The Washington herald., 1910-01-25
THE NATIONAL.
"The Merry Widou.u

ne merry WHOM
After an absence Of nearly a year, that
most graceful and pleasing of ladies, THE
Merry Widow" returned for a second visit
10 the National last night
To go into any details concerning the
score or the story of the Widow would
be more than superluous. The one has
been played and whistled over both hemi-
spheres-the other is almost as familiar
| through the constantly changing audiences
that have seen and have been captivated
by the Viennese lady and her retinue.
The principal reason for the success of
''[The Merry Widow lies in the beauty
and the purity Of the musical score. The
waltz music of Vienna. since and before
the days Of Johann Strauss, has been the
model for the whole world. The power to
please the popular ear and at the same
time to yield to no temptation TO sacrifice
the dignity OF the meaning of music is
a rare gift. Franz Lehar in his compo-
sitions for THE Merry Widow" has
, proved himself the greatest example or
that school Of operate music known as
comic opera that we have to-day. Music
of this grade is an education. II has be-
come the standard by which inferior sue
! cessors are unavoidably compared.
| The score of The Merry Widow" fairly
vibrates with harmony and rich melody
from the predominating waltz movements
TO the less familiar, but equally endur-
| ing, marches, or the wonderful wild Hun
garian czarda which opens the second
act. This latter composition has hardly
engaged the attention which it deserves.
Through It Lehar has given us a very
vivid picture OF the Magyar music. the
whirling. passionate dance, the wild
shouts. the almost fanaticaI way in
which the people of Southeastern Eu-
rope arouse themselves to intense excite
ment
It was sometime after the opera was
produced for the first time IN this coun-
try that the people at large woke TO the
fact that there were other compositions
Of note beside the world-famous waltz. But
now one awaits almost as eagerly the
haunting song of the prince. "Maxim's:'
Villa with its love song Of the wild
people of the Hungarian plains; THE
Cavalier and its peculiar lit. and Nata-
lies opening solo, II Am a DutlfuI
Wife" These and all the other of the
compositions which Lehar has so plenti-
fully bestowed this opera charm one al
most as much as the sensuous, appealing,
clinging waltz-"the waltz that has set
two continents dancing"
IN the present company there are a
number Of the same principals that were
seen here last spring Notable among
these are Frances Cameron. who stH
dances and sings and acts with the same
grace and perfect ease with which she
did before and no higher praise than
this can be given TO her Then. IN the
part of the ambassador, there is the
same Robert Graham. with the same
mannerisms which have grown TO be |
part Of the character as depicted by him. /
F, J. Mccarthy is still the Nova Kovich. |
and Charles Kaufman the Marquis Cas- /
cade.
But the principal newcomer in the cast
is Charles Meakins. in the role OF the
Prince. Comparisons are VIGOROUSLY
odious, but a comparison Of the present
actor with Donald Brian-the actor whom .
We saw in the part when the lady last
visited us-is almost inevitable. But il !
must be said that the comparison is. if
anything. in favor Of the present Prince. +
He is as good looking as Brian. dances i
as well Cand those who saw the former
actor in the role will know that that IS
saying a good dead, and has an even
better voice. SO 1t will be seen that the /
present performance is up 10 the stand
ard Of the former in all things. and /
not, as is so often the case. merely the
same play with mediocre actors and the
same costumes that are worn in the be-
ginning.
There is only one Merry Widow" and |
we are told that this is 70 be her last
visit to US; but, swanlike, she is most
melodiOus and beautiful in her end, for
the producers have spared no pains to
make the present trip surDass even the
former and 10 be a thing to be remem-
bered and recalled as a criterion for the
comedies that will follow after.