MUSGROVE'S BRAND COMID OPERA COMPANY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 209, 19 September 1903, Page 2

MUSGROVE'S BRAND COMID OPERA COMPANY.

The intere't in the forthcoming productions of " The Fortune Teller " and " <ho Serenade." by the MusgroVrf Opara Ccmpmy, which arrive on Monday per Ngapuhi, in charge of Mr Alhn Hamilton, tha manager, increase? daily, and a large audience should assemble to greet tha renowned company on their appearance on Monday and Tuesday, evening 3. Besides Mr Lempriere Pi ingle and Miss May Beatty, the Company includes a host of clever principals amongst whom are the names of Messrs Edward Lav in | (comedian), J. 0. Piddook (baritone), Foster Gourteuany (comedian) Henry Hallam (nenor), W. R, Shirley (comedian), &.!. Misses Lilian B janaa (so- i prano), Liley Wren (soprano), B ssie White (contralto); supported by a ; grand opera chorus of 50 voices and augmented orchestra. The plot of the " Fortune Teller" treats of an egotistical Polish composer and musician, of the Bunthorne type, who accidentally discovers that Irma, a member of [the Bill let class of the Grand Buda-Pesth, is an heiress, and thereupon enters into an arrangement with Fresco, the ballet-master, by which the Count is to marry Irma and escape from a position of impecuniosity, The young lady, however, is in love ' with Oaptain Ladislas an Hungarian Hussar and to escape the Count, runs away from the school, leaving a letter | saying that she haH sought oblivion in j the adjacent duck pond Lidisbs, gladly concurs in this t use, and he in- j forms Irma that h r twin brother | Ft:dor has deserted from his regiment, having succumbed to the wiles of Mdlle j Pom-Pon, prima donna of the BudaPesth Opera House, and that when arrested he would be shot. In order to save Fedor, Irma dons his uniform and, proceeds to the camp, and the Count, and Fresco 'upon finding her letter are in despair. Shortly afterwards a band of Gipsies arrives at the Count's chateau, and as Musette, the young fortune-teller, bears a striking resemblance to Irma, Fresco decides to palm her off as thei latter to his patron. The devioe succeeds aud all sorts of funny complications follow, Musette consents to impersonate Irma and marry the Count, but later consents to fly with Sandai', but owing to his being locked up in a wine cellar Musette has to seek her people in the forest alone. Irma, still in hor brother's uniform, returns to the chateau out of curiosity, and then further compSicitiong ensue, and a three-cornered duel is imminent, but it is avoided by Irma deelaring herself that she is none other than the scapegrace brother. She is then sent to the guard-house awaiting courtmartia! for desertion, but her identity ho.s eventually to be admitted and the real F 'dor is forgiven by the choleric old General, the opera closing with a happy reunion.