"THE PRINCE OF PILSEN."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 439, 23 February 1909, Page 9

"THE PRINCE OF PILSEN."

'.'The Prince of Pilsen," a comic opera in two acts, by' Frank and Gustav Luders. ■.■■• .■<■'■''.-■ ■■■. •"'.'■'.'■ , ■:.-'.' ' ■' ■-'../.:;'■

Finns Wagner v'-\' ; .': ■'. Mr.Chas.A. Loder , V . (A Cincinatti Brewer). .■::, ' Carl Otfo "■■.-.■. .'.■ Mr. Ednrand Sherras (The' el Pilsen, a 9tudeDt at Heidelberg) Arthur, de Willotighby Eossrapss . ' '/ ■: /.• .. , • . ~-•■..•■■■ Mr.!' .Harold Parkes ■■'■ ''■■'■ • (Earl of, Sbrimptonl :''■- '■■'.-■ '. Lieutenant Tom Wagner Mr. Roland Hognc .■(Of the U.S.A. cruiser,. Annapplis, Hans J_ : •:■■■■■' : Wagner's son) , , •- '■'[■ Francois: : ' . ■- - : .Mr. ! Fred!es}i» (Conoierge of the International Hotel at Nice) Jimmy (Bell Boy) ~ ..■ ;■ . --vllr. John.-Ford Mrs. Crocker •' Miss' Olive Godwin : ■■■■ i;:'• ■, (A Widow, from New York) '' .. '"■:■ Nellie Wagne"r ' ■ : : '-"Mks Marie* ; Eaton • : : ■■~.■ (Hans Wagner's Daughter) ?: V ' 9ldoriie ■':•■ . '; ' . . .; Miss Iry Scott ..■-.;■; :.:; (Mrs., Crocker's Trench Maid) ; ; : .-: ■■

, ;/Whil&' '[The Red Mill" was a farce, more farcical than •musical, , . "The Pi'iuce of Pilsen," which succeeded it-at. the Opera House last evening, ig a genuine ,c6mie;. Opera,' almost, if not quite, ias, operatic .as it: is'}coniic.'; The centre, of;.hilarity (not gravity) 1 is shifted,, in this piece;: from the legs 'to the .head, and! the "clever. heels cf Messrs'.; Ford and Leslie do not: flash - more Smartly; than' the'bon mots of. Mr; Lddery in his.'part?of the Cincinnati brewejf taken for the,:n6ble. priiiee.; . Moreover, the new opera; lias a' plat, which admirably 'sustains, the first of jts : . twQ, : acts without .any./external assistance, and just holds up the second with a■,little'-butsido. aid<■ The reinforcement: is provided. by the series of musical tableaux, called:CThe/Taltf Of the-Cities," a charming addition,to the 'opera which one; cannot; resent .as an intrusion. "; '.'.'■■:■■ ■'■:■';.. '■'.■Hens:'Wagner (Mi\ Loder) ;is a Cincinnati brewer./arid' alderman; Tfho is travelling withllis:danghter. (Miss Marie Eaioii) on the tirient,./.and ; who:.happens to arrive at the; gay.-tdtvhof:Nice when .the Pririco of; Pilsen, •■ a:student;from ; Heidelberg,,is expected".' The brewerJi.s. mistaken; for the -prince, and as,tortished ,*ith-;;a:ji'royal Teception from/the ladies.of Nice, who. welcome him jrith flowers,' and; Francois, the.- volatile concierge :of the' International Hotel, whoputs.his best;rooms at.his disposal.free 1 of charge.'."Tlie alderman, ithd-is. an/uncoHsciious, humorist' of'the ifirst water,. is soon ■ satisfied, to' receive ithis.;pleas.'ant'hdmage,aß:hiß due, and the' Prince," ar-.Unregarded/-in' du.e coiirsey detemintfg to remain•■.incdgnito^and/enjoy. theVjoke;of. ;

