The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-16
DETRoIr OPERA HOUSE.
Alma. sweet Alma,
nh ~ghara 40 vou live -

On. where. dc. you Iiye2-2-
That's the way Il starts on, and II
( you are not whistling IL or hnmming
Il already you probably viii be ere
The week H. over. for it's quite the
catchiest melody of the year.
"Aima's" present address is the De-
rcit opera house. and shes here for
the week. After you've see her you
no longer wonder why she's been SO
popular in the east She6has wonder
fully fascinating ways, has Miss Alma,
and her gowns, well. they're simply
dreams. and no mere man critic could
DO expected TO do justice TO them 30
we'll just let IL go at that.
George v. Hobart is given credit tor
the English version OF Alma, Where
DO Won Live" which Is now offered
In Detroit for the first time. The orig
inal Ia described as a French yande-
ville,' by Paul Herye, with music by
Jean Briquet Over here IL would be
classified as a sort o. musical farce
It has been reported that the ORIG.
lnal bordered on the risque, judged
from American standards. There are
evidences OF judicious prunig in Mr..
some persons, perhaps, he could have
made the Job even a trifie more thor
ough, but that's a matter of opinion.
On the whole it's a pleasing diversion
for cold winters night, and the
music throughout is delightful
The story Is simple enough II has
its inception in a peculiar will lett by
one Ambrose Cadillac. After taking
care OF numerous relatives, provided
they 1--we UP 10 certain conditions that
are ell but impossible OF fulfllment,
the old man has bequeathed the bulk
OF his fortune four million francs, TO
his adopted son. Pierre lie Peach, an
.unsophisticated country boy, but he
Is not TO come into the Inheritance
until he is 81 years old and then only
ON condition that he has not fallen in
love with or proposed TO any girl up
to that time. The will had been exc
cnted some years before, and when
Il Is read in the presence OF the bene-
hciaries, Pierre is within one day OF
attairing his majority.
4 Tho blood relatives, Theobold Mar
tin and his household, are thrown in
10 panic by the conditions imposed
and the discovery that the bulk of the
fortnne Is 10 fall TO the adopted son.
They enter into a plot 10 cheat him
out OF II by inducing Alma, a coquet-
tish young milliner, to make love TO
him Alma persuades Pierre 10 visit
her in her boudoir and, under the In
fuence of champagne. Pierre Is rem
dered quite susceptible 10 her wiles,
but Alma comes to really love the
young fellow and refuses TO carry out
her part OF the plot. She puts the
country pumpkin to bed, to sleep OF
his Jag. and the next day he learns,
much to his surprise, that ne is still
free 10 claim his fortune. Then, when
the fateful hour has passed. he makes
love to Alma In his sober senses and
ID accepted.
Miss Vera Michelena, as Alma, is
decidedly attractive, with plenty of
magnetism and voice of uncommon
sweetness. The song. Alma runs
all through the piece and fits into the
situations naturally. Robert Dore
givesa capital portrayal of the un-
sophisticated Pierre and incidentally
brings to his command a robust bari
tone William III. Power shines in the
principal comedy role. that OF the gay
old blade, Theobold Martin. His
female impersonation In the boudoir
seemed scream. Miss Bertha Whit
ney. as Mrs. Martin Miss Madeleine
Sorel, as Germaine, her daughter, and
Miss Shiril Rives, as Louise, house
maid. are the other women In the
cast, and they meet all the require
mentE. Others worthy OF mention are
Edouard Durand. as jealous count,
IL love with Alma; Walter Lehman,
as Piguart, detective, and Ezra
sthew, as CASTOR. Martins prospec-
tive sonin-law
Next to Alma" the most entranc-
Ing musical number is Love Me-"
and ~ called forth several encores,
Monday night.
For next week, the Detroit opera
house management has underlined
The Girl of My Dreams with John
Hyams and Leila Mcintyre. The music
Is bN Karl Hoschna.
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