The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-04

The romantic opera of Colonial
times "Idyll of the Mill" will be Civ
en- under the auspices of the Stark
Lodge, No. |. o. o. f. Friday even
ing, Dec. II, 1915 in the Bennington
Opera House. The committee has
arranged with Mr.. Beardwood OF
North Adams to bring his entire COM
pany of ninety 900 people to play for
them.
The people of Bennington and vici-
nifty will be given a treat in comic
opera that has never been seen be-
fore The opera is noted for its beau
tiful scenery gorgeous costumes, spec
tacular scenes and electric calcium
light effects with beautiful orches-
tration. The opera is rich in comedy
while the spectacular and tragic is
neatly blended with vein OF satire
mostly in the hands of the Tory usur-
err Graspall runs through the opera.
in fact the effects of usury on man
kind is the theme OF the work. The
opera is so remarkable in this respect
that if all the music was taken away
and only the dialogue left very good
play would still be left
One of the thrilling scenes in the
"Idyll of the Milf is the departure of
the Minute men for Bunker Hill when
they hear the news of Lexington. 1t
is a scene which every patriot who
loves his country ought to see. for it
represents the method and spirit of
l775.
The old forfeit kissing game called
going to Rome" is one of the anus
ing duets. One of the prettiest nuns
bers is the swing song, by Tribulatioa
the Village coquette. All fshermen
should hear the fishing song and see
the fish they catch by the mill The
Idyll of The NIP is the only one. Of
Leavitt's numerous historic operas
which deal with the American Revo.
luton. Ri 4t k81t II
The story and plot of the oprea IS
undoubtedly the best of any OF Mr.
Leavitt's numerous operas, and like
all his works while of historic ma
ture has many lesson and moral for
the present day. The characters in
the Idyll of the Mill are undoubtedly
the clearest drawn of any Of Mr.. Lea
Wits creations. The Jolly miller
Flower, George Duggan is, as his
name suggests, a central figure in the
plot and brings out most OF the his
toric features Of the opera. with
Old Put at Bunker Hill in a beautiful
descriptive song.
: "Abijah Poddr, John Dollar the
Mill Boy is juvenile comedy role
wherein much nature is naturally
shown under most trying circum-
stances in his fishing song. "Amini-
dab Graspall" Danial Paro is a Won
derful role. sustaining and bringing
out the principal theme of the opera
Jack Knowlton." James c, Morton
is romantic hero part and the best
tenor role in the opera. Rose Mrs.
Francis O'Hearn the miller's daugh-
tCl, 10 do ouStoAof q iiiOot
beautiful soprano role. "Tribula-
tion," Miss Beulah Whitney. the VII
lage coquette who not only steals
Abijahs heart, but also the collec-
tive hearts of the audience with her
swing song. Wampum, the Witch,
the nemesis of the usurer Graspall
who saves the patriots at the front
from worse enemy at home, Miss
Florence Holloways rendition of this
role will be most pleasing.
"The Idyll of The Mill was first
called THE Minute Man" because all
the men of the cast excepting the
Tory Usurer Graspall are Minute Men
and leave for Bunker Hill, with old
Put as Gen. Israel Putnam was low
ingly called by his soldiers.
In the "Idyll of The Mill the spec
tacular side of stage craft is much in
evidence as many spectacular effects
are utilized aside from the great
storm scene of Act |. Abijah's Mini
ute men in Act ii engage with Tribu-
lation's Minute Girls in a Competitive
drill and beats anything of the kind
that Mr. Beardwood has ever at