Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-08-15
OLYMPIC OPERA
HAS BEAUTY AND
|NCONSEQUENCE
Wherein The Golden Butterfly
Is True to Its Prototype
in Nature.
PLAYS AT THE NEWARK
AND PROCTOR'S BIG HITS
Fun at the Columbia and Other
Show HOuses.-Parks
Popular.

The life of a butterfly is but for a
day, and its sole apparent raison d'etre
is its beauty and in-consequence. the
latter a delight in itself. the former
appreciated more fully upon close
scrutiny. OF The Golden Butterfly
the Dekoven comic opera which Is
staged at Olympic Park this week, it
can safely be said that the inconse-
quence is there in force. As to it's
beauty, hat must lie in the ears of its
hearers. and might prove a matter of
dispute. And its life, if but for a day,
would be but slightly mourned.
Fla below the standard set by Regi-
Maid DeKoven in his enduring robin
Hood" in musical if not in dramatic
value, THE Golden Butterfly" fails to
make an appeal. The recurring strains
of a really lovely melody do not at
all offset the cheap vulgarity of the
would-be humor injected into the lines.
and it IL for this latter fault that one
could with entire equaninity watch 1t
disappear into the cocoon whence it
emerged a few seasons 60. The theme
is excellent, and as developed presents
dramatic climaXes, but these are again
resolved weakly, and the effect. Ia lost.
The music at times rises high above
the average OF the jingles dressed up
as musical comedy, and "The Golden
Butterfly music, "Memory's Garden
and Heart of Wine" will live long
after the piece in its entirety has gone
over TO the great majority.
The story is of a Hungarian chorus
girl, lima, and her composer-lover,
Franz. He has gone to Paris to sell
his opera and become famous and she
is struggling hard at home to rise
among singers. Neither is successful,
but. ashamed, each deceives the other
as to fortune. The dissolute director
of the opera at Buda-Pesth, in love
with lima. determines to give her a
leading part in a new opera, of which
he declares himself the composer. The
condition. If she makes a success, IS
that she marry him. She appears, de-
spite the ill-tempered Lima, prima don
ma, who is inveigled away by Franz,
returned from Paris and masquerading
as an enamoured Russian prince. Franz
is the real composer of the opera and
is finally able to s~ubstantiate his claim.
Then lima is freed of her condition
and the curtain falls before the happy
reunited couple.
Miss Blanche Morrison was. as usual,
an entirely satisfying heroine, and was
ably seconded by a welcome newcomer,
Charles Purcell, in the role OF Franz.
Mr.. Purcell played the same part In
the original production and brings to
it a long experience, besides a most
pleasing light baritone. Robert Lett
was amusing as the droll, happy-go-
lucky one the direction and was forced
to repeat "Set Me Among the Girls.
1t is a pity that George Shields. of
whomg SO little has been heard here
this season, and who has established
himself so firmly by reason of his fine
voice and engaging personality. should
have a minor part. Expectation that
he would be supplied with songs was
changed to distinct disappointment
that no opportunity to hear him other
han IN chorus was afforded.
The other members of the cast are
satisfactory and the chorus is amt
mated LOUISE X. HARDY.