The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-28
ZANDT AND HER FOES.
The Stny Experience Of an American
PrimDonna with the Paris Pres Gang.

The Stny Experience Of an American
PrimDonna with the Paris Pres Gang.
Cable Sral. March 26.
Sipceo'clock the Opera Comique has been
surround by yelling mob. All the petty
disturbces which had occurred at the theatre
since M Marie Van Zandts return have been
eclipsedp-night. Foes and friends fought
pitched ltle, The victory remained with the
Van Zantes, but the result was not decisive
enough tatisfy the proud-spirited little prima
donna. 10 echoes of her triumph inside the
theatre we mingled with very different echoes
from thetreet, and the curtain had hardly
fallen onae last act of La Rene" when Nile.
Van Zat informed NJ Carvalho that she
would si no more at the Opera Comique.
The diculty experienced in buying tickets
for 'Laheu at the doors of the theatre had
stirred much bad feeling and awakened q
suspicioithat an attempt would be made to
stiie puic opinion. The supposed endeavor of
M Carvho to interfere with the public right OF
Kissing ad still futher embroiled matters.
Lastly, e manager had got entangled in
personalquarrel over sLakme" with the Gil
Bias. anthat amusing but not oyerscrupulous
organ h; vowed vengeance and formed an Of
fensive Id defensive anti.Van Zandt alliance
with thstudious youth OF the Quarter Latin
The stuous youth are always ready for riot
and annlnced that to night they would rise in
their tlusands to protest against Mile. Van
Zandt hng allowed to sing. The Gil Bias, on
the otht hand proclaimed its resolve to hiss
her dow So by dinner time Paris was ready
for the Ay.
About o'clock 500 students started for the
Crosc Az vart
strengthnd courage. By the time they reached
the theae their numbers were tripled. Find
ing it inossble to get in, they massed them
selves arund the house. shouting, hooting, and
singing war song, and parodying popular
song. B o'clock 1000 rioters thronged the
Place de8oildieu. The crowd took to shout
ing: 'Rsgn! Down with Carvalho! Down
with theSommeux Down with Van Zandt"
Growiy weary of this, the students presently
formed alerried line, pushed way through the
place, ah made determined rush at the
theatre dor, hoping to take the house by storm
They wer met and repulsed by commissaire
de police,backe by detachment OF armored
guards, mo were soon reinforced by a body OF
police. he hand to-hand struggle. lasted some
minutes, ,ut the rioters were gradually forced
back.
Meanwhile Mile. Van Zandt vino had driven
UP to thesde door, had dressed and was just
steppingln n the stage to sing the opening prayer
of Lake" The house was full in every
corner. The Comtesse de Pourtales sat in a
stage boxfacing Nm. Dumas and Carvalho, who
occupied baignoire The orchestra was filed
with critics and musicians While the wealth anu
beauty ofParis adorned the boxes. Inc general
feeling wss strongly favorable to Mile. Van
Zandt, butt soon became evident that desper-
ate attempt would be made to crush her. A
small but determined gang had come provided
ws sIen as os pradTef sss aasa
The manifestations were replied to by counter
manifestations The cheers soon drowned the
Kisses, but they began again whenever Mile.
Van Zandt sang, and the theatre at moments
was more like ChTenton mad-house than a
temple of music. The gentlemen in the boxes
shouted defiance at the gentlemen in stalls, and
the gentlemen in the parterre defed the gal
lery. In several cases words led to blows.
woman who afterwards told correspondent
she was an actress from the Varieties was so be
side herself with Indignation at the cruelty
shown to the prima donna that she cried:
1T is an infamous cabal, gotten up by the
Gil Bias"
'.Who said that" shrieked back frenzied
member of the Gil Bias staff.
II did" replied the lady, amid roars of ap
plause. 1t looked for an instant as if she would
have challenged the cabaler
All this time the students outside were cho
rusing lie VOLTA Carvalho! 0, o, O!' Snatches
of their song were waited in every now and
then, and intensified the frenzy of the cabal
Mile. Van. Zandts attitude throughout the
ordeal was dauntless. Except for moment al
the first Kisses she never finched, trembled. OF
broke down. Her voice was steady and purel
than perhaps il had ever been. and she sang the
love duo in the first act so faultlesly that she
was obliged TO repeat it. She was called before
the curtain after every act, the whole audience
rising repeatedly and cheering till it was hoarse
At the close of the opera she was twice recalled
and was so overcome with pleasure and excite
ment that she could hardly totter forward OF
Gerald's arm to row her thanks. AS she wa
driven away with her mother crowd got round
the carriage and mobbed her. She managed t
escape bodily violence however