, 1890-09-18
\ NOTABLE EVENT
Dedication of the Magnifi-
cent Spokane Auditoium.
FINE PERFORMANCE OF 'NANON''
The Carleton Opera Company
Open an Extraordinary
Engagement

The Spokane Auditorium was
opened Tuesday night, and although
that means more to Spokane people
than anyone else, 1t Is one OF the most
notable events that has ever taken
place In the Northwest. The Audi
torium Is the largest, most perfectly
appointed, and most costly theater
OH the coast outside of San Fran
cisco.
The immense house was packed
from PIT to dome, and held the most
brilliant audience that has ever been
assembled on the North Pacific
coast.
All the wealth, beauty and fash
ion of Eastern Washington and
Northern Idaho was represented,
and lent a charm to the scene that
is well night indescribable. Ladies
in full evening dress and gentlemen
in the conventional spike gave the
perfectly arranged and exquisitely
decorated opera-house a metropoli-
tan air that was very impressive.
Each of the ten boxes held thea
ter parties, and other gatherings
were noticeable in different parts OF
the parquette aud dress circle.
The effect Of the well-flled,
Observation-Disclosures house was
dazzling, beautiful, and particularly
so from an artists view, thanks to
the good taste displayed by the la
dies in the selection of their cos
tunes. 1t was generally understood
by them that the prevailing color
of the frescoing and interior decora-
tion was n terra Gotta, blended and
shaded into all the neutral tints,
and the ladies had chosen the color
of their gowns so that the effect
| should not be narred.
The w. r. Carleton famous
opera company gave a faultless per
formance of "Nanon," and will
play the entire week.
Colonel Patrick II. Winston, the
United states district attorney, made
the opening address, and, with his
easy flow of language, well rounded
periods, and magnetic delivery, he
aroused storm of enth uslasm be-
fore the curtain went up. In re-
sponse to the loud calls for Browne
and Cannon, those two gentlemen,
the owners of the magnificent tenn
pie of art, went before the curtain
! and expressed their thanks in IA few
well-chosen words, which were
very vociferously applauded.
1t is safe to say that there were
1,s00 people in the house.
COLONEL wlSsroN's REMARKS.
At little after s o. clock Colonel Pat
rick Henry Winston stepped before the
curtain and as absolute, unbroken 81.
lence settled over the house he began
| his remarks:
Ladies and gentlemen of Spokane;
| The theater is of Greek origin the word
means u place to see.' IL was a fl nous
saying of Hchylus that the Greek
dramas were but dry scraps from th,
great banquets OF Homer. The wan
dering Ministries whose reCltations pre-
served the sublime story OF Grecian
mythology us originally sung by the
blind OLD bard of Scio's Rocky Isle in
turn gave place to national drama
wherein was portrayed the deeds and
suiierings OF gods and heroes, the
glories OF great victories, or the suffer
ings OF great calamities.
| "Ihe first thcater was erected al
Athens. the great Dionysius theater
with its auditorium scooped out OF the
rock ut the base of tile AcropOlis, and
with seating capacity OF 2OoOO people.
The first theater built in Italy was
erected in Rome by Pompey. ltwould
hold az, 900 people, and at its Inaugural
tion 800 Numidian lions anu twenty ele-
piants were killed by the glad iutors fol
ihe delectaton of the populace. Tn,
theater in Rome was for the brutal ex-
hibition of tho gladitorial contests
sometimes between slaves, more often
| with wild beasts. 1t was not de-
signed for art, and as fitting
ending for such british pleasures, the
famous Coliseum, the proudest of al
ters, lies In crumbling ruins in tho
moonlight OF an Italian night.
"Ihe true theater, as We understand
the word, had its origin In the sixteenth
century, when their burst upon til,
world the transcondant brilliancy of I
colossal brain. and the maine of William
Shakespears 'applausr] will, as 1t ha
done, 20 sounding through the ages
outliving all buildings and temples dedi
Gated To his honor"
The colonel then went on to speal
of the American stage, and prophe
sled that the names of Booth ant
Jefferson would go down in the his
tory of the thenter with the sam,
glory that surrounds the names o
Forrest, Macready and others of the
old school. He the spoke of tho
magnificent Auditorium and it
dedication to art, and paid n glow
ing tribute to the enterprise, gener
osity and public spirit Of the build
ers, Hon. A. NJ, Cannon and j. ]
Browne. He drew u luminous pic
ture OF theatrical performances II
the early days, and wound up b,
paying Manager Hayward q wei
deserved compliment.