COUNT OF LUXEMBOURG

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1964, 22 January 1914, Page 6

COUNT OF LUXEMBOURG

jfIJMIfROUCS; & iBSTOITYgJ iAN&J&OMB TUNEFUL MUSIgJ* 'calTplay,'.,by':A..: and Hobort-.-.siago''l>y Rati! Hood.; Music-by Franz i? Lobar.*- Cast A ! il?,ii>ei4s. *s Coiuii Kc'neior : "Liw'cmbonrg.iFran'lffOwjchb' Graad Duke' ltutaino\v..'.i-Ilobert,Whytc, .Jr.' Bris=nrd 3 Smith 31esistrar;fi&:::.;;£al-..':;:.:x:::; Chariest Albert. Jfons.: de- Treiasv'-'i-tfit:::?::'. Ce<-ii Out-trim. -Sfotis."' de Vfilniont ■:t::S:: i .7:9 Julius Itoscius* Captain.-'.Pawlow *.:.^. : .'..v..;:.;i^,Victor Prince l > elcErin-(Attendant' ; ..:on.. Grand Duke) ■-A;.-:v'-*£""•.-+..;.".. ; - ■ ■■.. Harry Itatcliffe Mons: Gcrardj7;(aii ■ Officer!...Kdward AVynno Juliette- ; Dorothy Brunton Countess Kokozeff '■:..:..'.....■.;..;.■.' Celia-Ghiloni MarouiVse'do Chuteau-Ncuf ".-...Rene' ConnollyCotntcaso Tchiakowehi .■..:..'..'.. Stella.Esdaile Uzette-;.....'.:. '. ;; :-.,.'■" Pop Battcrbury Cprahe -..;;.-. ;■.:■..;.■;-: .;.;;.V.'.; Bene Gold :.%::.;.■s>.. .'. Jfclba. Stocks ~ , <! Bsmietto Aagcle _Didicr.i:-!.::!-.'.".;;...i. i ;.."'PlorCB4« Young. >*■. A riot"' of fun, ■ of. romping frolic:;, ofvl-.fsi'rcical.v absurdity; " with ■■ tuneful music all.', the -.while, "The . Count.;-; of. Luxembourg," 'produced'at the Opera "Houso'last night by the J. C. ■ Williamson.New Comic Opera Company, could not fail to distract the most tired, mirthless of souls on 'earth. There is a plot ■of sorts, but it has but little, to do with making tho play enjoyable or otherwise. The Grand Duke.Rutisin.ov, an old-':'reprobate;'- who has-failed.'-to.-in-crease his wisdom with his years, wishes to marry ait.operatic staiy'-Angele Didier. -The Tsar will not permit, his marriage to any lady who is not titled, so ho,schemes to acquire a title for Angele;'"' ■ His plan' is., that, she' shall marry."tho.- handsome. ' but' ':■ povertystricken Count of Luxembourg, and ba divorced from.him some three months later;'''-' The Count looks "upon the. affair as no more- than a profitable sort of ' prank, for along with his wife, whom' he does not know, he receives, from the Grand Duke, a very useful roll of money. The marriage, is a farcical affair. The parties are made to sit on either" side of a screen, and neither is allowed to see- the other, lest they may perchance fall in love and frustrate the. Grand Duke's j.lans by refusing to bo divorced.' The obvious' thing happens near tho end of the play. The. strongminded woman who had' been betrothed to the Grand Duke years before arrives on tho scene to claim her own, and tho handsome Count and Angele, having already fallen in love incognito, are made known to each other. This story serves as the framework of the fantastic structure of tho play. Thero is enottgh of love-making aftrl the like to excuse some more of tho melodies in waltz -. time which have made Franz Lohar famous, and there are absurd situations to allow the comedy men to make play. . ■ 'And the fun-makers certainly have' a big.innings in- this piece. ' Mr.-" Phil Smith says most of the witty and otherwise, humorous lines in a great many of them sound as ■if they were composed by. Sir. Phil Smith himself. Not that they are the worse on this account, for. he is the most versatile comedian that has appeared hero under the ■Williamson' - management. He has,, a. mobile face, a voice that he can plav all sorts of funny tricks with, ami above .all boundless energy. Miss Dorothy Bmnton helps Mr. Smith to make his ■lun, sings a song or two with him as' occasion requires, .is whimsical and charming, and gives an entirely satisfactory performance. Miss Florence i-oung can sing Lohar's music, as few operatic- singers can, but in this plav tho musk is scarcely up to the standard set by the composer far himself in "The Merry Widow." Miss Young makes all. that,is to-bo made-of it, and she succeeded'last night in' winning tho unrestrained applause of tho large audience. Mr. Frank Greclio is remarkably well cast in the character of tho handsome Count Rene of Luxembourg. His fine, well-controlled baritone voice, his undeniably j, oo( [ looks, and his-capacity .for that sort of acting required of the hero in light opera all combine to fit him admirably for the part ho has to plav, and he uses his talents well. , Mr. Robert AYhyte, jiin., has the role of the stupid Grand Duke, a playful old person, who ought to know better. In it he contrives to make the most of his opportunities, which are by no means few. Mid ho contributes in no small measure to the night's fun. Mr.,. Victor l'rinco plays as a ponderous police officer, saying from timo to time in his own inimitable way something that is onto or clumsy as tho occasion seems not to demand.. For tho rest, there is in the comedy everything that there can bo to make a musical play delightful. Dances, dainty or riotous, splendid ensembles of gaily, even gorgeously, costumed people, and tuneful songs and choruses, all combining to make- such a joyful entertainment as must please all but the dullest witted. Tho ballets aro all elegant, and some are decidedly original. Rest of tho introduced dances is that of Miss Vlasta Novotna, who was hero .. with , tho great Geriee some while- ago. Mr. Charles Albertis her partner, and .Mr. Albert always could dance. Miss Novotna needs iio special praise here. She is a dancer of no common quality, and her performance last night was well above such standards as those by which we hero are accustomed to judge. -."The Count of Luxembourg" will be played for'three nights longer.