Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-09-23
One Spectator.

Nine. Charlotte Wolter, the cele-
DRAFTED Niennese actress, recently per-
formed before King Ludwig, Of Bavaria,
and her own account Of her experiences
on that occasion is told by Albert
Wolff, in the Paris Figaro. King Lud-
wig, it appears, has had Theodore"
mounted at the Munich Theater with
even greater luxury than at the Porte
st. Martin, for his own sole beboof and
delectation, not even suffering that the
scenery and dresses used for his private
performance should be desecrated by
exhibition to the vulgar herd, when
the play is publicly produced next wins
ter. He at first wished Nine. Wolter
to play Theodore, but as she had not
yet studied the part, (which she is
soon to perform in Vienna, by the
way,) she was forced to decline. 1t
was determined that Nine. de Pompa-
dour in Brachvogel' FENarcisse" should
be the part in which Nine. Wolter
should make her appearance before
the Hermit King. The performance
was to commence at midnight. At
1:3O the actors were all gathered on
the stage, where they. awaited in dead
silence the royal command to begin.
At II precisely an electric bell an
nounced that the King had left the
palace and was on his way to the thea
ter by his private passage. A sec
ond signal soon made known that his
ma esty was installed in the box, and
instantly the curtain rose, as to have
the king waiting one single instant
would have entailed the gravest con-
sequences for the management. There
were no lights in the house, but the
light from the stage, Of course, pene-
trated it dimly. The single spectator
in the royal box was totally invisible
and remained absolutely silent from
beginning to end Of the performance.
When the curtain at last fell between
3 and 4 in the morning, the actors
were ordered to remain silent on the
stage, lest any noise should disturb
the reverie In which it was the kings
habit to remain plunged for some time
after the performance was over. At
last @ bell announced that he had
taken his departure, and his slaves
were released. An old chamberlain
at once waited upon Nine. Wolter in
her dressing-room and conveyed to her
an enormous bouquet and a piece Of
jewelry, with the compliments of the
king, whose titles he scrupulously re-
cited from beginning to end. 81 begged
the old chamberlain, - the actress con
tinued, 'to have the kindness to con-
vey to his majesty the expression of
my gratitude; but he informed me
that according to etiquette the artist
must than the king in writing.
was dropping with fatigue, and told
the functionary that | would have
the honor of writing to his males
ty the following day. The old gentle
man replied that the king could not
be kept waiting that he was expecting
my answer at that moment, and that
he 1.-THE chamberlain would have the
honor of then and there debating it
to me in the form imposed by court
ceremonial. had to submit, and it
was not till five in the morning that
was free to return home. 81 did not
see the king" said Nine. Woiter,
"either before, during, or after the
performance. He had traversed nv
artistic life like an invisible spirit. At
this moment l cannot quite assure
myself that the whole thing was a
reality and not dream. [ do not
say, she continued, ''that should like
always to play under such circum-
stances, but [ am delighted to have
gone through this experience, which
has given me a new sensation in my
art"