The Washington herald., 1919-12-03
Which

a dexterity unequaled among COM
posers Of today.
Although the music OF Monsieur
Beaucaire" restores the standard of
light opera, the composer has not
gone out of his way to avoid the
conventions of the day. Thus a
waltz refrain supplies the recurring
theme in the music. as it has done
many times before. 1t is, however.
an innovation to introduce 1t at the
very beginning OF the work. Beau
caire's Red Rose" song is actually
the first solo in the opera. Nor is
that by any means the only waltz
tune There Is another in the
chorus of The Beaux and Bellies OF
Bath" and yet another appears as
refrain to Lady Mary's song, That's
a Woman's Way" in the second act.
Though The Red Rose" is the one
destined to he heard everywhere,
the others are not likely to be
passed over.
Next to the waltz, which is a lead
ing theme, one naturally turns in a
Messenger score, to the concerted
numbers, for II here that the art of
the musician finds its best opportu-
mites. There are two rather elabor-
ate finales, the first embodying THE
Red Minuet" danced in The Pump
Room" a graceful old-world meas
ure well suited alike to the scene
and the period. The choruses are
simple. but dexterously handled. and
both acts have a curtain" which
is as effective musically as it is
dramatically.
AS is well known, Messenger has
CIn nd ha Ia
almost as much at home as in his own
country. He is thus not likely to set
an English play to music of a pro-
nouncedly French character. In fact.
there are several numbers which have
| more of the characteristic English
| Tilt than Is to be met with the pro-
ductions of some English composers.
All that remains of the Frenchman Is
I the polished charm and deft finish
which he gives to each number. Yet
/ in some PAGES his musical ancestry
asserts itself and he appears as what
| he is, the successor OF the composers
who made the fame of French light
| opera One instance occurs early in
! the first act. 1t is difficult to say
| in what, exactly, consists the French
/ quality of the duet, "A Little More"
but it Enthusiastically continues the
! tradition. The quartet. mo Ofense,' -
I in the same act. has. on the contrary.
more affinity with the spirit Of Sulli-
van than with that OF French comic
I opera. There are other duets, Light
! ly, Lightly" in the first act, Say No
| More in the second. and I'VE Are
! Not Speaking Now" in the third, all
! of which are sure of success. An
| other concerted number is THE Honor
/ of War" in the last act.
There are in Monsieur Beaucaire -
at the lowest computation. half a
dozen solo songs which have every
! chance of making the rounds Of the
| town so soon as they have been
| heard. They vary in type from the
sentimental dittY to the robust song
with a right good swing. Apart from
the waltz song, 'Beaucaire" has two
| important numbers. In the third act
he has a pretty song of the sere-
made type with a swing-like motion
over a sustained note in the bass.
This number Under the Moon" is
going to be a drawing-room favorite
Lady Mary's part contains three
! important songs. The most ambitious
occurs toward the end Of the opera
The subject OF What Are Names
has a Shakespearean flavor. The
music makes OF it an effective ballad
with a tuneful refrain. The other
two songs, Never Say That Am
Cold' and That's a woman's Way