-Fine
Riding Stunts at Hillside Park.

When Victor Herbert composed 1.-THE
Fortune Teller he didn't let the fact
that 1t was to be a vehicle for the x
ploitation of a singing Coincidence
rob 1t of roles hat gave opportunity
to other singers. OF course, the dual
role of Musette and Irma, sung first
by Alice Nielsen, stands far to the
front. The fortune teller and the ballet
pupil Of the production of the comic
opera by the Aborn Company at
Olympic Park this week is Miss
Blanche Morrison. Because Miss Nor
rlson's forte in acting is as an ingenue
and because the airs belonging to the
part of the ballet girl are better suited
to her soprano, she was more pleasing
as Irma than as Musette, but even at
that, she was very good as the gypsy
girl. Her singing was as sweet and her
acting as good as ever.
Those who go to see the opera this
week will be pleased with Howard
Chambers's singing and acting of the
part of Sander. the gypsy musician.
Mr.. Chambers's strong, sonorous bass
was heard to good advantage, and his
singing OF "Slumber on, My Little
Gypsy Sweetheart" was encored sew
eral times.
Lymen Wheeler's tenor was not
| overtaxed as it has been in some of
the roles he has undertaken. He sang
the role Of Captain Ladislas, a Hunga-
rian Hussar, and fiance of Irma. He
did it tolerably well all the way through.
When he helped out Miss Edith
Bradford (Mlle. Pompom) In the duet.
But That Was in the Play" he did
his small part in such a way as to IN
nance the effect of Miss Bradford's
beautiful singing. Miss Bradford's
voice will disappoint no n In fact,
opera lovers who go to Olympic Park
will want to see and hear her often
again.
To an early ambition of Robert Lett,
who is Fresco, the ballet master. In
the production, the audience of last
night owe, and the audiences the rest
of the week will owe, much. Mr.. Lett
as a youth, trained to be a prizeighter
and in that way got to be quite ar
athlete. Now, athletics and comic opera
are far apart, but Mr.. Lett showed last
night how the one can be made to hell
out the other. A more agile ballet mas
ters it is safe to say has never beer
seen. The gyrations of this ballet mas
ter put the audience in roars. aided, o
course, by the funny lines that Harr,
B. Smith wrote for him.
The funny old count, who Is Away
composing (decomposing the libretis
has it at least once) music that will
become popular in time" was Phi
Branson. Mr.. Branson is we'll fitted TO
the part. Boris, Musette's father, wa
Irving Brooks. With Lett and Bransol
he made tine audience laugh for a soil
quarter of an hour in do You Folloy
| Me?" They had to keep it UP so lon
that they were almost physically e x
: hausted before the audience was salts
fed.
Those h filled the minor role
: were: Mamie Ford. May G. Arnc
E Joseph Frohoff, George Speedie, Mar
: garet Warren. Pearl Geller, Clara Mar
Il TIM, A.. Barbara. C. e. Coldren, ]. f
$ Souders, Pearl Geller, Florence Neil
s sen, May La Rue, Alice Drumwelle'
Val. Holman, James Mcdonald.
The chorus did justice to Herbert
: music, which in THE Fortune Teller
is very characteristic of the prolih
: author of varied-and good-music.
: Next week 1.-THE Bohemian Girl,
I Balfe's old opera. the airs of whicl
nearly everyone knows. will be sung.