Evening star., 1924-06-17
ADJUSTMENTS
Poll s-The Prince of Pilsen

De Wolf Hopper, one OF the most
delightful humorists and comedians
The stage has ever known, led his
6ae company in the first performance
Of the second week of light opera re-
Hfvals in Washington, when .The
Prince of Pilsen" was given before
an unusually large and enthusiastic
audience at Polls Theater last night
Now is the time when those who
have protested so volubly against
risque stock productions can show
their appreciation of the original
light operas and musical comedies
that supplied the backbone in plot
and type OF music for the entertain
ment that has superseded them in a
vain attempt to reach their level of
artistry on the modern stage. Iflast
nights audience be a criterion
Nashingtonians have Enthusiastically
SET the seal OF approval on these tried
and true joys of music and comedy,
Tor hearty applause started at the
opening and was maintained almost
continuously throughout the per-
fnrmance last night.
In his inimitable between-acts
speech Mr.. Hopper stated that in all
his career, which. as he recollected.
was about seven years" he had
never before been cast in a role re-
curing German dialect. AS Hans
Wagner. the brewer from "Ceen- -ceen-
natl he was supposed to be ex-
tremely Teutonic. AS matter of
fact Mr.. Hopper was himself. as al
ways. and yet nobody missed the
realism of German charac
He admirably filled the role made
famous by Jess Dandy, who died re-
Gently. His tit-willowish interpreta-
tion OF the Bug Song" was the high
and sparkling comedy. Also, nobody
who has seen Mr.. Hopper's huge
pedal extremities in sodden white
tennis shoes after apparently com
peting with the goldfish in foun-
tain in this scene could imagine any
other living comedian as the Ameri-
can alderman who became d prince
on the eentineht=----
Ethel walker. prima donna Of the
company. was charming as the
delightful foil in J. Humbird Duffy,
the good looking tenor. Their duet.
The Message of the Violet" was
beautifully sung.
ticated daughter of the brewer, was
as cute as in her role of Pitty-Sing,
in the "Mikado" and sang her part
of the "Seashell Song" delightfully."-.
Henry Kelly, as the real prince, sang
with mellow. well-poised tones and.
calm in love-making, was admirable
opposite the petite Miss Clark.
Arthur Cunningham as a burlesque
Englishman. Joseph Bonelli, as an eff
* sergenat of the gendarmes all
gave colorful cha haracterizations.
Estelle Wentworth. Washington So
prano. sang the famous Widow"
role. which she has sung successful
~ many times with other operate
n6 f., cal ~
fectly at home in the role and to en-
JOY singing it hugely. Especially in
teresting was her number '"The
Widow" sung with Mr.. Hopper and
Mr. Cunningham. Estell Mercier was
piquant as Jimmie, a messenger boy,
French maid.
The chorus of girls, having the two
fold qualification of being really
pretty and fine singers, enlivened
and the nine who represented diff
1erent cities in the american Girl
Song" showed dramatic ability. Par
ticularly fine was the singing OF
"Maryland' by the handsome bru-
nette who represented the Baltimore
Girl, but whose name is unavailable.
She has a rich contralto voice with
great volume and exquisite quality
and her brief song easily ranked with
the best of the evening.
The chorus men also sang their
numbers unusually well and the en-
tire company was given excellent
support by the orchestra under the
direction of Max Hirshfield.
1t would seem hardly necessary to
mention in detail the plot of 'The
Prince of Pilsen." Everybody has
heard the catchy melodies of this
light opera. The story, in short, con-
Germs a wealthy Cincinnati brewer
travelling in Europe with his pretty
daughter, and who is mistaken for a
prince: group of touring American
college girls. Heidelberg students on