Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-16
epecia. Correspondents Of The EvENISs STAR.

Rising up against him. and. if it is a possible
thing for man to be crushed by popular opin-
Ion. he is sure TO be crushed. The law will be
Invoked TO prevent him from presenting the
Passion Play. and every means taken to eTibar
rass him 10 render its success doubtful.
He has a mint of money behind han. however.
and has undannted perseverance,. Yesterday
had long talk with him. which | reproduce
with his endorsement.
''What is the Passion play" asked Dr.
Morse.
.'Piay sir? It Is not play al all II is sThe
Passion Here is the printed book" and he
produced g0od-sized pamphlet. | noticed on
tine title page tie words The Messiah Plav."
and drew DR.. Morsa's attention to it. The doc
tor explained that the copy had been presented
to him by his printers. and he was not respon-
si!de for it. He continued:
at j. not PLAY. but an Oratorio It is the
same work that had preparedto produce under
the direction OF Mr.. Abby about two years ago.
When within three q VS. of the production the
project abandoned at the instance of some
oyer-seIsitive peop" who hal really no idea
what the thing wa Subsequently read it at
the Cooper Instit.-.e. -v,sn accompanying music,
and the press n,tice.. 1t very fatterngIy 1t is
the same thing that / produced in San Fran
Cisco to adniTng and paving and reyerent au-
offences for five weeks. - long as could get the
theatcr."
And you are building new theater for it
here"
No: not a theater 7 will not call it the
ater: il Is church. The lot extends from Esd
to 2.th streets. about half way from 9Th to 18th
ayeGues The lot is two hundred feet deep. and
! Shall occupy 49, feet Of II for my sa-e-the
largest 5iage ever saw. and capable of produc-
Ing tue IiNst spectacle ever seen"
TIE SUBJECTS PRESENTED.
''What will he the subjects of the different
Epeetacles? ~
There are six to begin with. Illustrating the
Lie of Christ. They are The Presentation in
the Tenple;' The Massacre of the Innocents:'
sDeath of st. John the Baptist BY the Brook
kedron;' The Garden of GethSemane.' and
'Gabatha' AT the outset / shall not produce
the horrors OF the Crucifxon but possibly there
will be IA later addition vi that scene and The
Ascension
.-HO8 many persons will be emplOyed in the
representation ?"
''four or five hundred. The spectacle will
be something more magnificent than ANYTHING
that has ever been attempted In this country
The music. costumes appointments and sur
roundinGs will be historically accurate. | have
spent a number OF years in Syria among the
scenes OF our Savi0urs life. / have been a
monk and have visited the principal monastery
and deciphered all the manuscripts / could ind
i have brought over the Syrian tunes which |
have now for the first time succeeded i'm getting
Set TO music. shall give the Passion music
precisely as II is sung in Syria to this day This
Is not the music Used when read the produc-
tion at the Cooper Institute two years ago. |
have MY sOlOists and chorus now in training
My chorus will not be the ordinary chorus that
you hear at concert or opera. but trained
artists My Hallelujah chorus will surpass any
thlngiut the Kind ever attempted"
when do you expect to produce the Pas
sion:'
Il had intended to bring it out at Christmas.
when Is most appropriate time TOR work re-
lating 10 the life OF Christ But. in consequence
Of the burning of the Park Theater was obliged
20 alter my plans and TO build solid brick wall
from foundation to roof between the stage and
auditorium. This Costs LIE $1,000 more and
DELAYS the opening couple OF weeks. But
ale glad IT Is so. for, as the Passion will be per-
manent thing. wish To make it safe. / dislike
very much to be compelled to take out theater
license. but, as | must Use a curtain the law Will
compel it, But my exhibition will not be a
theater. The place will be a church as much as
ever
HE EXPECTS CHURCH PEOPLE.
800 you expect to bring the church people to
Zee the spectace:'
"Why not? They go to hear and see the
Oratorio. 1 have seen an OratOriO where
Christ was personated by man in a swallow
Tall coat, patent-eather boots and the dress of
man in daily life He represented Christ as
singing. L propose TO represent Christ as he
was. "a nearly as historic tradition will permit
There Will be nothing like theater in it, 1t
will be solemn. reyerental PRESERVATION such
as ! gave in San Francisco with the utmost
decorum expect to reach the large class of
people who VIII not 90 to church aud who
know nothing about Jesus There are the
Jews for Instance. They will not read about
Jesus or go 10 the Christian churches Yet
many of them came to my representations i'm
San francisco. expect they will likewise at
tend in New York
''How long have you been engaged in this
work."
at has been my ambition over twelve years
have made it my study | aim to make each
detail historically correct. / shall show the Ark
of the Covenant as perfect fac simile as can
De made of the one described in the Bible |
shall have harps exactly Ike the harp that David
Used shall have the dance by saIome pre-
cisely like the dance that David gave before the
Lord a. described In the Bible. All this will be
She result of my own long investigation and
study give my personal attention to the pro-
ductiOn of the details"
"How Is 1t that you do not employ profess
sional actOrs?"
because can make better ones in the first
place and because | wish to disassociate the
shing with the theater as much as possible.
The trouble with the professionals is. that they
:htnk they know il all. They will not be in
strttcted When take new mater al get some
ehtpg that can start with fresh without tile
necessity for undOnG lot of theatrical habits
chat would oe In diScord with my purpose"
IL on have met with much opposition so far?"
II g.. from unthinking and unnfOrmea peo-
pie But 1 am goin" right on, regardless of it
all When the public comes to see the grand
work that am about TO produce, the opposi-
tion will vanish"
There must be good deal of capital behind
this work."
Yes; but it Is ny own. There has been no
lack of money yet, and will not be.
THE PASSION WILL BE PRODUCED
On scale of grandeur that will show the public
that this IS a sincere and honest work | cannot
See the sense Of people who object to representing
Jesus by human representative. and vet see no
srreverenee in making . picture with paint and
canvas, or In engrayugs. / expect to teach
che people about Jesus. 10 make them Interested
IN his story and to do really good work /
have studied the life of the Saviour too well to
have any other object than reyerent!al nor
eraiture that will not only not shock ANYBODY
bat will do good To the religious element in orr
nature. / will tell the story of Jesus to those