Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-29

never Uc dDtt W dttdlH. dbti las hauC
more money on the lyric stage than any
singer who ever lived, yet she has never
given commission to composer to
create even so much as new song, or,
if so, it is profound secret to the mu-
sical world.
c. d. Hess, OF the Hess Opera COM
pany, has commenced suit in the supe-
rior court Of San Francisco against Fer
nando Michelena, tenor singer, to
recover $4,000, in which amount he
claims to have been damaged by the
eccentric tenor's wilful breach OF a con-
tract entered into between them on the
Goth day of November, 1889, at the city
OF Louisville, Ky.
The agreement, according to the mem
orandum accompanying the complaint,
was for season of grand opera at Balti-
more, Md, and Milwaukee, Wis, to be-
gin not earlier than May II, nor later
than June 9. 1890, and to continue not
less than ten nor more than twenty
weeks, the option within these limits
being with Michelena, provided he gave
two weeks notice of his intention to
terminate the engagement after the ex-
piration of the first eight weeks.
The tenor further agreed not to sing
for any other persons not sanctioned by
the plaintiff.
Hess now complains that Michelena
wholly and wilfully refused, failed and
neglected to perform any part OF his
agreement.
1t has Just leaked out that one of the
presents at the marriage OF Edith Bar
rett to Marshall Williams was check
for $4, ,999 from Stuart Robson. The au-
thority for the story is one of the guests
of Lawrence Barrett on that occasion.
1t appears that one day while visiting
friends about Cohasset, Lawrence Bar
rett was a passenger in carryall in
which Stuart Robson was also making
the rounds. Marshall Williams was an
other passenger, and when the shifty
and exuberant nag that dragged the
carryall got cantankerous, Marsh
Jumped out and, at the risk of his own
life, as Mr.. Barrett thought, quieted the
charger.
An invitation to dinner followed, for
Mr.. Barrett was profoundly impressed
bv the idea that his life had been saved
by the young man. Mr.. Williams went
back again, and though he was ''only a
clerk" the tragedian's daughter Edith
evidently liked him at once.
"Why, Marsh." said Robson, as the
story goes, ''you can win that girl. Don't
be abashed, my boy; go in and win.
And, by Jove, ii you do win, Pll give
you wedding present of $4,000, and
here's dollar on account
It is needless to say that Marsh was
not bashful, and next summer the
Cohasset colony will be increased by the
cottage of Mr.. and Mrs. Williams.
Lawrence Barrett arrived in New York
today. and will devote an entire week to
the final rehearsals and preparations fol
his production OF Ganelon, which is to
be made at the Broadway theater on
January 9Th. The first presentation OF
| William Young's romantic tragedy
promises to be an event of much inter
est. The play is in four acts and five
scenes. The first scene shows Colonna's
/ palace: the second. grand audience
| chamber; the third, the gates of the
city; the fourth, Saracen camp, with
an army OF soldiers, and the fifth, a
grand banquet hall. In order to render
this production historically correct, Mr..
| Barrett has taxed the resources of the
| South Kensington and London libraries
and museums for the designs for the
costumes, armor, scenery and accesso-
ries. In Ganelon Mr. Barrett will play
the title part. He will be supported by
Miss Gale, as Blanca, and his own com
pany, including John A. Lane, Lawrence
Hanley and other competent actors and
actresses.
Every great actor ought to be. and is
moved by the emotion he portrays; that
not only must he feel this emotion once
or twice, or when he is studying the
part, but he must feel it in a greater oil
less degree-and to just that degree viii
he move the hearts OF his audiences
whenever he plays the part, be il once
or thousand times, and that he mus
cultivate this susceptibility to emotion
as carefully as he cultivates the develop
ment OF his vocal organs, or the habit o
moving and walking easily and grace
fully.
NJ. Coquelin, on the other hand, main
tains that an actor should remain per
fectly calm and collected. howeVe
stormy may be the passion he is por
traying; that he should merely make be
lieve, as it were, to feel the emotion h.
strives to make the audience believe b
really feels, and that he should act en-
tirely with his brain, and not with hi
heart, to typify by physiological organ
two widely differentiated methods OF al
tistic work. Thai M. Coquelin reall
and truly believes this somewhat para
doxical theory, and endeavors to put hi
theory into practice, do not for one me
ment doubt. Accomplished an,
versatile artist as he is,
have been struck more than once
as 1 have enjoyed the pleasure c
his performances, with the thought tha
something amid all the brilliancy G
execution was lacking; and this want
so apparent, was due, / apprthend, t
the fact that one of the most skillfu
artists in the world was deliberately try
ing to belittle himself and the art 9
which it was in his power to raise th
Interpretation to such lofty heights.
The actor who does not feel the emo
ton he portrays is but skilled mechan
ician. setting in motion certain wheel
and springs, which may give to his la
figure such an appearance OF life tina
the observer is tempted to eXclaim
"How marvellous! Were it only aliv
'twould make me laugh or weep" H
who feels, on the contrary. and can com
municate this feeling to the audience
hears the cry: THAT is life! That
reality See-I taught ] weep!" /
is, in a word, the power of feeling tina
marks the artist; all else is but the me
chanical side which is common toall tn
arts. There are many born actors VIII
have never faced an audience, as ther