Much Ado about Nothing

Event Information

Venue(s):
Wallack's Theatre

Manager / Director:
Lester Wallack

Event Type:
Play With Music

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
16 February 2019

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

01 Feb 1869, 8:00 PM
02 Feb 1869, 8:00 PM
03 Feb 1869, 8:00 PM
04 Feb 1869, 8:00 PM
05 Feb 1869, 8:00 PM
06 Feb 1869, 8:00 PM

Program Details

Incidental music composed and arranged by Thomas Baker includes: overture, madrigal, hymn, and dance.

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
Much ado about nothing
Text Author: Shakespeare
Participants:  Rose Eytinge (role: Beatrice);  John Gilbert [actor] (role: Dogberry);  J. B. [actor] Polk (role: Don Pedro);  Lester Wallack (role: Benedick);  Charles [actor] Fisher (role: Leonato)
2)
Much ado about nothing, [incidental music]
Composer(s): Baker

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 30 January 1869, 7.
2)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 01 February 1869, 7.

Includes performers and scenes.

3)
Announcement: New-York Times, 01 February 1869, 5.
4)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 02 February 1869.
5)
Review: New-York Times, 02 February 1869, 5.

No mention of music.

6)
Review: New-York Times, 08 February 1869, 5.

“Very little can be said for Mr. Baker’s music.  That popular and effective director sometimes presses the oi polloi too closely in his selections.  ‘Captain Jinks’ may be very well in a minstrel hall, but he and his brethren should be kept from too intimate association with Shakespeare.  The glee, ‘Sigh no more, ladies,’ was sung very well, and commanded an immediate encore.  Of music of the proper class there is an abundance, and some of it might, we think have been used in the entré acts.  The tendency, however, of every orchestra is to run to popular ditties, or to Offenbach’s operas, and as the result is gratifying to the mass of the audience, we presume it is useless to complain.  It must be added, too, that Mr. Baker knows how to impart rare spirit to his band.”

7)
Review: New York Clipper, 13 February 1869, 358, 4th col., top.

No mention of music.