Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-09-23

ar THR Rhks,.,}|

Y What Hugh fl. Huhn. OF the Mem
phis Commercial Appeal has to say Of
the Merry Countess" which orens
the Elks' Theater tonight.
Once again delightful music flows
from that exhaustless vienne fountain
Of harmony. and once again the name
Of Johann Strauss was Mvidly Inn
pressed on the minds Of all who heard
1.-THE Merry Countess" which was pre-
scented at the aLyceum Theater last
night 49,
1t is the true type Of the opera
bouffe, a school almost forgotten.
With its keen comedy, It's scintillatins
melodies and brilliant DEMONSTRATION, it
10 bound to please. Strauss, with all
OF the ardor, the harmony and the
Austrian understanding has written
music that will live long after he has
joined .ather5 distinguished members of
his family When we listen to the
lifting rhythm of "The Merry Coun-
tess" we cannot help regretting that
the days of Gilbert and Sullivan, Of
Senbach, Won Suppe and others of a
reminiscent school cannot return.
There iist dawn of hope, however,
when we have musical compositions
Of so much excellence.
While the book which Gladys Unger
has supplied drags at times, the thiro
act is q gem, and from the laughing
point Of view it is one of the best we
have had in many seasons. There used
TO be an old accepted theory among
our Puritan fathers that Laughter was
an ungenteel emotion. but II Jack
Henderson had appeared before the
blue-stockinged colony the edict might
have been rescihded and the theory Of
Thomas Hood would have been substi-
tuted that laughter is the nill-bloown
flower OF which the smile is but the
bud. & a.. icy 4 W. 3s ~. s. :
But the comedy Of 1.-The Merry Coup-
TESS" is the least part 81 ii. 1t is the
continuous flow Of harmony, the ex-
Quisite melodies that necessarily ring
IN the ears and appeal to those whose
hinds eSnot1 npall u NV attunsd
4 "The Merry Countess" enjoyed run
for over year at the Lyric Theater in
London and six months at the Casino
IN New York. Under the personal 81 q
rection Of Samuel E. Rork, it was Civ
en- its first Memphis production last
night and incidentally opened the sea-
son at the Lyceum Theater.
Like most Of the operas Of the viens
nese sohbol, 1.-The Merry Countess
starts In listless way, but gathers q
steady crescendo, II interest as the
subsequent acts unfold themselves.
Samuel Rork has never given Mem
phis people an indifferent show. His
people are the best, the scenic and
costuming details are carefully pro-
vided for and in the little things that
are so often overlooked he is again the
wise proyider fsE&Sfs = va
1t Is not necessary to tell the story
| Of "The Merry Count tess. It has been
I told SO often in the current maya
zines. IT'S plot is very thin and has
little to do with the success of the
opera. It is the volume Of harmony
| which carries convictions with it.
The artistic lines Of the original are
| closely followed and it may be said
consistently that musicallyg > THE
Merry Countess" is one Of the best Or
last seasons productions. Kasr "a -,
Too much cannot be said in respect
to the company which MIR. Rork intro
duced last night Mabel Baker, as the
Countess Cliquot sang herself into
Me sunshine Of permanent success.
She required no introduction. The
first melodious flow from her yielding
throat carried conviction with it. 1t
was kind nature who taught the mock.
Ing birdshow to sing. and 1t, was the
same generous mother. of us all WHO
gave the gift Of song to this fascinat.
ing singer. Miss Barker not only
sings delightfully."- but she Is an act-
ress Of exceptional ability. She queen
ed 1t over, all others in the title role,
She reveled in the riotous wealth of
song provided by Strauss and physi-
cally was the perfection Of the part.
Carl Haydn is another member Of
the company who quickly sang HIM
self into favor. With no apparent eff
fort he sang and his voice was clear
and appealing. Few tenors have such
perfect control and few voices have
such sympathetic tenderness Of tone.
In the Blue Danube number he lulled
even those inclined to be critical in