New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-28
CURIOUS SACRED CONCERTS.
SUNDAY OPERA AT AMBERG's THEATRE.
HOW CAN IMMUNITY BE SECURED THERE WILL
OTHERS MUST OBEY THE LAVE

HOW CAN IMMUNITY BE SECURED THERE, WHILE
OTHERS MUST OBEY THE LAW7
Il seems curious that most places of amusement
are shut up rgidy sunday BY the police OF the
Eighteenth Precinct while Amberes Theatre in Irving
Place enjoys immunity though the s0-cdlled sacird
concerts given there genuine theatiiCal perform
ances. While these performances are good ana pure
both in az artistic and moral sense stlll the fact
remains that they directly violate section
277 of the Penal Code, which provides mat
Performance Of any tragedy, comedy, opera, ballet
farce negro mlnstrelsy, or other dancing or any
other entertainment on the stage any part or parts
therein is forbidden and any person aiding In such
exhibitions by advertisement or otherwise. any c"her
or lessee Of any garden building or other room or
place who leases lets the same for such purpose
is guilty CT misdemeanor'
The penalty for br1ahiag th.s law is 500 besides
annulment OF The license. Theatrical performances arc
performances that involve the rise and fall OF cur
ain AZ intervals change OF scenery, or the use CT
fancy costumes by The performers.
Last nights performance at Ambcrgs ad-
vcrfisod a, "A sacred concert with selections from
German comic oDcra Die Flcderm2us' CThe lat.
II WAS really a complete performance Of the PLAY,
divided into three acts different scenes being set for
each act and the curtain being lowered between the
first and second, and between the second and third
acts The actors were attiFed in the costumes proper
10 thec part, in the play.
The curtain was Up and the scene set for
the first act when the theatre was opened
last light, the scene represented being a
dr,vlncroom. The only part in this act that called
FOR specal costume that OF Miss Loewe. who wa,
dressed as a ady's maid. 1t the end of this act tho
curtain descended and when i; rose again new and
altogcthcr different interior revealed There
were over forty women the stage, most of them il
4orrv costume Miss Kuhn being in male attire rs
Prince OYlal>hy while number OF men were clOtncd
os S, rylng men. The curtain lowered again al
The close OF this act, and when raised showed prison
scene. >,
II will thus be seen that the performance was al
recly opposed to almost all DE provisions OF the pro
hiItoTy law and that it cannot BE- cIasScd as sacred
concert
Director SchoenJcrg, when seen by a Tribune re
porter, SAID With laugh that the curtain hd pr0-"pF
been used By mistake. and declared that the p-H
orElance was really sacred concert ana nothing c,e:
lie referred The reporter to Gustav AmbclS, WHO uH
not have much 10 say regarding the matter, beyond
stating that only selections o. TIC opera were gwen
but he made no emphatic denial when the reporter o.
clared that the opera given was complete, or at
least nearly complete that il was practically pay
At the police station OF the Eighteenth t,I'chct
Sergeant Alfred Mcdonald said that lie l3d heca III
the theatre several times, ana Lad seen no curtain Or
change OF scenery He had no men who Understood
Germsn. and consequently could not tell whether N
entertainment theatrical perfo'manc- or n"'
lie knew nothing OF the violation OF the law NE'! IL
brought 70 his notice last night by the reporter