San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-11-06
GOSSIP OF THE STAGE.
LILLIAN RUSSELL SCORES THE
GRAND SUCCESS OF HER LIFE.
General News of Plays and Players
in New York and other
Large Cities.

Lillian Russell, Americas most
beautiful and talented Queen Of
Song" scored the greet success of her
life Monday week ago in the new
production, at the Garden theatre,
New York, OF LA Ciagle." This
event is spoken of as the greatest 10
the history of the American stage.
The audience present to see Miss
Russell make her bebut as an operate
star, is said 10 be one of the most dis
tinguished seen in a metropolitan the.
atre since PATHS last appearance. The
stage settings and costumes of La
Ciagle'' are unanimously announced
as the most sumptuOus seen for many
years, and the company are spoken
of as the greatest yet exploited.
La Ciagle is pronounced q brilliant
opera that may run year in New
York. This is saying a great deal,
considering what critics New York
first night audiences are. Miss Rus
sell, it is said, was never in better
voice, and the opening night will be
one long remembered by those pres
ent as one of the most brilliant events
In modern New York stagedom.
Maud Granger's new play "Inher-
itedn evidently cults the dramatic
tastes of the Britishers. Her engage
ment at the Victoria theatre, Victo.
ria, b. c., was one of the most bril-
liant ever played in that hight toned
English city of the Pacific coast. Since
her appearance there additional Of
fers have been received by Manager
Wilkinson to bring the lustrous.eyed
actress to London, and overtures have
also been received from Australia.
Nj Franicisque Sarcey. the'distin.
guished critic of the Paris Temps, in
speaking of MaHde Changers new
play, says: at is weirdly powerful
and dramatic play, of much beauty
and intensity, like a story by Edgar
Allan Poe, and worthy the attention
of Sara Bernhardt or Nine. Person."
Inherited" was originally produced
In Paris under the title of "L'Heri-
tage d'Helene," and il was there that
Miss Granger first saw it
Francis Wilson in bis latest sue
cess, "The Merry Monarch" is coli
tinuing to draw and amuse packed
houses at the Broadway Theatre. 1t
is astonishing to note the Iapidity
this young comedian has made since
leaving the Casinos stage forces
Critics were about evenly divided in
their opinions as TO whether he would
meet with success or failure hen his
starring tour was announced a couple
of years ago. From his opening night
his business has never seemed to de-
crease. He and DeWOlf Hopper, who
started q starring career about the
same time, may now be considered
wealthy men.
The sacred concerts given at the
Union Square theatre, New York,
these last few Sundays by George w.
Floyd are said TO be the finest enter
tainments of their kind ever heard in
New York.
Mr.. and Mrs. Kendall, who are play
ing their present engagement at the
Star theatre, New York, on account
of the destruction by fire of the Fifth
Avenue theatre last December, are
doing phenomenal business and
Gotham's four hundred are straining
every nerve TO make their stay a bril-.
liant social as well as artistic engage.
ment.
Alexander Salvini, the young TO.
mantle actor, comes TO the Grand ear
ly in December.
To the outside world the theatrical
business is not only mystery, but
a sealed book. Large fortunes are
made and lost in few weeks.
A close observer may notice the
great difference in the people of the
theatrical calling. A question one
and all can readily answer is what
is an actor? Well John Mccullough,
Edwin Booth, Mary Anderson,
Maude Granger and others of the
same footing gave, or give grand
artistic performance. They are really
artists. 1t is q profession which takes
many years of land work and study
to be proficient in and gain recogni-
ton.
Again we have all met the skirt
dancer, leader of the ams zonian
march, and ballet dancer on a car, or
while travelling, or stopping at q