Life, 1894-11-29 · page 12 of 16
Life — November 29, 1894 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Prince Ananias" Page from Life Magazine This page reviews a theatrical production by The Boston Ideals opera company. The text explains that this respected regional theater group was long excluded from New York City's critical audiences, who rejected their work until the company legally became "The Bostonians" and achieved success with "Robin Hood." The new production "Prince Ananias" (with music by Victor Herbert and libretto by Francis Neilson) receives qualified praise. Life acknowledges the company's earnest effort and artistic integrity, but critiques the work itself as "too pretentious"—it attempts serious opera while lacking the popular appeal that makes opera successful. The review suggests talented performers are doing their best, but the musical composition itself fails to excel. The accompanying sketches show chorus members and a scene labeled "Has Father Got Here Yet?"—likely illustrating the plot. The satire targets not the performers but the gap between artistic ambition and actual execution in popular theater.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: “PRINCE ANANIAS.’* HE Boston Ideals ” was an organization long held in excellent estimation by the theatre-going people of the United States outside of New York. Under its different managements the company produced operas of the lighter class with clever artists and with a conscientious regard to perfection of performance and detail which gained for it a respectful and in many cases an enthusiastic hearing. For a long time New York city was a territory barred to its efforts, The critical audiences of New England approved it, and the generous people of the West gave it applause, The hysterical New York public refused to accept anything it could do until a legal question of title transfor-' this organization’ into “ The Bostonians,” and then w opera entitled “Robin Hood” it managed to meet strange demands of the so-called metropolitan public. Mes. Davis. The success of “Robin Hood” has given “ The Bos a firm hold on the affections of New York. Their production of a new piece is an event of some importance to the theatre-going populace of the town. This is in itself something of a commentary on New York's popular taste which for some years has refused to grant a serious hearing that by conscientious performance tonians to an organization sought to gain its ear. Some ov THe Corus. The latest effort of this company, entitled “ Prince Ananias,”” whose musical author is Mr. Victor Herbert, and whose librettist is Mr. Francis Neilson, deserves respectful considera- . ie attempt of an organization which is at least trying sw uo good work in its particular line. It is a difficult line, as many failures prove, and when to the effort is brought something more conscientious than a mere “HAS PATHER GOT HERE YET?” desire to make money, the attempt alone deserves commendation. In the present instance the management has evidently done the best in its power. There are some evidences in individual performances of wrong notions gained from previous suc- cesses, but the general impression is that a number of honest artists are trying to do the best they can according to their lights. Musically, the piece is just a little bit too pretentious. It has many of the failings of a purely popular opera with- out the merits that make an opera popular, There are few numbers that have claim to particular lence from the popular point of view, and yet there is little in it that is excel- not musicianly. Mr. Cowes, comicbooks.com