The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-03
FRANCOIS COPPEB'S new PLAY.
The BaiWilS New Season Another S1GIal-
d0a1 ViCt0TY-Hg TTmall'S Art Dia-
bOliQUe- The Memberships Shakespeare
en- C0StUmG-AR Explanation Music on
Sunday AftHTI00lS "F0TmSa =" ACROSS
The Continent -" The Began St1doBtH "
Foreign and Domestic Notes.
s.Pour In Couronne. I"

COmplish6d Baroness Althea Salvador, CORE
spondent OF THE CALI Francois Coppee reads
his new play, Pour la COufonne," at the Theatre
Francais. The author has just returned from
Algeria, where be has given finishing touches 20
the drama 4" Four Ia COuronne Is tragedy in
the puTeSt sense. We are in The fiteeHth CEN
tury, period OF the great struggles between the
Christians and The Turks C0nstantinOple has
been captured by the Turks and NJ. COppee has
created a Balkan Kingdom out OF his own imagt-
nation. The people OF this country oppose with
energy the Turkish invasion, and form fortih-
cation Of Christianity.
IN THE BEGINNING
A SlavoDic hero, MichelBrankomir, opposes the
Sulian's army, and he hopes 10 be called TO the
Balkan throne by the Diet of bOYards, convened
az Widdin, in order to elect successor to the
late King However, Bishop Etienne is elected.
Brankomir, although a hero possesses very
ambitious qualities. He promises the Sultan's
emisSaTy 10 surrender the passage Of tie Balkans
10 the Turkish troops, but his SOD, COnstantin,
concealed behind drapery. hears his fathers
tTeachery aud tries to recall him to a sense Of his
duty. In vain he speaks OF the shame that VIII
come upon bis name. IN vain he describes the
horrors that will result from a Mussulman IN
yasiou; Michel BTankomir is infleXlble. a duel
taxes place between father ana son, and the
faIner falls mortally wounded, crying parricide.
THE COUNTRY Is SAVED,
But CoDstantn is pursued by TemOTse. Circum-
stanua evidence shows that be intended 10 COM
init the crime thar bis father had planned, and
he eau only prove his innocence by dishOnOrng
lis fathers memory. lie remains silent aud IS
condemned TO be attached for the rest Of his life
10 the brass statue erected IN memory Of his
father, statue made Of the cannon taken from
the Turks by Michel BranEOmir At The mo-
lnent when COnstantns punishment begins
woman Tushes from tie crowd and eXelaimS:
" Let there be some one who says love thee"
Then size slabs him and Kills herself.
THE FIRST ACT
Takes place In a fortress, the second In the
armory Of a palace, The third In a narrow pass
OF tie Balkans, and this IS the great act OF the
drama. Here, on a starlight night, before
Traian's triumphant arch, father and son fight
the fatal duel. In he fourth act We are again ia
lie palace armOry, and The hfth act represents
The public square or Widdin, wiih the statue Of
Michel BlankomiT. This act viii be thrilling.
for Oh enc side VIII be tie insulting pOpuIace. on
Tie other the unfortunate Constantine, chained;
then the appearance OF woman whom he saved
from the IurKs-a woman who delivers Iim from
a tate worse than death. Tie drama Will GER
tainly prove TO be The most powerful Of all writ
ten by this most popular OF living poets. The
PRINCIPAL roles viii be created by Mile. Bartet
aud n. Marais-
Francois Coppee was once clerk and wrote
verses for his own amusement Some one read
and appreciated "KellquaiFe,' and success was
h.. Then came ''Intimites." lie Passanr' and
t'LuthieT de CremOrne." His char IN the Aca-
demie Francaise was Won by "SegerO IOrellL"
drama that for a long time was successfully pro-
duced at the Odeon Iheater: COppee IS poet
nothing but poet, and therefore his success Is
the more astonishing In these ant-poetlc times.
Some one has said that the secret of this charmer
lies in he fact that he has tile goodness TO be
good.
Are Of The simplest nature. He likes to sit in
the window Of a cafe and watch the Dassers-by,
or i2ugD-at lne comic songs sung by some IA
nous comic singer at a cafe ehantant, but OF
what the world calls society lie has a bOrrOT.
Ccppee lives al 2 rue OudiHot behind the Bon
Marche, the shop 80 dear 10 americans. his
little house has TWO stories and here he lives
with his sister, Annette C0ppee, 90 years OF age,
ten years older than the poet On the ground
floor Of his house are study, dining-TOOm, draw
iHg-rOOm and library, and lii the second stoiy
Tie sleeping rooms. The garden, OF which Cop
pee is very proud, Is as large as a handkerchief,
but filled with flowers and shrubs. So fond Is
the puet OF flowers 1t is said that much Of his in
SEPARATION comes when admitting the result Of his
laDors,
COppee writes with goose Quill, but long be-
fore writing ne walks up and down in his study
smoking cigarettes. When he once begins to
write ne continues until page after page Is Gov
cred, but sometimes be finds il useless TO at
tempt putting bis thoughts on paper, for as he
avOBs In spite OF ali / can do, have no
tie seldom writes IN the morning, for then
he is more liable to interruption, but after
breakfast the old servant never falls TO say TO
ali visitors, Monsieur cannot receive" or
course, this arrangement onlyrefefs TO Paris, Tor
when C8pUee IS in The country he begins TO work
al daybreak. The poet Is fond OF MarlOtte, in
tie midst OF the FOntaBebleau forest, aud when.
there every day lie wala for miles In this forest.
Besides, be adOres the country aud says Little
matters Tito me in what portion Of the county l.
60, provided theie End trees with nighiingaes
and marshes where frogs are pleased 10 eroak."
DURING THE SUMMER
lie moves from one village 10 another and seldom
spends more than one month ID place. Some
times lie saysrIo reasSure his Partisan friends
ct is rot because / am so fond Of The country IL
self but like 10 leave Paris In order 10 give my
sell the sensation Of JOY that l always lave al
my Telurn.h
,'Toute une'. Jeunesse" was3entireiY written IN
the country and lie Passanp was the work Of
eight days only at BlarlOtte. Although Pour la
COuToHne" was finished in a igeria the whole
drama was planned during the past TWO sum
mers spent at Mar0tte
Francois Coppee has dark hair and eyes, is
clean sbaVen, and bears a striking resemblance
10 lictOTien SardOu. lie is a brilliant converse
ti0nast and is very afable t0ladies. One OF his
delights IS 10 receive a few fIleuds al dinner aud
then converse until tie candles are completely
burned, In the wee, small hours OF the morning.