Holman Opera Troupe: Cinderella

“In this new temple of song small operas are produced on a very small stage, and sung by very small artists with very small voices. The entertainment, however, is by no means small in its attraction, but is intended for very small people, and may be pronounced very successful in that respect, to judge from the hearty laughter and applause of those present at the matinee yesterday.

Mrs. Holman’s little troupe sing, dance and act with a spirit and ensemble which actors of a larger growth do not always evince. Miss Sallie Holman, as Cinderella in the operetta of that name, is quite charming, and deserves a better accompaniment than is afforded by the fiddles and piano which form the orchestra. We will take the liberty, while mentioning the orchestra, to advise the first fiddle to play several notes lower—in fact, to keep in tune with the piano and bass viol, the extreme altitude of the said first fiddle rendering it quite impossible for the children to be effective in the solos. In the third act of Cinderella Miss Sallie Holman does a double voiced song, ‘The Bird of Beauty,’ exhibiting great compass as a soprano and contralto at the same time. The musical feat was greatly applauded. After the musical performance of the operetta, Master Alfred Holman gave his ‘wondrous drum beating,’ portraying with fearful accuracy a great battle; the march—the explosion of the shells, the booming of artillery, and all that.  If we didn’t exactly see it, the bills say that it is done, and of course it must be so.