Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-10
-- Rr-n
FEA IHEN
SUNG AGAIN
DE KoVEN OPERA PRESENTED AT
THE MASON
MISS cHERIDAH SIMPSON HAS
TITLE ROLE
Musical Honors of the Performance
Fall to Gus Vaughan and to an
Exceptionally Strong
Male Chorus
BY sIDLE LAWRENCE

"Red Feather" romantic comic opera
In two acts, the music by Reginald De
Koven and the book by Charles Klein.
was presented at the Mason opera house
last night by a cast which included Miss
Cheridah Simpson in the title role and
Gus Vaughan as the crown prince. The
opera has been heard here before, and
under happier auspices. though there is
much that is praiseworthy in the current
presentation, notably the singing of Mr..
Vaughan and the fine ensemble work of
an unusually strong male chorus.
There is good music in "Red Feather" :"
1t isn't the kind that whistles readily, but
1t is colorful and some of the numbers
display musicianly quality that Is good
for the ear. AS for the lbretto, it pro-
ceeds along conventional lines, with fre
quent and lengthy interruptions by the
comedians; and an occasional Interrupt
tion to permit the Interpolation of a song
not in the score, an imitation or so, or
some other advertisement I think the
changes the book has undergone have not
enhanced its value 1t was a good book
to begin with. but it has been somewhat
marred in the rebinding.
Sings and Acts with Spirit
Miss Simpson both sings and acts the
role of Red Feather vigorously, with ad-
mirable spirit. Her voice gives every evil
dence of careful training and painstaking
practice. The natural tones have been
cultivated out of it. however, and the re-
sultant performance is automatically cor
rect, but somewhat mechanical. 1t is a
voice of ample volume and Miss Simpson
does not spare it.
AS | have already intmated. the best
thing musically in the entire performance
is the singing of Gus Vaughan Mr..
Vaughan has a really fine baritone of
pleasing quality and his song, prince
of Good Fellows" sung with a men S
chorus, was the biggest number on the
program. Later. in the quartet. "A Les
son in Love-" he scored again, despite
the efforts of William II. Conley. leading
comedian, to perform that larcenous feat
known among actors as stealing the
stage" The offense was so fragrant that
cannot believe 1t was done without in
structlon. If so, it merely constitutes an
other argument against the star, and in
favor of the stock system, whether in
opera or drama.
A Trio of Comedians
There are three comedians in "Red
Featnef -Mr. COnley, ttlcnarQ hafl ana
Frank II. Smith. They are funny but
there is too much of them. In the east,
It is said, audiences demand a surplus
age of foolery. Here in the west we can
get along with less and get along very
nicely, too. That opening scene of the
second act, for instance, drags intermin-
ably before Karl finally gives us "The
Humorous Ghost" which with it's chorus
was very well received last night.
Lyman Wheeler nas the tenor role
Perhaps Mr.. Wheeler is one of the best
tenors in light opera and perhaps he
isn't. I have no opinion to express, for
the sufficient reason that 1 couldn't hear
him over the orchestra.
Miss Margaret Burnham was literally
applauded for her solo, 1.-THE Rose and
the Breeze"
Miss Julia Curtiss offered several imi-
tations of stage celebrities. The only
original | had not heard CHANGED to be
George Cohan, and I have no hesitation
in saying that Miss Curtiss imitation of
Mr.. Cohan was the best thing she did.
The chorus is one of the strongest
vocally we have heard here in some time
and the concert numbers were all well
rendered