Show IOLANTHE A SUCCESS Its Performance at the Theatre Last Evening by the Duff Opera Company It would be difficult to express the feeling feel-ing of surprise which came over the audience at the Salt Lake Theatre last evening beginning with the first gentle measure in the opening scene and growing grow-ing greater and greater as the performance perform-ance approached the grand finale of the last act Of those present it is safe to say that but very few had seen the opera before and it was for them that the greatest surprise had been prepared Performed Per-formed as it has been on previous occasions occa-sions in this city the opera was indifferent indiffer-ent to say the least and that there should be so much to it was what formed the greatest surprise Not one of the GilbertSullivan operas depends so entirely en-tirely upon the merits of the performers and on this account the success of last evenings entertainment must be credited entirely to the excellent company in whose hands it had been placed It was an evening of revelationsrevelations of beautiful music revelations of graceful motion and pose revelations of handsome hand-some scenery revelations of pretty forms and faces in fact the revelation of an opera whose beauties have been buried and blemished by the performances of I other companies j There was a large audience present and it was an audience of whose approval the singers might well be proud That its approval was given or rather won it need not be said The applause was hearty from the first and before the close of the piece it showed a warmth not often found in a Salt Lake audience Of course the interest centered in the charming Lillian Russell who made her i first appearance on the Salt Lake stage last evening Much had been expected of her There was no disappointment Those who had seen her in other roles where the requirement was chic in which she is so preeminent must have been surprised at her quiet composed manner in the part of Phillis Her conception con-ception was a good one and it brought out all the sweetness in the part to an extent quite detrimental to the occupants of orchestra chairs But beautiful as Miss Russell is her beauty and grace can hardly be compared with the sweet flexible voice which she controls so per fectly Every number she sang brought out some new beauty Her notes do not jump from her throat they simply flow with smoothness almost wonderful and no matter how abruptly the note is finished there is no sign whatever of anything harsh l or in the least rough ITIl T h p JUU iauy was so entirely unassuming that it is safe to say that not half of the number present fully know how much they owe to her part in the evenings success Of Zelda Seguin less need be said She has been seen here often before and she has a place permanently reserved in the hearts of all Salt Lake theatregoers Her deep rich voice never sounded better than in the beautiful numbers allotted to the Fair Queen Her first solo was an entertainment in itself and like all follow ing it was vociferously redemanded The ladys costume was particularly rich and appropriate and altogether she was an ideal queen Jarbeau was a disappointment but whether it was the fault of her voice or the fault of the music it would be difficult diffi-cult to suggest Beautiful as the music is it has a peculiarity whose beauties are only brought out by a voice peculiarly fitted to it Jarbeau will be heard tonight to-night as YumYum and would be well to reserve judgment until she is heard in this part Sir Ryley makes the part of the Lord Chancellor one continual cause of merriment merri-ment He is very original and with I every natural l qualification it is not surprising sur-prising that he should make so great a success Ryley was always encored Dungan made a success of the rather tame part of Strephon and brought out all there in it was This is not snvmrr u much but the gentlemans abilities could J 0 not be tested by such a part His voice is sweet strong and clear and with more opportunity there is no doubt that he would fairly shine Nash Hillard and Boudinot sang to perfection and did well all the acting required of them The choruses both male and female were strong and clear and won good share of the applause Every member was easy on the stage and their action as well as their singing did much toward the evenings success The company appears for the second time tonight and will present the ever popular Mikado I |