The New Orleans crescent., 1868-12-06

L
| ish her natural fear of the critical opinion of
New Orleans public The second act of Donizetti's
| cherished production was rendered last evening
in a manner which would defy all criticism but
for trifing error of portion of the orchestra 10
the ensemble finale. which caused little feeling
| among the daettdat, bot did not materially in
aueDce the grand and favorable effect produced
| upon the audience. A repetition Of Lucia" will
receive the appreciation OF the pubic; 'Mr. Gala
| bresi deserves unalioyed praise for his manage.
ment of the orchestra last night. To night new
| drama, "Le Mangeur de Fer"
Charles Pope.
So familiar to New Orleans theater goers has
become of late years the gentlemsns name which
heads this article that il has occurred TO US that
brief sketch Of his career, which, without intend
ing, fattery. We msy say bids fair to grow con-
stsntiy brighter, would prove interesting to bis
many friends among our readers. Mr.. Charles
Pope came to this country with his parents in
1884. while yet an infant, he having been born
near the city of Weimer, Germany, on the l7th of
February, 1882. Thereafter, until his sixteenth
year. be resided in Rochester. New York, when,
having acquired fancy for the stage he made an
engagement with John S. Potter, manager of the
Rochester theater, and first appeared on the stage
as Sir Wdlte7 Biunt in " Richard ILL.," Playing
here in minor characters for two months, Mr..
Pope joined dramatic company and after travels
ing through the principal towns of New York
State went to Washington City where be entered
upon winters engagement at the Adelphi, then
under Geo. +. Brownies management. In the
winter Of ls49 we find him in New Yorkat Castle
Garden and later In the season at the Astor Place
Opera House, where Hackett was then playing.
Mr.. Pope remained in New York three seasons
after this, playing alternately at the Broadway and
the Old BOwery, until in lS54-5, he was engaged
by Manager Waldron for the leading business at
the latter tbeater. He subsequently played at
the Metropolitan with Miss Julia Dean for one
montb-and then for the first time came to this
city, where for two seasons he was leading
man in Ben DeBar's dramatic company.
Bot desire for travel combined with advsn.
taeeous opportunity TO again change Mr.. Pope's
scene of action, for in May, 1856, he was secured
by Julia Dean to accompany her upon what
proved 10 be profitable starring tour of years
duration, through the mountain towns of Califor-
MIA. Returning, be played in different Western
cities, among others in Cincinnati. with Charlotte
Cushman, and in 1858 rejoining Mr.. De8ar in st.
Louis, remained with him either in that or in this
city until 1861, when he again sailed for the Pa.
chic coast, visiting, and with success, Oregon and
Nevada and washington territories. For a while
Mr.. Pope turned miner, on Reese river and in this
avocation is said to have been as successful as he
had been upon the stage. But the rough, outdoor,
life in the diggngs could not long satisfy his edu
Gated tastes, for in evidence Of this we fad him
again playing in Shakspearean characters in 1862
at Maguire's Opera House, San Francisco, and
also appearing az Charles de Moor, in Schiller's
tragedy 1.-The Robbers" In July, 1864, Mr..
Pope again sailed for the States, aud arriving at
New York, went to Buffalo and played there star
engagement. Subsequently,, however. returning
to New York city, and playing Chateau Remand
in the "COrscan Brothers" at Niblo's, and
OtLeuO in German, at the New Stadt Theater in
the Bowery.
In 1866 Mr.. Pope again came to New Orleans as
leading man at the St. Charles Theater, then under
Eddy's management, and in the following year
was for time similarly engaged at the Varieties.
Since then he has played in New York, Indianapo-
lie, (in which city he was manager Of the theater)
and other cities, until this year, bringing enlarged
experience and an increased professional cutiva-
tion, he is once more with US as manager of the
old Drury on st. Charles street.
vining bowers
First came into this breathing world and the city
Of Philadelphia on the 23d of April (Shakspeare's
birthday 1885, and is consequently now in his
thirty-fOurih year. At the age of fifteen he com
menced the stndy of law and conveyancing, but
iindiDg nothing congenial IN prospective vision
of wig and gown, he transferred his attention TO
the sock and buskin, his brother, the late ID. p.
Bowers, having. at that time, already obtained a
prominence in the dramatic profession. The fall
and winter season of lS49 found him as g. call
boy" at the Old Chestnut. where he also occasion
ally INDUCED in little bits OF low comedy. Mr..
Bowers afterwards played for awhile at Barnum's,
IN New York, as second low comedian, and wound
up that season at Albany, New York. In 1850,
forming sn engagement with 4. A. Marshall as Sec
ond low comedian for his New National Thester
in Washington, he remained there for four years,
subsequently visiting and playing for one season
az Cleveland, Ohio. From this latter place he first
came TO New Orleans as principal comedian at the
st. Charles Theaier, then, as now, under Ben De-
Bars management. Pleased with this engage
ment, and made to feel SO much at home in the
Crescent City, Mr.. Bowers concluded to remain
here, which he did until the winter of ls59-6O;
when the loss of his brother, combined with other
family matters to call him back for time to
Philadelphia, where he accepted the double duties
OF stage manager and low comedian at the Wal
nut Street Theater. He remained there until But
Ter got bold of New Orleans when he was induced
a.f 4 f. -
1av0rite city, once more. With Mr.. and Mrs.
Lewis Baker, George Ryer and Mary Gladstane,
he sgain sailed in November, 1862, for New Or
leans, and became one of the managers of the
Varieties 1heater. At the expiration of the sea
son be emigrated to Canada, joining in partner
ship with Mr.. j. W. Buckland in the Theater
Royal, i6 1treal, Last year Mr.. Bowers played
for l7O nights in the leading burlesque part in the
famous [" White Fawn," at Niblo's Garden New
York but, during the summer, meeting with Mr.
W. r. Floyd, manager of the Varieties, was in.
duced TO join him. for the present season. as come
dian at the cosy thester on Graver street. How,
since his arrival, he has, especially in the two
characters, Major DeBOOts and Ssnofkey, added
10 both his reputation and popularity, We all OF us
know.
Mile a ugusta Sohike.
We would again call public attention to the fact
thatupon the boards of the Academy of Music there
now appears nightly, as premiere dsnseuse, one
whose performances have electrified audiences in
Paris and Vienna, and more recently have
taken the critics of New York, Philadelphia aud
Boston successfully by storm. We refer to Mile
Augusta SOhlke. None who have seen her can
have failed 10 admire her grace and her dashiog
sprightliDess. She is perfect blonde. blue eyed
and fair haired, and in form as symmetrical as in
countenance she is fair. Although having been
but two years upon the stage, she finds herself at
twenty Justly classed among the first danseuses of
the day. Prussian by birth, she first appeared
in 1866 in Vienna, and, after achieving there |
success unparalleled for one new TO the stage.
went to Paris where, az Cares famous school, |
she acquired that finish which she only required |
to make her approach the perfection Of terpsi- |
ehorean skill. IL was from this school that the |
famous Carnaggia, well remembered by the |
Academy patrons, came TO grace the American |
ballet, and it here that the subject of this |
sketch was met by DePOhl, just about TO embark /
Tor Rev Hosk- = h~ti4s
He engaged Mile Sohlke as premiere absolute, |
and in September, 1861, she made her first sp- |
pearance in this country. in that famous spectac
ular piece the Devils Auction" at Bauvard's the
sler on Broadway, New York. Night after night |
the thsater was overcrowded, the building pro- |
wing inadequate 10 accommodate the thrOngs that |
hocked TO see the ballet led by the fair Sohlke, |
while the newspaper critics never tired of her |
praises.