ROB ROY ~ Frank Pollock & Henrietta Wakefield ~ WHO CAN TELL ME WHERE SHE DWELLS ? (1913)

ROB ROY / (R. de Koven) Chansonette & Duet / Act III / original cast members from the 1913 Broadway revival: Frank Pollock (tenor) & Henrietta Wakefield (soprano) / Recorded: 1913 / Speed: 76 rpm

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The New York Times / 16 September 1913

"ROB ROY" REVIVED

De Koven Opera Enthusiastically Received -- Bessie Abbott Excels.

There was an oldish gentleman with white hair in the third row of orchestra chairs last night at the Liberty Theatre who must have been at the original production of "Rob Roy" when the De Koven comic opera was first presented nearly twenty years ago. During the first act of the revival of the same piece last night he retained his composure fairly well, during the second he was waving his arms in the air in time to most of the music, and in the third act emotion apparently overcame him and he seemed to have so much difficulty in restraining his enthusiasm that it was never certain that his seat would contain him.

To a great extent the rest of the audience shared his feelings, although they heard the operetta with a difference. It was all new to them. There was no reason for anyone who heard it the first time last night not thinking it had been written the day before yesterday. One fresh sparkling tune succeeded another so rapidly that pretty soon there was no observable difference between the oldish gentleman in the third row and the rest of the auditors. Everyone seemed to be having an equally good time.

Next to the agreeable quality of De Koven's music, the most observable thing about the performance was the splendid signing of the principal artists, headed by Bessie Abbott and including James Stevens, Frank Pollock, Herbert Waterous, and Henriette Wakefield. Last night's audience rose to it, and frequently acted as if it could not get enough. If there ever was a "no encore" rule it was broken early in the evening at the insistence of the audience, and never got strength enough to revive up to the final curtain.

Indeed, it was in the last act, with the clock pointing past 11 o'clock, that some of the most persistent encoring occurred. Frank Pollock had to repeat his chansonette, Jefferson De Angelis and Sidney Bracy were saved only by main force from going over a burlesque serenade for the third time, and it was when Herbert Waterous sang his Turnkey's song in subterranean tones for the third time that the oldish gentleman in the third row placed his head on the seat in front of him and wept tears of grateful remembrance.

Bessie Abbott sang charmingly and looked a picture in Highland costume, and her role was not obtrusively a prima donna's, which takes all the good things in the piece and leaves the rest "also rans." In fact, there was enough left for James Stevens to make a striking impression in his action and signing of the title role. Frank Pollock never sang better that he did last night as the young Pretender, Prince Charlie.

The story of the piece concerned itself with the troubles of the Prince in his revolt against the English soldiery. Probably the oldish gentleman in the third row could retell the plot word for word, but for anyone else it will suffice to say that it was a Scottish edition of Chauncey Olcott's plays.

The scenic effects were the kind to bring applause on the rising of the curtain -- and not started by the ushers, either. There were several striking pictorial effects, notably at the close of the first act, when the stage and the hill paths behind it were filled with Scottish tartans and flashing claymores. Then in the second act there were a dozen girls who danced in pure white Highland costumes with stunning effect.

Jefferson De Angelis had the comedian's role and produced many laughs with none too striking material. The piece was, however, of the De Koven type of "singing show," rather than one in which comedy parts are featured. He was assisted in the fun-making division by Sidney Bracy and Fred Frear, while Ralph Brainard was good in the role of the Captain of English soldiers, who was always willing to arrest any one pointed out to him as Prince Charlie.

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Broadway
• 1913
• Rob
• Roy
• Frank
• Pollock
• Henrietta
• Wakefield
• 78
• rpm
• Phonograph
• Silhouette
• CurzonRoad

[Bivolari]

They sing better than today's opera singers! Are there any recordings of Bessie Abbott in this show?

[CurzonRoad]

Stephen: FYI, understand Frank Pollock studied with Jean DeReszke, and Henrietta Wakefield had a fairly substantial career in opera. Cheers, etc. Doug --

[genia106]

Douglasio,

I love it....as close to a cast recording as one can get in 1913. This must have been the prequel to "Brigadoon" :-)

I wonder if they had gaslight stagelights.

The singing is Marvelous,, I just love operettas and the notes descibe the formula that followed in later musical.

I would have loved to have been there and experienced the entire production. It must have been filled with Showstoppers, this was one of therm.

Merci.

[CurzonRoad]

Hi Genia: Yes, this indeed was one of the show stoppers (see full NYT review in "more info"). THANK YOU!

[mayatatyana1]

Thank you, Doug. Beautiful performance! How wonderful for her granddaughter and son to hear it because of you. Maya

[gmmix]

Returned for another hearing. De Koven's music is appealing to me more and more. Good recording. How I'd like to hear some bits from his Rip Van Winkle!

Thanks for this posting.

[nancysue100]

Unbelievably, this is my grandmother's voice. I had given up searching for recordings of her, but yesterday, on a whim, I entered her name on You Tube, and found this amazing song.

To top it off, yesterday, March 30th, was my father's 90th birthday. he is Henriette Wakefield's only child, going strong, and is now able to listen to his mother singing.

Our gratitude to you, CurzonRoad, is immense.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[gmmix]

I'm wondering how many YouTubers ever saw or heard this disc, as it's a rarity. As is evident, Pollock possessed a fine tenor voice of operatic quality. His appearances as the lead in Tales of Hoffmann were much appreciated. Among the "Broadway operettas" in which he headlined were The Geisha and Rose of Algeria, written for super-coloratura Ellen Beach Yaw. Not incidentally, another famous coloratura soprano, Bessie Abbott, also stared in Rob Roy, along with Miss Wakefield. FIVE stars!