Evening star., 1925-06-23
'M|KAD0" PlEASES
LOVERS OF MUSIC
Guest Artists in Leading
Roles Win Many Rounds
of Applause.

The Washington Opera Company,
which has established record for am
bilious attempts, which have proved
successful. in both grand and light
opera, with guest artists in leading
roles, won many rounds of enthuSiaS-
tic applause from a large audience in
the initial performance of The Mi
kado" at the Washington Auditorium
last night.
There has never been. and probab
never will be again. such an ideal com
hination of light opera geniuSes as
W. =. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan.
The Mikado' is one of the most popu-
lar of AL their works. Although ii is
true that the music alone is frequently
used in Instrumental programs, the
words by Mr. Gilbert are supremely
suited to Sir Arthur's melodies and
contain many whimsical truisms in
their complicated syllables that are
aSeleSS in their appeal.
Enunciation Clear-Cut.
Last night Robinson Newbold, a the
traditional kollo; Francis Tyler a de-
lightfully roguish Nikado; Helena
Morrill,, a charming Yum Yum, and
Augusta Spette, cute Pitti-Sing, all
sang their roles with the clear-cut
enunciation that is an absolute essen
tial TO a successful presentation of
any Gilbert and sullivan work. Sud
worth Frazier as Nanki-Poo. some
times seemed To sacrifice his enuncia-
tion slightly for tonal qua iity, but his
kissing duet" with Yum Yum was
eXCelleutly sung and acted. As this
is the hero's chief moment in the en-
tire performa nee. he proved fully
equal 10 his role. Another outStand-
ing musical achievement was the sing
ing of the beautiful 'Madrigal' by
the quartet. Adelaide Newman.
Washington girl. was sweet PeepBo.
Pierre Remington, another new
conner To this musical stock company,
has powerful. deep voice and was
p most pompous Pooh Bah" domin-
sting his many official capacities with
massive physique as we'll as mellow
tone. Henry Rabke seemed much
more at ease in the role of Pish Tush
than in the part of the Count last
week and made the most of small
role. Eleanor LeMance was the one
member of the company who suffered
from terrible makeup. katisha is of
course, supposed to be an extremely
ugly old woman but her face does not
necessarily resemble an explosion of
fireworks. Miss La Nance has fine.
rich voice, but did not seem at all
sure of herself. She will probably
gain poise as the week goes on. 1t is
a difficult and ungrateful role.
Orchestra Praised.
Max Hirschfeld is to be congratu
lated on the way in which his orChes-
ira played the gay lifting music. The
chorus seemed to be remarkably well
trained. singing with good attack and
an attractive rhythmic swing to their
work. They all have fresh young
voices and were quite equal to the
I'd hv o
which appeared in THE Bohemian
Girl" last week.
Proba bly, the personal hit of the eve
ming was Mr.. Newbold's characterize
ton of koko. With the giant De Wolf
Hopper's koko as the last in the mem
ory of Kokos heard here. Mr.. New
bolds comparatively small version is
INTERESTING His comical addition of
different verses from those usually
heard in encores to the Flowers that
BiSom in the Spring song brought
down the house. The French verse
RndN the imitation of the Bowery
Tough'S version were especially ludi-
crousl He also won many laughs with
his interpreted ton of the Tit Willow"
song.
The scenery was in accorda nee with
"Mikado" traditions and the costumes
were nicely blended in coors. The
white costumes worn by Yum Yum
and Nanki-Poo in the last act were
bea autiful.
The members of the new chorus are:
Margaret Bailey. Marie ClavelouX, Lu
cienne Des Autels. Babbette Everit,
Lola CARRIER. Dorothy Jackson, Rose
krucoff, Emily Marsh. Margaret Mea
kin, Ruth Morgan, Louise Metcalf,
Margaret Reynolds, Leona Riley, Eliz
a abeth Dickson, Ruth kobbe, Ruth Nc
Ciure, Grace Hoagland, Eula Nc
F.achern, Louise Stevenson, Kathryn
Bowers, Helen Walten, Cornelius FL
gallo, John Paul Locke. Richard Low
man. Mortimer Moorehouse, Terry
Moorehouse. Willis Fisk. Edward
Preston. Edwin Westland, Frank Rice,
George Beuchler, Allen Fuscha. Albert
Hinkel. Edward Mitchell H. H. How
ell. NJ. 3. Hollenbeck and Russell Bur
roughs.
se