The Washington critic., 1885-12-04

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The above picture of her is an exceedingly
good likeness, but in all outline drawings,
1t is difficult to produce good results as
shading cannot be introduced. Mrs. Pot
ter numbers among her personal and init
mate friends, ladies Of such distinguished
social prominence as Mrs. William Aston,
ton, Mrs. Ogden Goelet, Mrs. Cornelius
Vanderbilt aud Mrs Paran Stevens. She is
frequent guest at their houses is invited
every night to the opera, attends all the
fashionable entertainments Of the winter,
and, In fact, is TO be seen everywhere. Mrs.
Potter is great patron OF the drama and
has already achieved great fame on the
amateur stage. She has been acting since
1881. Her name on the programmes of am-
ateur performances is n sufficient card TO
draw large audiences. She never appears
| in public except in aid of some worthy char
| ity, and last winter she appeared for the
| benefit Of the Bartholdi statue which net
ted large amount for the World fund.
Mrs. Potter has appeared as HOrteRSe in "a
In "Capc Mail;n in "For Her Child's
Saken as Poleska in "The Russian
Honeymoon" as Marguerite in "The
Romance OF a Poor Young MAN." as Helen
| hdireHcin "The Old Love and the New;n
as Florence Mdrigoid in "My Uncle's WIFI"
as Emelino in "False Colors," and also in
"Aux Avant Postes.n Mrs. Potter speaks
French 1uently and with an almost native
accent, and consequently is very successful
in the latter kind Of plays She is very
conscientious actress, studies her parts well,
and above all, has a strong dramatic in
| stinct. On recent occasion Mr.. David
Belasco, the well-known playwright and
stage manager, wrote to her after one Of
her performances as follows. "My dear
Mrs. Potter: You did so grandiiy the other
evening, i should have been proud
to have been your bell-boy. Sincerely,
David Beasco." Nine. Mojeska wrote
this to her: "'You have deserved high com
incubation, true applause and love.'-As
You Like 1t. Iwould applaud thee to the
very echo, that should applaud again.
Macbeth Mrs. Potter is the leading anna
tour actress of this city, and her acting has
| a professional standing. She has received
many offers from local managers to appear
upon the professional stage, but has de-
clined them all, l believe she is to appear
| this winter in new role, that of Pauline in
"Thc Lady of Lyons" There is no deny
| ing that Mrs. Potter will make beautiful
Pauline, and act it with grace and dramatic
force with which she is abundantly sup
piled.
~
Grand opera in this city is attracting
OF the German company of singers at the
Metropolitan Opera-lIouse exceed In excel
| lence any similar performances in German
| or Italian that have been given in this city.
| The productions which have taken place
thus far this season have shown q liberality
| on the part Of the management that is
praiseworthy, and which denotes that Mr..
| Edmund G. Stanton, the director OF the
| opera-house, intends to give opera in New
| York with degree Of excellence in the
singers and stage pictures that has never
| been eXcelled in any part Of the world 1t Is
the intention of the management to favor
some of the principal cities Of the United
States with these superb productions, and
Philadelphia viii be the first city the com
| pany Will visit. Frauen Lehman, one OF
the principal sopranos, made her debut as
Carmen. She is n woman of handsome
| presence, dramatic actress, and a singer
| with superior vocal accomplishments. Her
voiceis remarkably clear, rich and resonant
in tones, and she sings with an ease and grace
that is most effective and charming to listen
to. She is altogether fine artistic. Herr
Alvari made his debut rs Don Jose in the
| same opera, and is a tenor of much merit.
"Le Prophete" served last Friday to intro
duce to the public Herr Silva in the prlnci.
| pal part. He is by all odds the best touor
| of the company. His voice Is one of much
sweetness and is Of baritone tenor quality.
His execution Is smooth and fluent, and he
manages his voice with dizziness and with
out forcing IL. "Die Walkurer was sung
on Monday, and is an opera that Is fortu.
nate in being acceptable to both the most
advanced of the so.callcd musicians of the
future and to the average man and
woman of to-day 1t was given with the
same perfection that distinguished the pro-
duction Of this work last season. Fraulein
Lehman as Briu'hilde sang and acted mag
niicently. She entered into the spirit OF
the composer with such evident sympathy
and intelligence that to many II was an en-
urely new realization Of the part. Herr
Stritt as SigBiitnd but confirmed the favor
able impression he has already made Tue
| greatest operate achievement in this coun-
| try was that made on Wednesday evening
when Goldmark's "Queen of Sheban had
its first hearing in the United States.
or this work | will have more to say
next week and will illustrate two OF
| It's most effective scenes. 1t offers many
grand opportunities for the display of thu
best art OF the scene painter, coStuner aud
stage manager. rheatrically, the produe.
tion Is Il grand spectacle and nothing more
beautiful or effective has before been seen
ON any stage In New York. The cast in.
cluded Herr Robinson, Frau Kramer Widl,
| Fraulein Lehman, Fraulen Brandt, Herr
Fischer, Herr stritt and Herr AleM A
stronger cast could not be procured. The
music abounds in the most effective tone
colors and the orchestratiOn is of the richest
description,
There are two tiers of boxes in the Metro
politan Opcru-llouse which extend from
one side Of the proscenium opening to the
other in tho shape Of IL horseshoe. Tue
boxes are so arranged that they afford an
unohstructcd view Of all parts Of the house
and the entire stage can be seen from any
loX in the house. Each hos accommodates
six pcreous, and a small saion Of the size of
foX is connected witt each Of them.
Some Of these salons have been Handsomely
Tilted up ly tlicir owners, A box mt tha
oPtlo-loGsc for season of NIly.lWo nights
costs S3OOO, bat the meipHb or them arp
owned by the stockholders, who occIpy the
same BOXES every season.
WNlloch's Theatre hps at last securel fl
success IN "lioodGan Blind" und the tn,.n
drama Is N for q long run som. of tIp
situations are very strong 0nl thrilling
Tie story is interesting AMI the play Is Ia
| gcuiously constructed. "lIoolmln BHnl'