The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-05

There have been few such first nights in
San Francisco-perhaps none like it be-
fore. Only Patti or a Bernhardt could
have attracted such a gathering. Bern
hardt has played II smaller audiences in
this city; Patti to never a larger or more
fashionable one than that which ap-
plauded, even cheered, Henry Irving and
Ellen Terry last night at the Grand Opera
house.
1t was more than an artistic event; 1t
was a society first night. And society was
loyal to its function. 1t would be difficult
to remember a person well known in the
social world who was not there. The
names in the blue book would almost an
swer for list of the patrons.
There was not jam and crush. The
aisles were kept passably clear. and the
foyers were not unpleasantly crowded be-
tween acts. But there was not vacant
seat in the whole house ten minutes after
the curtain went up.
There are 300 seats in the Grand Opera
house. The cheapest was a dollar last
night while by far the larger part of them
sold for three and FIVE times that amount.
Seven thousand dollars would not be an
extravagant estimate for the receipts of
the mezzanine boxes sold for $50, and
most of the proscenium boxes were filed.
No; the financial stringency was not OPP
pressiyely observable al the Grant Opera
house last evening. The unemployed were
not obtrusively apparent TO mar the social
splendors of the Irving and Terry first
night. On the contrary. 1t was brilliant
gathering from first to last-oue wholly in
IL i'll
merits of the lions of the London stage
and drswing-rooms.
1t lacked in quietness and suppression
what the London Lyceum audiences eYince
most strikingIy, but it was none the less
q pleasing welcome for the English actors.
1t was predisposed toward the stars, as
you could see and hear by the thunders Of
applause that greeted Nance Oldfield
when she stepped out on the stage, and
again when Matthias burst open the tavern
door and stood for the first time before a
San Francisco audience.
So far as the coloripg went henry Irving
and Ellen Terry never looked out over an
audience more Respondent The ladies'
wore beautiful costumes, and in number as
well as in cOnspicuousness considerably
outranked the somber black and white of
LuS SlcIu6I ScA. n uOI6 DTltlIdUL audi
ence has never gathered in this city. 1t is
doubtful whether the English lions have
ever appeared before an audience more
representative of worldly riches.
Certain it is they have never been more
appreciatively welcomed TO a strange CITY
than they were to San Francisco last
night. Seven times consecutively Ellen
Terry was called out in front of the cur
tain at the conclusion of Nance Oldfeld."
1rving's reception WAS even more demon
strative, and cheers upon cheers rent the
house and called forth the star when the
curtain rang down on the last act of THE
Bells"
Most of the ladies were in full evening
dress, and swallow-tais and opera hats
were nearly as plentiful as the masculine
auditors. Between the acts the foyer pre-
sented a gayer, more cosmopolitan scene
than perhaps ever before in the history of
the Grand Opera-house. All knew one
another, because everybody" was there,
and the actors and the plays were dis
cussed and decidedsupon before the last
scene was rendered.
Had you stood out on Mission street
you could have known what the verdict
was. 1t was not rendered timidly nor re-
servedly, and its meaning was success
QrtiStlcallV and socially suPpeSs