The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-05-03
music And THE DRAMA.
Opening of Recital Hall in New
York City.
Comparison Between Bernhardt and
Fanny Davenport in CLEOPATRA
The Kendals-Guy de Maupassant,
the French Dramatist-Stage Notes.

Rosalind May, the regular New York |
correspondent of the SUNDAY UNION, |
writing under date of April 26th, says:
piano recitals have been the order of
the day since tine close of opera and in the |
nick of time Recital Hall has been
opened to the public. 1t is the smaller
hall in an end of Carnegie's great build
ing and in more ways than one is the
deep below ground. Yet it is cheerful
looking place, done in pure white and not
In any way suggestive of the Subterrane-
Gus. Of course there can be no windows
and it is without the affectation of them,
while interstices in the ceiling afford
entire ventilation. All eyes are turned
to the grand opening of the main hall on
the 5th of May, which is to inaugurate the
festival Of several days. Walter DAM
rosch conducts. Does this mean that he
is the best leader obtainable? Far from
It: But he has married a Blaine. All are
familiar with the firms of Blaine and
Carnegie or Carnegie and Blaine, and
surely home industry should be pushed
to the front. For three weeks New
Workers have had opportunity for
DRAWING COMPARISONS
Between Bernhardt and Davenport as
rival Cleopatras. The deduction is evil
dent that the ideal Cleopatra is yet to
probation; Fanny Davenport, with some
exceptions, invests the part with a coarse
ness which should disgust Antony and
certainly does the better portion of her
audiences. Bernhardt'S best scene by far
is that in which, unseen by Antony, she
hears his conversation with Octavia and
curiously scans her rival. Fanny Daven-
port makes nothing of it. Per contra, in
the storm scene, the latter rises to hight
of grandeur impossible to the French
actress, who omits it, perhaps from 4 con-
sclouSneSS of comparative weakness. In
scenery, the American representation
easily takes precedence, notably in the
storm invocation which surpasseS any
thing hitherto presented in its way. But
DaVenportS costumes are completely
eclipsed by the ornate richness of Bern
hardt's that have indeed given character
to woman's dress at large Both wear
fluffy, reddish wigs entirely too big. But
the effect is worse in DavenpOrts case
than the FrenchwOman's, because the
formers face is round to the verge of
broadness, while the latter's oval coun-
tenance can the better bear simplifying.
AT THE LYCEUM
Old Heads and Young Hearts is beauti-
fully and successfully given, and while
the entire company are excellent, special
praise is due Miss Cayvan for the spirit
and dash with which she enacts Lady
Alice. Then, too, she makes even pref
tier picture than usual, looking altogether
charming in her quaint dress with pink
Eoses in her couture.
AT Palmer'S Theater, that eXtraordi-
narily commonplace pair, Mr.. and Mrs
Kendall, are playing last engagement.
OF the two, Mr.. Kendall is the better. be-
cause not quite so intensely ordinary as
his wife. He would make good second
rate actor in stock company, while she
ought scarcely to take a fourth-rate rank
Her general look and demeanor is that of
q well-intentioned nurse-girl, and it is
curious to note how she drifts towards
nurse-girl costumes. Yet these are best
since attempts at dressing-up reveal the
characteristic English taste, with quite
the full quota of English aWkwardneSS
and lack of symmetry. In London, they
do not succeed, and in having made them
American successes Mr.. Frohman has
shown himself the foremost manager of
the day. He might attempt 'woolly
horse or a mermaid"
GUY DE MAUPAssANT.
The Paris Figaro gives the following
sketch of Guy de MaupasSant, the au-
thor of 1.-THE charming story which APP
pears in another column of the SUNDAY
UNION to-day:
''Short, rather than little, square
shouldered, ruddy complexioned, with
the mustache of a sub-officer, such is De
MaupaSsant's physical appearance. Silent
concerning his own works, with hor-
rOr of conversations styled literary. fond
of yachting, of the open air. of long
tramps and violent exercise, such is De
Maupassant's disposition. His marked
characteristics are a detestation OF bio
dinners and dislike for vulgar adula-
ton.
This rapid sketch would perhaps suf-
fee, but perhaps the reader will be
pleased to hear a little more of this popu-
lar author, especially at this moment
when the extraordinary success of
'MuSette' at the Theater Gymuase has
just confirmed the literary reputation of
De MaupaSsant, placing him in the fore
most ranks of French dramatic authors.
Guy De MaupasSant was born i'll 1890 at
the Chateau MiromeSnil, near Rouen
The first years of his youth were passed
especially in interchangeable boating eXpe-
ditions, and bodily exercise of every
kind. y great walker, and of a strong
Well-bullt frame, Maupassant felt pre-
objection for muscular rather than intel
iectual activity. We are told that the arti-
Giles which he attempted required great
deal OF time and labor, and that no one
who knew him ten years ago would have
imagined that under the pseudOnym of
Guy de Nalmont was concealed the CIV
de Maupassant, who was later to gain in
the world reputation almost equal to
that OF the masters. The clearness. con-
clsion, elegance-in fact all the character
istics Of his style-appear in his earliest
works, and betray an artistic tempera-
ment which has never failed to make
Itself felt in his later writings. When his
skepticism and his irony give place to
feeling, he proves that his is really
tender heart, full of love and pity, though
restless and thirsting for the ideal. The
lack of ease in his first compositions, and
which was perhaps due only To appre-
hension and intimidation, disappeared
with success, and ne soon asserted HIM
self as the skillful, graceful writer, TO
whose marvellous fecundity of invention
the world owes so many charming
books
THE COUNTY FAIR"
''The County Fair" which is to be put
upon the boards of the Metropolitan
Theater on Sunday evening, May 10th, is
the climax of realism and rusticity. 4
picture of homely New England country
life, 1t reveals types of character easily
recognizable, while threaded through the
story are strongly contrasted elements OF
comedy and pathOS. It's story is simple
ana direct, and its situations dramatic
ana forceful. The central figure is q
spinster, prim, prudish and practical
ADlgal Prue by name-whose humor is
the result of guilelessness, and whose
anxiety for the welfare of the character of
her environment is laughable in the ex-
IRENE. She adopts two waits, Tim and
Ioggs, who are thrown on her hands by
circumstances, and eventually discovers
that they are two relatives, long supposed
TO be lost or dead. The boy has been a
horse jockey, and recognizes that Miss
Prue'S cold, Colt Molasses. is a ''speeder.,
and trains him for the race at the county
fair. Miss Prue is threatened with the
loss of her farm by the foreclosure of a
mortgage, but Tim wins the race and all
ends happily The play is so garnished
that the auditor almost breathes the air of
hears no