Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-03-12
A New York Letter.

any more just now, but the theatres
are filled every night. Bernhardt
rules the London Theatre, Lawereuce
Barrett is in the Broad way, the opera
companies are still singing aud new
things are brought out with astonish-
ing rapidity. More interest is mani
tested in the French actress than in
any one else. it being almost imposs.-
BILE TO secure seats at the box office.
Spectators abound and have plenty
OF good places, although no one under
stands at all how it comes about.
We went down early on the morn
ing the box office was opened for the
first performance of Cleopatra and
stood three hours in a line of people to
be told, on reaching the office that all
the good seats were sold. II is very
annoying especially so, to hear as you
pass, Here you are-best seats for first
Cleopatra performance-five dollars
eachw two dollars advance on the reg
ular price.
But when one has already seen Bern
hardt all Inconvenience in an endeavor
to see her again. is cheerfully borne.
The Cleopatra is the sensation of the
hour; she uses live snake, you know.
But the snake is nowhere when one
thinks of the actress who can make
you culver with exciteme Mt aud COM
pei you to suffer with her through all
her love and jealousy. There is no use
whatever, in trying to describe her, for
all is said when it is written. that she
looks as beautiful and carries herself
with all the dignity that queen is
supposed to. The gowns have been
much discussed aud frequently de-
scribed. so that all can add is simply
that Bernhardt is the only woman [
ever saw, who can wear elegant clothes
without advertising the fact to every
one by her manner. She is SO very
unconscious of herself that [ never
think Of her wonderful wardrobe until
after the play.
In La Tosca it is the same story over
again. One is overwhelmed by the
grief she exhibits, aud broken hearted
when she and her lover die. There is
more action in La Tosca too than in
Cleopatra; it is stronger play. For
years Shakespeare's Antony and Cleo
patra was -favorite play with me and
l think now it is much stronger and
| purer than SardOu's version of the
famous tragedy, La Tosca, the love of
singer for an artist, ami the trnublr
and tort ire she brings upon him by
her jealousy, is simply and honestly
told. In Cleopatra there is much that
Is poetical except Sarah and her poses.
| From the sublime to the ridiculous
! is but five blocks-ten minutes walk
iand you will reach Daly's, where the
School for Scandal was recently reviv-
ed with very beautiful but very in
decorous Lady Teazle, a very modern
Sir Peter and Joseph Surface who is
far too honest. John Drew plays
Charles Surface and distinguishes
himself. The part is especially suited
to him and he bounces around with a
will. Ada Rehan is altogether too
modern for Lady Teazle; she tip
toes around, cluches Sir Peter under
the chin, and behaves very much as
American girls are supposed to, by the
English novel writers, one of whom
recently described young lady as
zone of .he cut throat American girls
who measures her romance by the
yard" etc.. etc.
A little further up the street Nat
Goodwin is playing The Nominee, aud
! Willard-an Englishmah-is doing
John Needham's Double to crowded
houses. Then there is Hermann's and
the Bijou, the Standard, Harrigan's,
the New Park, the Metropolitan Opera
House, Casino and Broadway. between
2Sth st. and AID ST., and yet by next fall
we expect 10 have three more new
| theatres in the same neighborhood
Sunday attractions are popular too, Il
great number of sacred concerts, lee
lures and even mild kinds of perform
ance taking place. The Thomas con-
certs have been one the most delightful!
fea lures of the season, but alas! Next
year he goes to the city of Pork. They
have suddenly developed taste for
music out there and must have the
best. And Thomas is the best. Ol
course we have Seidl and Damrosct
still with US, but neither of them cat
get the rythm and unity from body
of men that Thomas can. And he il
perfectly composed about it too, never
once suggesting Asiatic cholera as some
of tue leaders do.
Seidle can do wonders with an or
chestra, but he can't ma ke people sing
and so we VIII not have German opers
next year. all the German singers ob
taina ble this year being wretched witt
no better outlook for next year. Mr.
A Abbey says he thinks that New forf
without opera is incODcelvable, and 81
proposes to organize an Italian troupe
The warfare that has been carried OIL
between the German and Italian fac
tons has been exceeding funny, al
though there was some rather bite
feeling. Of one thing 1 am certain; i
Mr.. Abbey disappoinis US with hi'
italian singers as badly as Mr.. Stran
ton has done this last tyear-only-witf
his Germans there will be bitter feel