A new Sullivan Opera at the Savoy is always a matter of moment, but the advent of The Beauty Stone has been looked for with more than usual interest, as it was known that Sir Arthur had for-soken his old friend Mr. Gilbert, and that the libretto of the new opera had been supplied by Messrs. Pinero and Comyns Curr, and every one wondered. whether the change would prove successful. Formy part must own to preferring the old style, as it seems to me The Beuuty Stone is neither grand nor comic opera but a mixture of the two. There are three acts and seven scenes, all lovely as pictures, but too long, as one feels a t deal is padding and could be dispensed with. The plot deals mainly with the fortunes of one Laine, a poor cripple, who in answer to a prayer for cither love or death has the Beauty Stone, (by means of which she immediately becomes beautiful) given to her by the Dei It brings her nothing but misery so she flings it away. Next her father gets it, he forsakes wife and home and becomes enamoured of an Eastern Princess (the Prince's Mistress); she fools him in order to obtain the secret and he eventually yields up the Stone to her. By its means she hopes to win back the love of her Lord, who is away at the war; on his return however she discovers that he has lost his sight so it profits her nothing. Eventually" love triumphs as the Prince marries the poor cripple who he remembers as the fairest and truest vision he has ever seen, and the Devil gets the Stone gi back again. One of the most telling numbers of the opera is his history of it with the refrain: Tt always returns to me." That the parts were all well rendered goes without saying, things are always well done at the Savoy. Mr. Passmore was very Riss Rath Vincent us done nothing aaint as a sort of low-comedy devil, and
previously so good as the pathetic grippe, where are two now-comers in the cast." Mr. Robert Devoll, who took the part of the Prince, and Miss Pauline Joran, who was Saida the Enstern Princess; both have leasing voices, but Miss Joran's acting left much to be desired.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.