The Portland daily press., 1885-09-01
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
PORTLAND THEATRE.

Last evening Portland Theatre reopened
for the autumn and winter season before an
audience not very large in numbers but of
fair proportions. During the summer recess
there has been little touching up with fresh
| paint, and ventilator has been constructed
over the centre chandelier to enable the hot
air to escape. AS the orchestra, under Mr..
Grimmer took their places, there was a
round of applause, which was very de-
served compliment to very important
attraction of the house.
The evenings entertainment consisted of
the musical farce, or perhaps we should say
comedy, of Nine. Boniface in three acts, a
play in which Nine. Theo made hit in Paris
and New York. The plot of the piece is
founded on the jealousies of Monsieur Boni-
face, Paris confectioner, his pretty wife,
| and Isabel, ward of Gen. Well Brieche
who is uncle to Lieut.. Hannibal, an officer
| and man OF rank, who is DESTROYS of possess
| ing Nine. Bonlface. To carry out the COM
| plications of the plot, painter, Fridolin, in
| love with Isabel, is introduced, as well as the
uncle, the veteran general Interspersed
through the play are numerous songs and
concerted pieces, many of them bright and
| pleasing, and others tender and pathetic
Mile. Madelaine Lucette, who took the part
| of Nine. Boniface last evening possesses a
trim figure, pleasant, well cultivated voice,
| and enters into the character with much chic.
70 suppose that translation, of French
| play like this could be made that wouldkre-
| tain the high flavor of the original would be
| erroneous, and consequently, if at times the
| dialogue fell fiat, as between Friquette and
her husband and lover, it was the fault of
| the translator, not of the performers, Mile.
Lucette created a very agreeable impression
VI the rest of the company we may say
that Mr. Eagleton as the General sang with
much spirit and acted with force. Mr.. Dick
son, Mr.. Lang and Mr.. Packard, all acted
| it was only to be regretted that their voices
were not better. Miss Cole as Isabel was
| satisfactory. The orchestral accompani-
| ments required more practice, but they were
notice. Tonight "Niniche' will be pre-
| sented.
Mr.. Willie Edouin opens the Novelty
Theatre, London, next Monday with a new
burlesQue.
In the coming presentation of Shakes
peare's Tempest at the London Lyceum
Theatre Miss Ailsa Craig, Ellen Terry's
daughter, will appear.
Mrs Henrietta Chanfrau, widow of Frank
Chanfrau, is now living quietly in the
suburbs of London. Her youngest son,
Frank, is with her.
Mile. Sarah Bernhardt has signed con-
tract for an American tour, guaranteeing
her minimum of 225 performances between
May, 1886, and May, 1887, at $40O for each
performance, and a percentage of the re-
celpts above certain amount the tour to
embrace both North and South America.
Mr.. Horace Wigan, the adapter of Friends
or Foes?" which is to be produced at the
Museum, died in London on the 18th inst, at
| of IIox o+o
playwright and had been on the stage more
than 80 years. He was the original Hawk
shaw in 1.-THE Ticket-of-Leave Man.
1t is expected that the new Hollis street
Theatre, Boston, will open October 9Th.
"Adonis" being the inaugural attraction,
with Mr.. Henry E. Dixey in the leading role.
The curtain for this theatre, which Mr.. j. A.
Thompson has been painting at the Biiou
Hheatre for some weeks past, is finished, and
it will be pleasing feature of the new
building. 1t represents a beautiful spot on
Lago di Como, Italy, showing an old inn, a
vineyard, view of the lake with its surface
dotted with sails, the mountains in the dis
lance and in the foreground the harvesters
gathering the ripe fruit and sorting it. 1t is
rich and pleasingly suggestive picture and
is warm in coloring. 1t will be bordered by
painted draperieS of gold and maroon, which,
With the fTame-shaped proScenium wall, will
give 1t very handsome effect.
Stuart Robson tells a good anecdote of
| General Grant as follows: 'sCrane and N.Y.
| self were playing some years ago in well
! known managers theatre out of New York.
| The first act was over and we were chatting
in the wings with our manager, when one of
the boys rushed up to tell us that General
Grant and his family were in one of the
boxes. flush of gratifed pride mounted
to the managerial face, followed by look of
agonized doubt, as he evidently reflected
that perhaps the General had 'deadheaded'
into the box. Did you send him box, Rob
son?' he asked me, and on my replying in
| the negative, he pulled card out of his
| pocket, and scribbling line on it, told the
| boy to take it to the box office and bring back
an answer. The boy rushed off, his head
full Of the General, and returned in a few
minutes with the same card, which he hand
| ed to Mr.. Manager. A CHASTITY look crossed
| his face as he read it and without word
| handed it to me. The first line read in the
| General Grant pay for his box?' while under
did. U. S. Grant The boy had taken it to
the box instead of the box Office"
| The fifth series of the Boston symphony
concerts will be given in Music Hall, Boston
during the fall and winter months with Herr
| Wilhelm Gericke again as conductor The
membership of the orchestra will be some
what changed from that of last season, the
most important retirement being that of Mr.
Bernhard Listemann, who has led the yiolI
| players as concert master since the orchestra
was organized by. Mr.. Georg Henschel foul
| years ago. Mr.. Listemann'S successor in this
| important position will be Herr Fran
Kneisel, who has recognized position il
| Vienna. and was for many years the concert
| master of the Bilse Orchestra of Berlin. The
ranks of the first violin players will be re
cruited from abroad in measure, as Herr
Gericke has engaged three of the prize pupils
| of the Vienna Conservatory to replace those
of the players in this section of last seasons
orchestra who have not renewed their con.
tracts. It has been determined that the
series of Boston concerts shall be "a in mum
| Der and given on consecutive Saturday even.
ings beginning October IL the usual Friday
evening rehearsals preceding each concert.
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