JOSEPHINE STANTON AMERICAN OPERA COMPANY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 205, 4 September 1901, Page 2

JOSEPHINE STANTON AMERICAN OPERA COMPANY.

The Josephine Stanton Comic Opera Company's production on Thursday evening will 1m " Fra Diavol the beautiful sparkling music of which is batter known than the libretto. The lending incidents on which the opera is founded may be briefly set forth. The hero, a notorious bandit outlaw, so long set at defiance the powers of justice that he earned the sobriquet of " Fra Diavolo " (the devil's bi other.) The well-dressed, hmdeome villain, is met with at the beginning of the opera in the compjny of an English milord and his lady, who have just passed through the hands of " Fra Diavolo's" garg. They have yet considerable valuables about them, so "Fra Diavolo" continues in tbeir company to the inn of Terracenn, where, with the assistance of a couple of frowsy, ill-conditioned vagabonds, he plans a midnight raid on the nobleman's bedroom. In doing so they are forced to seek refuge in the apar'm"nt of the innkeeper's daughter, Zarliaa, who is about to be married to the officer commanding the soldiery in pursuit of the outlaw, and when the latter is subsequently disoverad in the room, he makes the excuse that he has an appointment there with the young lady. A very pretty and effective scene is that wherein Zerlina enters her b9dioom, disrobes, and after making h°r devotions, retires to bed. The robbers, at the instigation of their chief, are about to plunge tho knife in her breast, but in hir dreams she murmurs a prayer to the Virgin and tbey reco'l awe stricken. The third act onca more finds " J?ra Diavolo " an undisguised brigand chief. He meets his death From the bullet of a carbineer, but before he expires restores Zerlina her (name, and she is reunited to her lover. In the part of Zerlina the audience will have favourable opportunities of gauging the capabilities of the lady .-frbose name is aisnciated with the heroine, and shu is supported by a very strong company.