New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-03
THE FREELY"
New Operetta by Rudolf FrlmI
Presented at the Lyric.
TRENTlNl IN FINE VOICE
Gets Ovation After Second Act
and Sings an Encore Be-
fore Curtain.

SINGER who can sing Is sufficiently
novel FOO musical plays in this country to
guarantee success to even mediocre
operetta. Emma Trentini. who brought
"The Firedy'' 10 the Lyric Theatre last
night. though she Is a loss to grand opera.
ie a great gain TO the frivolous stage.
She can sing. the gods be praised; she
certainly can sing. Her voice mounts
over those Of her musical comedy asso-
ciates Ike the pure note Of triumph over
a field ~ war and turmoil. Especially in
tbe little song, "Gianina." in the first act,
IN, far the best bit OF music in the piece.
Nile. Treutlni showed her spirit CLAN
ina" has an the sweetness and sponta-
neous fire Of the folk music that Is sung
IN the streets OF Naples and Florence, and
Trsntlri threw herself into it with most
unfeirned enthusiasm The singing of ii
was quite an unusual incident in New
york musical comedy. but was no less
bnariously received by a grateful au-
dlence for al that.
The situation was well arranged Tren-
tint rs a little italian waif known az the
Firefy IS singing on a New York
recreation pier just as a yachting party
e about TO sail from there for Ber-
rouda. Her singing disturbs the emotions
Of yachtsman Jack, who has already
hound himself 70 a blond Gibson girl,
also sailing for Bermuda. Through a
maneuvre on the part Of the page and
the maid Of the yacht, the Firehy Dor
rows some clothes from a street gamin.
and, as Tony a little Italian boy, applies
for q place in the choir Of the music
master, Herr Franz, who Is another
member Of the Bermuda party. Herr
Franz tells Tony TO sing something 1t
Is then that Tony. first timidly. but soon
forgetting everything except the song.
breaks into the first notes Of "Gianina"
With rising excitement and with eyes
gazing straight ahead. seeing nothing.
the little street boy sings his trial song.
faster and faster. finally breaking into
the tripping refrain with characteristic
fire. Applause could hardly wait for the
climax last night, and when il did come
was so insistent that the singer had to
repeat the whole scene. At the end of
the second act, when Trentini received
armfuls OF flowers and an ovation of
clapping. mixed with "bravos" she ran
before the velvet curtains for the dozenth
time, and. signalling her conductor, broke
into Gamma" again. 1t seemed as
though this song was her favorite. al
though after the play the "whistling
tune with which the orchestra sent the
crowds out into the street was the waltz
number. Sympathy"
As for the rest of the play it was in
three acts. with two scenes in New York
and one in Bermuda Toward the end of
the second act the masquerading Tony
went back to glrldom again, thereby al
most breaking the heart of the music
master who was about to adopt Tony as
his SON.
Three years elapse before the yachting
party again is seen, assembled in a New
York drawing room. Jack and his Gibson
girl are about 10 be unhappily married.
Jack cannot forget the strange little
Firedy that both as girl and pretended
boy caught his fancy and then disap-
peared. The Gibson girl, fortunately an
ticipatpg the climax, has fallen in love
with some one else.
Just before the ceremony begins the
doors burst open and the great opera
singer from Europe, Nine. Gamma, comes
in. 1t is Firehy. Of course. She sings
kiss Me and It's Day" lin Italian. the
hero kisses her and It's the end.
Gaetano Merola. who for the first time
conducted an orchestra for musical com
edy, put a great deal OF spirit into his
musicians. once the brasSes and drums
became 50 excited that they tore the air
and quite overwhelmed even the searching
high notes Of Trentini. But IL happened
only once.
With the exception OF "Gianina." which
was truly Italian In tone, Rudolf Frimls
music was more on the Viennese order.
The leading waltz, sympathy" was a
typical Vienna composition.
Ruby Norton and Sammy Lee did some
clever "entr'plot' dancing. Roy Atwell
won favor for his comedy endeavors ana
as the leading tenor Craig Campbell had
a pleasing voice, although 1t seemed to
require tremendous effort in the using.
THE FREELY" especially in its first act,
is pleasantly entertaining. Otto Hauer-
bach has made his plot a little thicker
here. Later on there are too many rather
thin lyrics. But Trentini, and her "Gia-
nina" song particularly, are worth hear
ing
CAST OF THE FREELY"
gvtu Vsndare Vera de Rosa
Suzette 10y NJ soll
lieiro NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. sammy Lte
Geraldine Nandare. .............. AUDREY Mdpie,
Jack 1raVcrs. .............ss tIdiE NdHipDVli
John ThuTston. ........-. AelNliIe Ste"aI.
Mrs Ogiesby Vandare. ......K katherine Stewart
ra,kire ............... Roy Atwell
Eerf Franz. .i4el'4H NVeo,
ANA lima
Antonio Colli-r DO ................Ir Irene Cassini
Norrcll s........s....ss..s s.NeVibc "ii4oi"0
pup1TzJhpnm pTGTNG T0T1R