The Portland daily press., 1888-03-03
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
RoBERr DOWNING.


Last evening Mr.. Robert Downing made
his first appearance in this city at Portland
Theatre, in the character that has become
historic at the hands of Edwin Forrest and
John McCulloch, that of 'Spartacus, the
Gladiator" Mr.. Downing brings to the char
acterization all those physical advantages
that are imperative in order TO merge the
actor in the athlete. He is tall broad shout
dered, has compact well proportional fig
ure, and a finely shaped head, well poised
and carried with dignity. He is endowed
with a rich, deep, sonorous voice, and is, IN
appearance, a very gladiator. Even his face,
good in its contour, if not delicate and classic,
is all the better adapted for Spartacus. The
features are mobile, and the eyes keen and
brilliant. His movements are free and full
of active life, and. at certain points of the
drama, he is exceedingly picturesque. In
fact, Mr., Downing pleases his audience by
his manly appearance and his physical beauty
and they are prepared at once to sympathize
with his Characterization.
While Mr.. Downing does not yet give that
finished personation that his predecessors
have done, he is still exceedingly strong in
the role. In the great scenes of the play,
those in which passion calls forth the great
est efforts of the actor, Mr.. Downing rises
nobly to the situation, aud he delivers the
great and familiar speeches with spirit and
power worthy of the highest Praise. In the
tenderer scenes with his wife and brother,
the sympathetic qualities OF his voice are
highly effective, and, in the last act, where
SpartacuS goes insane, strong men IN the
audience wept. Mr.. Downing is still young;
4 mill Had
he is young man ana every year VIII niiu
greater and greater Improvement, until ne
will take rank ia theatrical history among
the great lights of the American stage
In the presentation Of the play Mr.. Mack,
Mr. Downing's manager, says that history
has been thoroughly raasacked SO that the
drama may be accurate in every. particular
For this reason Spartacus, when he, appears,
a captive, in chains, wears the long beard and
skins of the captive Thracian, the beard re-
naming untouched until he enters the arena.
Mr.. Downing's performance was witnessed
by large and enthusiastic audience, the cur
tain sbeing repeatedly ca ed. He appears
again this evening as Spartacns.
WHITNEY MocKRIDGE.
Mr.. Whitney Mockridge, the eminent tenor,
is Canadian. While at school, he was the
leading soprano for two years of the boy
choir, which was at that time considered the
hest boy choir in Canada. He left school at
the age of II, and in the same year sang for
the Toronto Philharmonic Society, under
the leadership of Mr. f. Il. Torrlngton, Men,
delssohn's flynn of Praise, and in Elijah"
twice. and soon after at the reception concert
given to Princess Louise and the Marquis of
Lorne, as the representative Canadian tenor.
During this time he was pursuing his musical
studies with Mr. Torrington, to whom, as his
first teacher, he attributes much of his sue
cess as AN artist. He afterwards went to
| Chicago, where he sang with the Apollo
| Club, and studied with its conductor, MIR. w.
L. Tomlins. In 1882 he went to London to
study with Mr.. A. Randegger, and was en-
gagged for the Carl Rosa English Co; for lead
ing solos, He sang in London and through
the provinces with this company, and In 1884
returned TO America through the advice OF
Mr.. Theo. Thomas He will appear at City
be secured at Stockbridge's
THE BowDoIN GLEE CLUB.
The Washburn Union of the Church OF the
Messiah is making arrangements for its
fourth annual entertainment in City Hall,
! Thursday evening, March 8. The Bowdoln
| College Glee Club of twelve voices, and It's
| Banjo and Guitar Quartette, will furnish the
| greater part of the programme.
NOTES.
The number of Tickets subscribed to the
recital to be given by Mr.. Frederick Archer
! is in the second hundred. Three hundred
tickets must be subscribed before he can
| come They can be obtained at Mr.. +. b.
| Clark's and at Stockbridge's