The Opera

For the first time in Ann Arbor the comic Fairy Opera of Gilbert & Sullivan etnitled " Iolanthe,'' was represented Fr day evening. It was not only the first appearance of the play but also the debut o nearly all the players, for as was evlden it was entirely an amateur company Some time previous to the eventful evening all the seats had been sold, so it goe withaut saying that there was a crowdec house, and that the crowd was made up of the best people of this city, as well as some from Ypsilanti, Jackson and Detroit It was to this season what the French play was to last year. In the first place a few words as to the nuisic of the opera. It does not seem to have that catching quality so distinguishable in Sullivan's uiusic of "Pinafore," the " Pirates " or even "Patience." We believe it is considered of a higher order, however, and thus destined to improve on further hearing. ïhen too, we have to take into account the fact that an amateur company mlght not have done t full tice. In the solos there naturally was lacking that delicate coloring which an artiste would give, while the choruses wanted that volume of sound which thrills when sustained to the grand finale. We know there are sorae who maintain that tlie chorus of the Peers, for instance, was every whit as good as that in the Emma Abbott Company, but they are enthusiastic admirers of those gentlemen, more as gentlemen than as singers, so their opinions in that regard have to be taken cum grano salís. et ït must be said that their articulation was ranch plainer. In fact tliat important feature was especially ])lcasing. The play iUelf developes no especial plot, and transplanted to American soil lts satire loses much of its pointedness for the majority of our people. Many of the clever hits on the House of Peers, however, evoked smiles and laughter. The flrst act is with au Arcadian landscape. A troop of fairies come tripping lightly in to the delicate and flowing rhythm of f airy music. The figures made by the interweaving lines of the peri made such a harraony of melody and movement In song and dance, as to be exceedingly fascinating. It was evident no small amount of ingenuity had been called forth in the planning of these measures. One was lemiuded of the snriirhtiir ki. _:_! m tlie "MidsumtuerNijjht'sDream."- "Instlencesad, Trip we after the nlght's shade : We the globe can compasa soon, Swifter than the wand'rlng moon." The second act had the scène laid in the palace yard, with Westminster in the background. In an artistic point of view this scène w sa failure. However, being a fairy opera it may have been all riht even if it did not look at all like Westminster and if it did have a forest scène set for the sides, and if the lights were torucd on full lor a inidniglit scène. These were some of the "vacaríes." THE CAST OF TUE OPERA WAS: f 'l5'11',! M8S Qrace Taylor L" f""!6 Miss May Whedon 2? Quceu - p e a Miss Amanda M. Mack ", , Miss Elsie Jones f , Miss May Breakey Lord Chancellor Mr. Orin B. Cady L712 Mr. Alfred B. Schanz tari of Mount Ararat Mr. H O Frank SESSEfc - - " Xraiu-Bearer, ' Mr. M c sheehan CHORUS OP FA1KIES: Emma Jiehr, Nellie Loving, Carrie Brit ten, Clara Mack, Rose Giddings, Josie McCreeiy, Eraily Gwinner, LonUe Meindermann, Mamie Hitt, Daisy Rlriirdon Batia Hyde, Aunic Wilson. chorus of peehs: H. S. Ames, G. F. Laraway, C. H. Blackburn, A. E. Jliller. A. A TWo.. v t. Mack, F. 1. Cooke, E. N. Smitli, W. J Duff, F. A. Walker, S. F. Hawlev, II. B Wheelock. Miss Grace Taylor pleasantly sustained the rAle of Phylüs. Bein-r Introduoed witli tlie bright Hule duet wlth Btrephon " Yes, we're to be marrled to-day," a favorable iinpression was given, which tlie subsequent scènes with the Lord Cliancellor and the peers did not lessen. The sad and melancholy character of Iolanthe did not exactly suit the nature of Miss May Whedon, but she overéame the cuity oy SlnglDg and aeting witli feeling and ease. Her bailad in pleading with the Cliancellor for Streplion, was especially touching. Tlie Misses Mack, Breakcy and Jones, as Celia, Fleta and Lel ia respectively, did their parts well, the latter oharacter being particularly graceful and weet. lint it was to the Fairy Queen, Mrs. Pratt, th.it comes the greatest credit and praise. In melodiousness of voice in dignity of beafrfüfc and in self-contained strengtl, she Was thoroughly harmonious wit!, the character of a queen. She well nwrited the encoré slie received for her wiili the chorus : ¦ Oh, am'rous dove I " Indeed this,.with its accompanyin' verse. " Oh. Pantnln i,..„. ¦ ...;_ ._ of the most "takiug " of all the songs of tbe opera. As for the gentlemen, Mr. Solist was not bad us Strephon, ulthough he perlupa Jiad too much of a swaSSer. The Earls }fn. frank and Pratt, rlvsla tor the hand of PJjyllls, were well takon, and their farcical drollery in dialogue was duly appreciatecl by the aiidience. Mr. Sheeuan as th Train-bearer and Private Wyllis introduced miich effective by-play aiming at the humorous. Witli the male personages the Lord Chancellor sceuied to be the "hit" of the evening, and he brought down the house in hls- " Said I to myself- said I." For li is encores he made sume local hits in impromptu verses, and the joke of it was that in speaking of the resignations he had In nis pocket, the medies tiiought it was for the benefit of Frothinghain and Maclean, while the lits took it for the victima of the last Chronicle election. Tlie trio "It'slove that niakes the world go round," by Messrs. Cady, Frank and Pratt also brought an encoré Thelr dance and song were very jolly. Tlie wands of the fairies, and the costumes of the Teers, which had úeen obtained from the Abbott company were rich and beautiful. The ladies had their own costumes made, having selected the colors with the idea of harmony. Speil with bis orchestra furnished the rausic, and that usually would make the furtlier comineiit that it was good, superfluous. However, he did not come himself and thr se he sent were either careless or inexperienced, fof their ideas of time were a little too vague entirely to fill the bill. As a whole the opera went without any liitches or breaks, and it eren escapeü that beienoiroi araateiirism- " the tea ring of a passion to tatters " and its consequent ludierousness. The Lecture Association netted a good round sum by it, enough to get it out of debt, so the Fairy Opera of Iolanthe, or the Peer and the Peri may be considered a grand success, musieally, dramatically, artistically and financially. Tliis, all j knowledge, is due to the indefatigable eflbrts of Profs. DKPont and Cady. The foroier as stage manager planned the movements of the dances and superin tended the dramatic action of the rehearsals, while the latter lent his thorough knowledge of music to the careful rendition of the score.