The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-14
BOOrH,S THEi TIE CLOSED.
The Troubles or nm Opera Boune Company
Why Fair soprano Returned to Pnris.


Booths Theatre was closed yesterday for
tho season. or until some one engages II. Jar
reu 4 Palmer leased 1t for two Of the summer
months. and Mt ono time 1t was rumorcd that
they were in negotiation for u continuance Of
the lease during the winter. but nothing camo
OF II. For the past two weeks the theatre was
occupied by the new French opera troupe
which arrived from Paris recently. Its mem
bcrs were: Emile Mialct. baritone; Frederick
Doria. tenor; Constant Lccuyer. stage man
ager; Lem Benedick business manager: and
Salvador Guerra. musical director. The lead
ing female singers wcre Mile. Zelic We'll. first
soprano; Nine Rosalie Stani. first soprano:
Mile. Flavionna Dralla. second soprano Mile.
Bertha Edant. contralto. and Mile Lea De
Sombray Tho enterprise was Joint stock
one. and each member Of the company was to
share alike in the anticipated profits.
NJ. Benedck had had managerial experience
with Aimee Maurice Grau. and other leading
stars and impressarios. Nine. Stnni the firstso-
prano. had achieved a notable success IA Ldnge
in " In File de Madame Angot." on the occasion
OF Amce's American trip OF 1894. Constant
Lecuyer had played T-metz in the same piece
on the same OCCASION and had been received
with equal favor. Mile. We'll. the embryo
star Of tho troupe. possessed an excel
lent soprano voice. aashing aud highly
best psrsSnators Of Gtrode- GEoSa GF'S on tho
again against O0lS hem BeSeRRR RRuR%T R%pe PIy 10 oyer ws
como IT. by judicious. ADVERTISING and earnest
work. The company leased Booths Theatre on
| favorable terms, and opened on the 2Sth ult.
with Jeanne Jeannett", aud Jeanncion.
| new WORK ny hecoi9e. IN three acls anu pro
loves and adventures Of thres young peasant
girls. the first Of whom became countess. the
second the iayorite o. q prince. and the third .
| premiere dHnseuse. The love entanglemcnts OF
The fair JednHeion with tho Marquis de Noce com
picated the plot sufficiently to make n acccuta-
bic To lovers OF the mysterious. but the music
| was scarcely up 70 the sprighuy standard OF
| absence OF catching airs although several Of
the passages. notably Jednneite'S On salt I'ai
deaux amour" was received with signal favor.
lack OF adaptabiliyy to the prevailing American
taste. proved fatal. and Jeanne. Jeannette. and
In GiroHe. G9oas Mile We'll. despite her
| sprituee physique. was recognized as capt.
opinion Of many she WAS decidedly superior to
the plumper and more Jolly Aimee. and the
fame Of the new comer's rendition aided ma
terially in staying the, eboing tide Of PATRONAGE
| Enthusiastic young foreigners echoed and re-
echoed her praises In the operate resorts Of
Internal dssensions the troupe. in the opinion
| OF its friends. would have SUCCEEDED in
achieving Q deserved success. The rising
full to some OF the older and more
sEperienSed Of her female .oS1 e19mSpalnions Solr
into the managerial snnctum. but il was not
until the luckless NJ. Benedick had billed Nile.
We'll ns Gnone- Gu'Ofd that the storm broke in
its fury, The fair companions OF GirOfe de-
manned to know 10y what right her name was
tSS face of the RSSI Set that tho sse
prise. by the terms OF the original compact.
was strictly a Joint stock one NJ; Benedick 4 !.
tho public would flock TO hear a star where they
could not be dragged to hear three ordinary
singers. even III they were ten times superior.
All was In vain; and. after Quelling several in
cipient rebellions in the orchestra, the nnfortu-
nate manager. was compelled to surrender. The
brought TO close. To the credit OF Nj. Benedick
and his companions. be II said. they bank none
Of their receipts. but paid out every dollar in
taking IN their bills.
I'VE have lost about 80 900 francs" W. Bene-
some other theatre instead OF Booths which Is
700 oG I9T oRSrn 1oHbe sn. sy we tb az Par
for instance. we might have stood some chance;
As IL was, our expenses more than swallowed
for house rent. gas. and chorus, before the cur
tain rose. Then the orchestra had no pay for
the last week. but they have been very consid-
crate. II IL hadn't been for the ill-feeng in the
troupe about Mile. Wells appearing as star.
we might have done well enough. am hope
full, as It is. Mile Drslla went 10 Paris to-day,
under a new manager"
Mile. Dralla. it is rumored. was tho chief Of
the fair malcontents: Her rival has many
friends, who predict for her greater success
her fayorite role. Friends Of the troupe assert
that the latter has not been fairly used by the
owner of Booths Theatre. 1t is said that on
Sunday evening last u grand representation
was to be given by them in behalf Of
the yellow fever sufferers, and that before
the curtain rose the owners sent word that thoy
must have $500 cash down before the perform
ance could 70 on. That being double the or
dinary rent OF the house. II is charged that the
owners wished TO get back some of the troupe's
indebtedness at the expense Of the yellow fever
sufferers. On the other hand il is alleged that
the company owed large amount Tor rent. and
that the owners. in charging double price. were
| only protecting their rights. The theatre be-
longs to the Oakes Ames estate.