Show PINAFORE A Pleasing Performance at the Grand Last Night Among English writers of comic opera we have no hesitation in asserting that Gilbert Sullivan occupy the foremost ranks and H 1 S Pinafore remains to this day one of the most universally popular and best remembered operas yet written There is scarcely an air that most of us cannot claim acquaintance with and hardly 0 bar that strikes unrecognizable un-recognizable upon our ears Last night and for the first time since the advent of the Pyke Opera company and the inauguration of light opera at the Grand we were with Gilbertian lyrics lyr-ics and Sullivanesque strains Speaking for ourselves we were heartily glad to shako hands with an old friend and only hope that Pinafore heralds the early approach of Patience Mikado and all operas of a like nature As Captain Corcoran Commander of H 11 S Pinafore Mr C M fyke our erstwhile musical conductor made his debut before a Salt Lake audience in the guise of an actor Since viewing him in this character we feel satisfied wielding the baton is not his only forte An imposing im-posing figure ho cut as the port captain accompanied the character with not a little humor but judging irom several gestures and facial expressions which savored sa-vored strongly of melodrama and the heavy villain we think he was not altogether alto-gether in his element Nevertheless he and Helen Salinger as Little Buttercup supplied the greater part of the comedy and did so efficiently Pretty little Louise Manfred Pyke sang sweetly and looked likewise a Josephine but how is it that as Prince Methusalem or Prince anything else she is so much more irresistible than when she dons her authorized garb Query Arthur Boyco has a voice whose musical musi-cal qualities grow in favor upon acquaintance acquaint-ance His Ralph Rackstraw is one of the best things he has done yet awhile bt Leech as Sr Joseph Porter had little < funny opportunity to perpetrate any opprtunity business and a a result he looked unhappy un-happy When circumstances force Mr Leech to be dignified and calm Mr Lech Leechs reputation will suffer in consequence quence Pinafore was attended by a fair au otence last evening with the probability of a still larger one tomorrow |