The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-22
PATHS THEATEFRs.
'~Fhe LifIe BijOu at Craig-y-Nos
Recently Informally Opened.

Not long since Nine PATHS bjou thea
teriand opera house at Craig-y-NOs, Brecon-
Shire, her Welsh home, was informally
opeoed, writes correspondent from Car
diff to the London Standard. The theater
is situat at the north end of the castle and
adjoins the French billiard-room and clock
tower. The front faces south and is in the
courtyard 1t has an ornamental facade in
The Italian style, which distinctly marks the
purpose of the building. On the pediment
stand out in bold relief in gold letters the
words PATHS Theater." AS the theater is
essentially a private one and is for the con-
venience of the visitors at the castle, though
charitable performances, towhich the public
will be admitted, may be given from time to
time, the principal entrance will be from the
house by means of a wide corridor from the
French blliard-room; there is also another
entrance from the front. The dimensions
of the auditorium are fortY-tWO feet By
twenty-seYen feet. and there is a curved end
at the back, in which is a small gallery or
tribune. The height is twenty-five Feet
with a cove ceiling, supported by twelve
Corinthian columns, with decorated sur
faces round the sides, dividing the walls into
panels.
The floor has a neat popularity, While
it slaHtS toward the stage, there IS an ar
Jaugement underneath by which it can be
|Td45cu at Iic stage emu 10 u lGNei WIFI illc
stage, and so charming ballroom can be
provided, which is rendered all the more at
tractiYe because of the facilities offered by
the stage scenery TO give the appearance OF
a draWing-rOOm at one end. As a ballroom,
the length obtained by this continuance is
62 feet Special attention has been paid to
the lighting. In the daytime this will be
obtained by lantern lights in the ceiling
filled with ground glass. AT night central
electrOlier of sixteen lights and brackets Of
TFrbt n1.l, AHA I'D no orts
pioyed. The building is seated for 180 per-
sons, though it is possible to find room for
900. The chairs i'll the first few rows have
arms and are covered with blue silk plush
The decorations are not yet completed, but
it is intended that they shall be finished in
quiet tints of blue and ivory white, with a
plentiful u:e OF gliding
Tn orchestra is divided from the audi
forum by low balustrade, and is sunk six
feet below the stage level: it has room for a
band Of sixteen. The proScenlum Is very
striking; it is twenty feet wide and nineteen
feet high Surrounding it is a handsome
border, with peliment and descriptive and
decorative ornaments at the top. The
frieze Of the proScenium is paneled, ana
this paueling is continued round the audi
forum, bearing the names Of great cOmp0s-
erS. Rossini, PATHS fayOTite composer, &C.
cupes the central position on the proscen-
Jun, aud faced by Shakespeare above the
gallery. The tableau curtains are very
handsome; they are richly festooned, and
are of electric blue silk plush. The act
drop is a portrait Of Nine, Patti, in the
character of Semiramlde driving chariot
and pair of horses. 1t has been painted
by White of London The stage is "a feet
deep and 40 feet WIDE with ample height to
allow the whole Of the scenes to be raised III
10 the flies without rolling.
Every modern appliance necessary for
opera and pantomlme has been PROVIDED
There are electric fCOtlightS, rows OF batten
lights in the wings, and ground lights with
coiored lamps for giving colored effects.
The number of lights in the entire theaUer
is 28I, and all these are under the control OF
the pronpter by means OF handsome
switchboard, which has each department
labeled. a cellar under the Stage aecommo-
dates the machinery for working the scenes
aad traps, while Alongside the auditorium
on the opposite side Of the corridor is a large
scene deck, 80 feet long and of fun height,
TO accommodate scenes when not i'll use.
Behind the stage are five dressng-rooms on
the first and second floors, with loft over
for properties. The architects are Messfs.
Backnall IL Jennings of Swansea ana Lou
don The builder was Mr.. ii. Smith Of Kid
derminster The scenery was painted by
Mr.. w. Ham OF London. The electric
lighting is supplied by the Wenham Light
Company, and the decorations are by
Mcssrs. jackson & Sons Of London.
The piece performed was Mr.. w. +.
UnlIey's comic opera, "The Coastguard."
The audience included. besides Nine. Patti
aud Signor Nicolini, a large number OF dis
Sisnor Ardfti. Mr.. Hulley conducted the
orchestra, which consisted Of fourteen in,
strumenis Nine. Patti expressed herself at
the close delighted with the whole action OF
the piece. An illuminated and framed ad-
dress was presented to Nine. Patti before
the company separated. The theater will
not be opened formally till next year, when
Nine Patti will sing part Of favorite opera,
and Mr.. Henry Irving will play or recite
favoIite part.