The Gypsy Baron

For its most ambitions production, the Adams House Musical Society has polished up a Strauss score, imported two opera stars, and planted the name "Gypsy Baron" on everything from napkins to Adams House. It has also produced a charming light opera.

William Wheeling's adaptation of the old Germanic "Gypsy baron" folk tale, is masterful; he works some good dialogue into the search-for-the-pot-of-gold story, and his lyrics, especially for "A Flyer into Pigs," and "Peace-Loving Man," are unusually clever. Unhappily some of the dialogue is not properly stressed because the actors merely exchange lines without moving where better stage direction would provide some movement on strong speeches. Wheeling also uses some of his lyrics for exposition when they would be better as dialogue.

The soloists are uniformly good. Polyna Stoska of the Metropolitan Opera gave a rich voice and the appropriate gypsy-like gestures to the part of the Magyar princess. Raymond Smolover is almost as effective in the title role. Walter Aikman and Frederic Gwynne are both outstanding; Aikman for his perfect diction and gestures as "the swine king," and Gwynne for his witty characterization of the country lawyer, replete with lifted eyebrows and sly smile. Gwynne's facial antics keep the audience's attention for several scenes, and his sole in "Ninana" is delightful, despite his untrained voice.

Though the orchestra follows the principals well, it is occasionally ragged and unwieldy in several choral numbers. In the first act it is too loud for most of the soloists, and during most of the evening it lags, slowing down the pace considerably.

Both sets and costumes are bright and colorful, giving the production a feeling of vivacity. The first set by Stephen O. Saxe and Anthony Chapin could well be an illustration from Grimm's Fairy Tales.

The production is not overly smooth. But the music is Strauss, the lyrics are clever, the soloists are good, and the scenes are bright. "The Gypsy Baron" is a very pleasant evening.