The evening world., 1893-12-07
News Of The STAGE WORLD.
Hamlet" in Five Musical Acts
Is Somewhat Tiresome.
|rbe Kendsls VIII Give . Varied
Programme in Philadelphia.

"Hamlet," Ambrose Thomas's five-act
reason at the Metropolitan Opera-House
ast night. Nine. Melba probably Sc
ected It on account of the mad scene in
he last act, which gives her musical
p%yrotechnics full play. Melba evidently
likes vocal insanity, for on Monday
night II was Lucia" that she chose.
Unfortunately. In Hamlet" Nine. Mel
ba's opportunities did not come early.
In quiet and non-extravagant episodes
the Australian prima-donna is very or
binary. She is like half a dozen others.
Her voice is, Of course, beyond re-
preach, but 1t has no distinguishing
mark. In the ford music Of Hamlet"
the prima-donna did marvellously well.
Her method Is admirable, the flexibility
Of her voice is simply astonishing. and
she goes through the most precipitous
roulades with the utmost ease n sans
froid. The audience was a little BIT
hear Meiba's triumph in the NTH act.
Four acts had proved too much, for
Ambrose Thomas, although, melodic. Is
have been sung first, and the first act
the Metropolitan. would have been very
as the Prince Of Denmark' although he
was somewhat colossal and chubby for
that morbid, melancholy Dane; NJ.
Plancon was King Claudius,, Mile. Dome
ertes; Sig. Viviani. the ghost; Sig. Ger
russo, Horatio: Sig. Rinaldini. Marcellus,
and Sig, Vaschetti, Polonius. To-mor-
row night Romeo ct Juliette' will be
sung in French.
The Kendals will fall back upon their
ene undi:ute u w reiia Of !pfhe second nsS5 w Mrs.
Tanqueray" being deemed sufficient for
the arch and chubby inhabitants of the
9 :9TSs s,,y CITY; sbs The i! kep Mb,;s VIII VIII play
scrap Of PsRer.@3 "stnIi Waters Run
named play will also be given by Nine:
an opportunity Of seeing both the ma
ture and ~loud-voiced Madge and the
dainty, inuous Hading as the misguided
Claire.
Maurice Barrymore is now ~rehearsing
with Rose Coghlan in "A Woman Of No
Importance" and he ATTENDED the first
thing quite unusual for the -areless Mr..
Barrymore. Miss Coghlan herself is
working very hard. The fraternal cpl
sode has upset her considerably, but she
of the annoyance. 1t is said that Charles
Coghlan's statement that he diu not
like the role he was to have played Is
really true. The role was that of a mar
who has betrayed a woman to wholn,
later in life. he coolly suggests marriage.
Mr.. Coghlan thought hat the role was
unsympathetic. 1t would be interesting
to know what he thinks of the part he
has just played In real life.
Miss Josephine Plows-Day has been en-
gagged to play Miss Elliott's part in
"The Prodigal Daughter" when that
melodrama goes on tour. Miss Plows-
Day has already made herself unpopular
in the company. 1t is said that at the
first rehearsal she, the only newcomer,
remarked to the members of the
organization: MY friends, excuse me
for saying that l think you are all rank
In the last act"
Who is more important. the composer
of a comic opera or the librettist? The
question has often been discussed. Emile
lola has just taken 1t up, and makes
this declaration: THE librettist and mu-
sician should not be treated on the same
footing. While an able writer may make
a book for an opera in three weeks, the
b Of the musician Is enormous, though
he has some ~recompense in the fact
that his name may live forever while
the librettist Is heard of no more
How fond w. s.. Gilbert must be of
lola!
James A. Herne and his Shore Acres