The Portland daily press., 1889-09-24
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
EyANGELINE.

The years roll on theatrical managers and
actors who In the past have delighted the
public in their various parts, the critics who
criticised them, and even the theatres in
which they played, pass away; new mama
gers. actors and critics, come to the front,
but "Evangelne." sweet Acadian maiden;
Gabriel, her beloved, and all the rest of the
merry people OF the extravaganza. continue
to charm generation after generation, just as
the beautiful poem of Longfellow will live
and delight the youth of centuries yet to be.
The older theatre-goers will recall the days
that are gone; the old Portland Museum,
when charming Eliza Weatbersby was the
ideal Gabriel, sweet-voiced Clara Fisher the
Eyangeline, eccentric Harry Hunter the
Lone Fishermen, Nat Goodwin the irrepress-
ible LIE Blanc. Fortesque as Catharine, and
Rice, manager and co-author, in order that
the orchestra should not be weakened, played
the drums. How sweet and delicious all the
songs were. how delightfully."- they were sung
and how breezy the atmosphere of the play
Last night, how wildly the old days were re-
called; the horseshoe shaped parquette, the
raised dress circle, and the rear gallery of the
old Museum, the dress circle and orchestra,
stalls brilliant with the elegantly dressed
ladies, whose costumes were set off, not hid
den, by the seating of the house. The young
girls then, who laughed at Nat and the
young men who adored Eliza, are now serious
sober people of middle age, and poor
Eliza has passed over tho other side of the
great river, alas, with many of those who de-
lighted us here.
Last evening the extravaganza was brought
out with all the sumptuousness, and, in some
respects, a greater richness of costume than
in the Older days. A bevy of pretty girls
posed, danced. and marched, and formed
stage pictures, under the changing hues of
the lime-light, to the great satisfaction of a
packed audience of ladies and gentlemen.
The "Steal Away" dance, the Moonlight
Sonata" minuet, and the Amazonian march,
were perhaps the strongest of the.many beau
tiful stage pictures presented.
The event of the evening was the debut of
Miss Yolande Wallace In the city of her ma
tivity. She had no occasion to complain Of
her reception. From the first appearance,
when she was greeted with a round of hearty
applause, to the end of the extravaganza, she
was the recipient of proofs of great admira-
tion and approval. She has bright ex-
presslve face. as well as mere physical beau
ty of form and feature, sweet, agreeable
voice, and much grace of movement. She
made two lovely stage pictures, one in the
first act. where she sings the spinning song,
and again in the prison in the second, when
she rendered Where art thou how, my be.
loved?" She is arch, natural and simple, three
great gifts for an actress to possess. She re-
ceived a superb basket of roses and beauti-
full cluster of flowers.
Miss Branson-whose name was transposed
In the bills-made an attractive and agree
able Gabriel, In place of Miss Bartlett, who
was expected here to assume the character.
OF course Maffitt was very funny as the Lone
Fisherman. Fortesque retained his old part
of Catharine, and never seems to grow old.
The other characters were well taken.
The extravaganza will be repeated tonight
and tomorrow.
THE sToCKBRIDGE COURSES.
The Bostonians will open all three of the
Stockbridge courses, on Friday and Satur.
day, Oct 18th and 10th. The artists are the
same that have always delighted Portland
people in past seasons. The operas "Pyg-
malion and Galatea," "Luzette." and 1.-THE
Poachers," are exceedingly tuneful and will
be produced with new scenery and elegant
costumes, full chorus and orchestra. Mrs.
Jessie Bartlett Davis, who was i'll last season
when the Bostonians appeared here, will
appear this season. Now is the time to got
tickets.
MONTE CRIsTo.
Tat
Mr.. James O'Neill. will appear at Portland
theatre in that fascinating melo-drama,
Monte Cristo," produced with elaborate
new scenery and realistic stage features.
Both the play and the actor are well known,
but theatre-goers are this year promised an
excellent supporting company, new scenery
painted expressly for the play by d. w.
Hughes, and costumes and accessories befit-
ting proper representation. In the dual
Of Monte Cristo, MIR. ONeill has always
kept his hearers wrapt in attention as the
out-spoken sailor boy, afterwards the miser-
able prisoner of eighteen years, and then as
the cool and determined possessor of the
treasure of Monte Cristo. with vengeance
his only aim.
BENNETT MOULToN.
Bennett & Moulton's opera company will
be at Portland theatre all next week. giving
Boccaccio on Monday; Beggar Student on
Tuesday; Robert Macaire Wednesday after
noon; Fatinitza on Wednesday evening;
Black Hussar Thursday evening; Carmen
Friday evening; Chimes of Normandy Sat-
urday afternoon. and Olivette Saturday even
ing.