The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-04-30
The Free Lance.

al lllc Ol SdCuIudy
will be seen Klaw & changers pre-
senattion of the Sousa Opera COM
pany, in which Joseph Cawthorn is
the stellar feature in John Phillip
Sousa and Harry B. Smiths new mil
itary comic opera entitled "The Free
Lance" which was first produced last
season and ran for months at the New
Amsterdam theatre. New York. The
cast and ensemble is the original one,
the main factors being Joseph Cav
thorne, Nella Bergen, jeanette Low
rie, sAlbert Hart. George Schiller,
Stanley Murphy. Monte Elmo, George
Tallman and other singers and COM
edians of prominence. There is a
singing chorus of seventy voices
which is said to be the best ever
heard in Klaw & Erlanger produc-
ton and good enough for opera of
any kind. "The Free Lance" is call
ed a genuine comic opera and a re-
turn I'd the happy spirited and genu-
inely musical compositions of the
legitimate comic opera class, few of
which have been heard in this coun-
try since the Gilbert and Sullivan
successes.
It is claimed that John Philip Sousa
has composed score of musical num-
bers in "The Free Lance" that for
quality would put to. blush most of
the compositions that have been
evolved from native musicians for
many day. while Harry B. Smith
has contributed briskly moving in
teresting book, full of bright lyrics
and funny lines klaw & Erlanger
hnya o{uov, ssrTba Elran 7 0na, Of
those sumptuous productions for
scenic establishment is picturesque
and beautiful, the costumes of regal
magnificence but always in good
taste. An idea of the story of the
opera may be CLEANED from the fol-
lowing:
The treasury of the Emperor of
Braggadocia being empty, in order to
repIenish it he decides to wed his
daughter, Princess Yolande. to Prince
Florian. son of the Duke of Craft
ana The. latter is willing that his
son should Senter upon this match
for the very same purpose. But
Princess .Yolande has scruples about
finding husband in such a cut-and-
dried manner. On the eve of the
Dukes arrival she disappears, and
the Emperor in order not to disap-
point the Duke. introduces Grlselda,
a goose-girl and shepherdess as his
daughter. Prince Fl0rian. for the
same reason as the Princess. also
keeps aloof, so the Duke orders his
soldiers to find his son, or at least
provide substitute. whereupon they
compel Siegmund Lump Joseph Caw-
thorn) to impersonate the Prince. In
the meantime the real Prince and
Princess, disguised as peasants. meet
and promptly fall in love, and when
Siegmund and Griselda are intro
duced to one another they find they.
are already man and wife. When it
is discovered that both the Emperor
and the Duke have been financing
their offspring for the purpose of re-
plenishing the treasury and that
neither country has gained any adj
vantage thereby, war is declared,
GriseIdaj commanding the Amazon
army Of Braggadocia. while her hus-
band, Lump, is made commander-in-
chief of that of Graftiana. The story
as may be seen affords plenty of
scope for comic complications and
l1appy,s humorous episodes Of which
the. excellent comedians of the COM
pany take full opportunity. A COM
plete orchestra of trained musicians
accompanies the organization.