Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-23
PLAYS AND PLAYERS.
DRAMATIC NEWS NOTES AND COM.
MENT.
opera. Drama and Concert This Week.
Gossip About the Columbia Company.
Local and Outside News.

The production of Cavalleria Rus
ticana, at the Los Angeles theater last
week, marked a musical era in the
minds of those who heard it. On first
hearing, it is suggestive of Wagner's
music, because, as reflection at once
shows, it is devoid of any reliance on
melodies. The author has taken the
second step in the evolution of music
from an article de luxe to an art. Wag-
ner took the first step, a giants stride,
it is true, but one which he could not
repeat. Mascagni started where Wagner
stopped. and has doubled his distance.
The themes of opera writers have
been, as a rule, based on such grand or
impressive subjects as to lend a ficti-
tious aid to the music; and the climax
of this was reached by Wagner.
Mascagni has taken the contrary
course. His book is slight; it is simply
a pitiful little village story. A story
that every police reporter in the coun-
try has had come under his knowledge
time and time again. A gay young
buck. a betrayed girl, flirting wife
and q revengeful husband. There is
the whole libretto. All of the charac-
ters are commonplace people OF low de-
gree; there is nothing particularly ele-
waited, heroic or noticeable about their
personalities.
Yet Mascagni puts the story of their
lives and their loves in music, and the
result is an opera that startles the
world. A grand opera in one act
How has he done it? BY sheer force
of q unique power of musical ex xpression,
by shutting his eyes to musical prece--
dents and constructing methods and
resorts to suit himself.
~
The concert to be given at TURNER
Elm hall on Friday next, the 9th inst,
promises to be the musical event OF the
season. Fabri-Muller has not been
heard here for nearly ten years, but the
older residents remember with pleasure
the great success he achieved at that
time in Troyatore, Martha and other
grand operas. :,
The numbers for this occasion are all
of unusual excellence, as may readily be
seen by glance at tue programme,
which is to include the following named
artists, who are to assist Muller:
Miss Ellen Beach Yaw, who has
already achieved success among our
musical people, and to whom it is
always pleasure and delight to listen.
Mr.. Albert Hawthorne, our young
California basso, who has not been
heard here since his return from San
Francisco, where he was remarkably
successful in grand opera.
Mrs. Masac, as concert pianist, has
made an enviable position for herself in
our city.
Among the other participants are Mr..
Willhartitz and Mr.. Franz Bierlich, who
are too well and favorably known to
require comment.
The programme will be rendered as
follows:
Romanza (piano and 'cello) Hans Huber
Mr. Albert Hawthorne.
'"-Au''A Miss Ellen B. Yaw.
Romanza-Non E. Yer: :...,..........T T. Mattel
Jacob Mueller
Piano Solo-Rigoletto Fantasia ....... Liszt
Mime. M. Masac.
Recitative and Lied-An Den Abendstein:
Jacob Mueller.
Aria-Tu Fai la Superba. .Fesch
Miss Ellen B. Yaw.
Piano solo-Rigandon,;, .;:....... Ran
Romanza-Stella Confdenta with cello OBJ ;.
ssH'i Mr.. b. Bierlich and Jacob Mueller.
Mr.. Albert Hawthorne.
Grand Duo-It Returns s........ Nicolai
Miss Ellen B. Yaw and Jacob Mueller.
NV
The San Francisco Examiner of Sat
nrday published the following dispatch
POMONA, Nov. 20.-Mrs. Melbourne
Mcdowell, better known as Miss Fanny
Davenport, has closed contract fol
buying 800 acres of mountain and leve
land in this section, and will make 6
ranch home there for herself and hus
band. The locality is in Fulton's canon
in Orange county, eigh Seen miles south
west from Pomona, and only few milet
from the famous house of Madame
Modjeska, in Santiago canon. 1t is the
intention to spend about $4,000 in build
ings on the place.
Her agent says that Miss Davenport
is growing tired OF constant stage life
and longs for retirement to her owr
home. She wants to live life simila
to that of the landed gentry in rura
parts of England.
No actress is better qualified thar
Miss Davenport to be gentleman o
leisure.
NV
1t is rumored that the Columbia Oper
company is more or less agitated by in
ternal dissensions, and that Manage
Ogden will possibly give up his connec
ton with the enterprise. Manage
Ogden can stand that result better thai
the company. The cordial way in whicl
their engagement was announced befor
it commenced, and the leniency will
which the company has been treated b.
the press is almost entirely due to tn
exertions of the manager and the regar'
in which he is held by newspaper men
Without him at the head of the affair
the result can easily be foreseen.
M*x
The members of the Columbian Oper
company yesterday afternoon enjoye
an extremely little picnic at Main stree
garden. After indulging in good an
substantial champagne dinner, th
whole party, consisting of Miss Min
Bertini, Miss Olga Essler, Nine. Garst
Dely, Mr.. Joseph Rubo, Mr.. Williar
Foran, Mr.. Joseph Hirschbach, etc
moved to the bowling alley, where
bowling match took place. The luck
winner was Miss Nina Bertini, scorin
2l7 points to Miss Essler 214, and Mime
Garso-Dely's 2l1 points.
x*x
Why Columbia anyway? At tn
matinee performance of Martha on Sat
urday, the singers used four languages