Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-12
AMUsEM ENTs.
"The Merry Widow" Sumptuous In
Every Detail Closes Local Season.

1.-THE Merry WIDOW, SumptuouS IN
Every Detail Closes Local Season.
| Sumptuous and even gorgeous in all
of it's details of dress, furnishings. ac-
cessories and settings Savage's THE
Merry Widow" from the Hungarian
operetta, Die Lustige Witwe' came to
the Odeon for the first time Wednesday
night and made an appropriate seas
on's closing for the higher class at
fractions.
While the cast brought nothing re-
ma rkable in singing voices, the pro-
duction was one of the most gorgeous
ly complete in all its major and minor
details that has ever been shown from
a local stage The cast from the name
part to the "beauty chorus which in
cidentally went a long way toward
fulfilling the advertisea1claims for its
physical charms, was sthoroughiy good
and very competent.
The music, which is by Franz Lehar,
is on the whole excellent, some of the
numbers ranking far above the aver
age of the musical shows and so-called
musical comedies. One Of the features
that amplified and added to the charm
of the music was the orchestra, which.
by the way, was the Same which de-
lighted those who sawif' Madam But
terfly" in the spring of>19oS.
There is much more OF a plot and
story in "The Merry Widow" than
most of the plays that pretend to be
lightly operate make pretense or
telling. Briefly told the story is OF
Prince Danilo, an embassy attache,
who, because Of his uncle's objections,
breaks his engagement to Sonic, the
Young and dashing widow, who, at the
time of the broken betrothal winch
was prior to the commencement of the
stage story of the play was maiden.
In the meantime Sonic weds, and is
bereayed of her husband, who leaves
her many millions and the way clear
tor her to come by the name of 'fhe
Merry Widow"
Sonia. now a widow, and the prince
meet for the first time since the former
was married and bereaved. She up
braids him for breaking his betrothal,
accusing him Of having cast her off be-
cause of her poverty and lack or soclai
position. She declares he will prob
ably seek her hand in marriage now
because Of the wealth. Therefore ne
vows that he will never ask her 10
marry him again, despite the tact that
the princes family and relatives are III
dire straits financially. The contest De-
tween the two, as to whether the decia-
ration of love shall or shall not be
made, furnishes the theme and OF
course, love wins in the end. Incl
denitally the flirting and love making
of wives, and the gossip OF their SO
doing furnishes byplay for the piece
Miss Mabel WILDER, who for two
years has played the part. was the
merry widow" Miss WILDER Is a splen-
did actress and possesses a good but
not remarkable voice. George Damerel,
who has been in the part for three
years, played prince Danilo." Mr..
Damerel can not sing, but he portrayed
the part Of the dissipated and dashing
prince we'll Oscar Figman, In the part
of "Popoffff, the Marsovian ambassa-
dor" and Miss Gertrude Hutchinson.
who was cast as Natalie. his wife. we're
both fairly good The latter has u
pleasing voice. All of the other more
important parts were well taken. Miss
| Winifred Marshall. who as Olga sang
villa" in the second act, showed a
remarkably sweet voice that, for quail
ity, was the best of the cast.
Life in the French cafe. In all its
realism, was portrayed in the closing
act In the scene of Maxim's in Paris.
The scenery for this act is copied from
part of this famous restaurant. The
orchestra of four pieces that played
from the balcony Of this last scene, are
native Hungarian musicians.
The company that played THE Merry
Widow" here has been out for ninety
weeks. It closes it's long run at Gales
burg. Ill. Saturday night.