bis'"impersonation.'.'.But. the.Prince (Mr. Edmund Sherras):ialls:.in love withiWagner's daughter, and Js'tenderly avowing his passion when, her; brother j'■' a, lieutenant -.on a , Cruiser, comes - upon; ihe "pair,; and ,there ensues ■ a duel. The .combatants are separated by Lho brewer, .and a'party "of gendarmes, hearing 1 the dash of 'Swords/ arreat.the two arid march ..thenr pfF ; tpVdnfance. . There.is 'a secondary 'plotiiiijvolyiiiE somo^ssoret .plans, of-the;fort- ; ress; wliicli-tno concierge Francois has stolen, and: which; are .found;, in , the 'possession' of theYbrower/ implicating him in 'trouble in' his.Vsuppbsod: jihaMcter' of. the Prince ;df Pilseri.'.'ißuteverything comes right ai last, tho duellists ' : aro'r sworn iriorids, 1 'the , ;course .of vtroe lore, finds: ; itself>iri: smooth ;waters;.>ahd ■ the-, brewer has. the satisfaction of l :kn6wing:tliatVif.he : ,cannot'be' a Prince mms"elf,.:h>.'Shall have one.in his , faniilv. •- ■' tMe v first -act: of. the pldy' is nnasiially well :donstnicted..:;TTie gardens. l , off. the;. International, Hotel, with the long' curve of'the 'beachj-.thoifopfs , of; the .town,;* and"the'.'soft paxe; of..the-Mediterrnnean, '-■ make ; a perfect iSetting.;;The fright ijresses';of theSchorlis : ladies : are ..in welcome, contrast, to;the drab DutchCcolours; that:.were;;necessary: in- •. the previous ;play.,;-. ; Moreover, the :chorus, work :and: the-stage .' enseihbles:',' are constantly :varied;:,'.first-;tKeve "la ;a-chorus-.of waiters,, ,then: the girls, appear, ;then: arrive the; students', with .the-Prince.of Pilseri,'-afterwards there are- gendarmes, and we'havo:inost: of .these; in"'concert;; As. "first act progresses;.,the. , evening is supposed ■ to .advance; lamps, ehine bright .in the gardens street ,by/ ; street the City is ; illuminatedi- and ■:tho,lights shine, with their -■.reflections;' all :;along,the;water-front;, .-The' ■.second..:* act , , opens-withja-huhting : ,tvhich-has^no: relevance , to. the: pieCe,'bilt in'which , tho-red P? at ,s ! ? f^ the,girls.,and -men, with sundry • blacks and .whites idnd: greys> makeVup : a Vivid colour ; , scheme...4;The eotiHyardlof th'e ;hotel; with ita : -plashing 'fountain and its also;, a .delightful scene., -: In ,"The : ,Tale f of the oities,?', : 2irljrdressed toirepresent Irisbafle.iSydiiey.vHobart/Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne; .andfWelliiistori step 'across -the stage, and Miss. Gedwin :sin>s ■i: series" 'cf' : verses descriptive; of the ,'typical rcharms': of.™c scehio: accompaniment to a. duet"; :■ oee.'Shellj:/.i.iß.,an-,ihgeriiouß''meoe,'of,-BtS<»e---,work, lovers being.'represented as passing under.and ab.6Ve the undulating waves of ; -the sea ■■"■" '' ■■•'■■■ * •'•• ■■• ■ ■ ■ ■

,;:-:lny,the_diverting.r-part: of "the -r Cincinnati brewer,; Mr.; Loder;revelled. '■:' While'he 'does not ;understand: : th'e 'surprising.; position in :vyhich.;hoffinds.himself;, Haris Wagner';. :termined-to; enjoy v'it. to; the 'utmost, -v ire flirts '.outrageously v with .the; beautiful ; Now ..Xprkwidow.-and his humour-does nbtdeso'rt ■ urn; eren ; wliehvthe.cKampaEiie-hiis left' ■&■ headache, ;and his; bones arc stiff from sleenolimbß;;.the ifquntam and soaks ••-■himself -'be* :■ nea . t , h > ts cooling, shower, , , the , absurdity of his posiiionv ■; Yet-he canustill rV his aldcrniah's-address .oiv the subject of ..modern; marriage;', -with its in .every , r;f am -. W i^thero- v; should ;'■ •bo .-..aV. wife.' ,:^: Leslie, vthe ; ,acrobatic eclians_of..the;eompahy ) :!)re suited wtili parts :|!?,.?!" ch ';tneir; .astonishing■ : gymn«stio: capaJiilities can,be. used :with more 'relevance , to ijM- I ™ a »n:..P}eoe\than-.in-'.'.Thc|: : llea.Mill.! , .- , Mr'. .Loslie.v'pertMmcd; .some wonderful , .feats-of physical,-agility, ,ih -his- cjiaratter-ofthe :excitablo.notel proprietor, ..'andVapai-t, from ■ hisdexterity ,of,fimb, .gave .^'..cleverly-humorous 1 ;portrayalof.t!ie;part/: Mr.: John Ford, also; ■did. excellent vWorWn;the Jmmy tho : bell .Dty; m which; his oualitiosas a conV pdian: wore, .not concealed'l>y his proficiency• in - cccenwic idancfafr ■■ Mr. EdmunU, Slierrae was:a quiet and pleasing Prince of Pilseti was;'socially;;a C ceptable: ; - ii • ' l°u d ■£ a # s fl ed ' a part .well,as tho ; Earl;of ShrimptonVandi Mr. EoandHoguewas not much tried as the Lieutenant.t<. As: the, piquant ; widow, Mies Olive' :.i»oQwm ,;waa:. a : complete., success.- arid "lier -with.i Hans;:Wagner, .were 'responsible' formuchof'tho.humour of.,the piece; vMißs Mane .Eaton, acquitted', herself;creditabll' as Wagner , s;dauglitor,;but- r ather.spoiled her Castlo' by:., singing it. : with-,tod .milch ' forcefulness' •^^*W^ - m love with Francois' > supposed money,- was , very .arch .and pleasing,:; tahor part^were'

:.: Tie ;opera 'is!: written -and' 'orchestrated/ in Luders-s-bnglit:;style, aha ; K> chestration is. far; above tho average. 'The |eflective.- ; chorus.;,;entitled ■ "HeiSelborg™. sung, without; accompaniment, by eight of encSredf"bnl of the. gems.of the opera, a,duet "Violets " r, ° - '■-■ % re ' Ba 12-8 slow movement ittthe finale of ..the, first act: for soprano and chorus which is most: effective. Among the <§'«> ' tv> , ,f s .'*■ AIon S to Father," Imi a t ?l, 7 ?° T *' , a . n d the ingenious "Bed- ; time ..at the. Zoo," which has a most original accompaniment. Praise is due to .the muil'. .cal.Jit^.tor Vi ;Mr.' i: Mpulton,.->ho-.'alKi:--com-i posed: several of the songs.: ::, . ■■■■■ ' ' ;;; : Prince .of.Pilsen will be Repeated to-night.- ;.','■;... ';.-.. :