The Washington herald., 1908-05-24
NEW YORK THEATERS.

Special Correspondence Tho Washington Herald.
New York. May 23-"The Gay Musi-
cian." the new comic opera at Wal
lacks Theater. which followed "a
Knight for a Day." after the latter's long
run, on Monday evening. is something
better than the musical comedies Of
horse-play and bizarrerie with which we
are overfamiliar. The book is by Messrs.
SiedIe and Campbell. new names In the
prolific directory Of llbrettists, with the
score from the trained pen Of Julian Ed
wards. Both the makers Of the book and
the composer have striven for a better
standard. The plot is engagingly farci-
cal and the music dainty. refined, and
pleasing without distinct originality and
yet never lacking in the musicianly quail
tiles TO be expected from the composer OF
The Magic Kiss and Dolly Warden"
1t was played before one OF the most
fashionable first-night audiences Of the
season Without rivaling the success OF
some of the Viennese importations, it af-
forded everybody most pleasing enter
tainment and Is likely 10 prove a popu-
lar attraction.
The story cleverly handles the embar-
rassment Of Eugene Dubois, an Ameri-
cani0ed Frenchman, who has composed
a comic opera for the Novelty Theater OF
New York, and stakes everything on his
ambitious effort to have It produced. His
embarrassment begins when II is an
nounced that Lyons, the manager OF the
Novelty; Maude Granville, the prima
donna. and Hilda Branson, the soubrette
OF the theater. with a number of their
friends. are coming TO visit him at his
pretty summer home at Bensonhurst. In
order 70 hear the score OF his opera.
Dubois has made violent love to Prina
Donna Maude Granville In town in or
der 70 interest her In securing a produc-
ton OF his work, knowing her influence
with Lyons, who Is one OF her worshipers
But Dubois is already married TO the
charming Marie. How charming Marie
is may be inferred from the circum-
stance that the part is played by Sophie
Brandt, who recently scored hit in
The Waltz Dream" at the Broadway
Theater, as the leader OF the ladies' or
chestra in that melodlous operetta- There
Is nothing for II but 10 confess 10 Marie
that he has represented himself 10 be n
single man. and that he must keep up the
deiusion or despair Of having mis- opera
produced
Inc volatile Frenchman proposes that
Marie's fat German mother. who was
once a famous circus rider. shall mass
for his landlady and Marie herself for
the housemaid. You can imagine their
Indignation. but as desperate cases re-
quire desperate remedies. and the opera
must be produced at any price. they con-
sent, and the insouciant Eugene. for the
time being. becomes their boarder.
What happens when Lyons and the
leading members OF his company arrive
IS essentially a matter OF painful detail
however enjoyable the effect. The prina
donna Is fire and flame for the liveIv
composer. and Immediately arouses
Marie's jealousy and her mothers in
dignaton, while the gaseous Eugene is
put 10 his wits ends 10 devise ways for
keeping his wife and not losing his
chance OF producing his opera.
The incidents in this act are genuinely
amusing. The composer has rehearsed
the village choral society in some OF the
ensembles OF MS opera. and Maude has
learned to sing My Dashing Soldier
Boy. Eugene hiEAself sings seductive
madrigal, Lovelight," which runs all
through the opera like a silver thread.
Marie plays the accompaniment on the
piano on the rose-covered porch OF the
house. The nimble-footed Hilda has a
coQuettish solo dance, and the climax Is
capped when Marie's mother. TO oblige
Capt Fish, an old lover OF hers, who has
just returned from twenty-five years OF
exile on coral island. induces the old
lady 10 don her pink tarletan riding
skirts and feshings and live again for
a brief moment through her triumphs in
the circus ring.
But an irrelevant episode is introduced
when this elderly person falls into the
bayou, and being rescued by the doughty