Evening star., 1945-03-09
Columbia Company
Proves Excellent in.
The Red Milf
By ALICE EvERSMAN.

The amusing and fantastic tale
Victor Herbert used for the libretto
OF his operetta, "The Red Mill" was
excellently presented by the Column
bia Light Opera Company last night
In Roosevelt auditorium. This was
the second of four performances of
the operetta the company will give
this week under the direction of
Ethyl Manning, the opening having
been on Wednesday.
Although the personnel of the
company has undergone changes
during the war, Mrs. Manning man
ages to keep the same high standard
and to find excellent requirements
for some of the former popular
singers. In many respects, the cast
last night showed greater knowledge
of stagecraft and the performance
in consequence had smoothness and
polish. During the eight years of
the companys existence, Mrs. Man
ming, who stages and directs each
presentation, has given 81 perform
ances Of light opera, 81 of them be-
ing OF Herbert's works when this en-
gagement is concluded.
The settings and costuming were
not only attractive and colorful, but
complete in detail. There is moth
Ing to indicate in the staging of the
1af Sc
a professional one and that the
board and members are volunteers
1t is a talented group gifted with
good voices, acting ability and an
immense enthusiasm. This applies
to the large chorus which is deco
rative and vocally competent as well
as to the principals.
Two changes of cast were made
for last nights performance, Amelia
Shorday being the attractive and
sweet voiced Interpreter of the role
of Gretchen and Charles Brookner
capably filling the part of the
sheriff. Vivacious Joan Feole as
Tina sang and acted with skill and
proved to be a graceful dancer as
well. Fan Goldschein carried off
the difficult part of the Countess
de la Fere eXcellently and Connie
Kruger gave another of her smooth |
interpretations in the role of
Bertha.
OF the men the most outstanding
portrayals were those of Omar Pan
coast as the burgomaster and Will
Jaye as the innkeeper With these |
two the comedy element was further
O hu x DrN
Con" Kidder and Robert Royce as
Kid" Connor, while Val Du Bois
was romantic figure as Capt. |
Doric.
Wolfe Mostow as the Governor of
iceland and Clinton Hemmings as
Joshua Pennefeather proved to be
expert actors and Dolores Renaud, |
Ellen Burtt, Christine Sutton and
Ann Ashton were attractive addi-
tions to the casts in the smaller
roles of Flora, Dora, Lena and
Martha, respectively.
Considered the greatest success
and the greatest money-maker of all
Herbert's operas, THE Red Mill" |
doubtless owes some of this distinc-
ton to the finale of the first act,
where Gretchen is rescued from the
mill by the two Americans who
swing her to the ground on the large
wings of the mill. This scene was
not so realistically enacted last
night, the Americans merely helping
the burgomaster's daughter down
the side of the building.
The act concluded, however, with
ballet, the Legend of the Mill,
where dancers from the Erika
Thimey Dance Theater in medieval
costumes acted out the ancient story
in which Cecil Kitcot was the King,
Ann Harris the princess, Banya Hell
ler the lover and Bernice Luftig and !
Ann Holtzworth the pages. The
small, but efficient orchestra was
directed by Mrs. Manning.