The record-union., 1894-03-31


row Sunday night. Boucicaul}s power
full drama, THE Long Strike, or The
Workman's Oath.''
the Opera-house for next week. 1t will
be given with new scenery and many
novel stage effects.
"Aunt Bridget" was played at the Me-
tropolitan Theater last night by George
w. Monroe and company. 1t is farce
comedy, but away ahead of the general
run. 1t has some pretense Of plot; it is
not mere lncoherency. 1t is full of good
music and clever witticisms, without vul-
garity. 1t is played by very clever peo-
pie, and plenty of them. The Steward
sisters are one of the best comedy-song
teams ever seen here. Monroe is an odd
genius and reminds one of the lamented
Bishop. b. +. Grinnell is a good tenor
ballad singer, and more, he is a fine &C.
centric dancer. The rainbow dance by
Belle Stewart is a wholly new thing and
beautiful. The stage is darkened and
hung in black. In front is a powerful
stereopticon. Miss Stewart, in white
robes, stands we'll back in the center, and
gracefully waving her drapery, as is done
i'll the serpentine dance. Rich cOlorS and
chromatropes of mingling lines are played
from the lantern upon the Willing, twin
ing white drapery. The effect is very
fne. The company had poor house. 1t
deserved good one.
Sousa's Band, now playing an engage
ment at the Midwinter Fair, is to appear
in this city Sunday afternoon and even
ing, April 29th, at the New Pavilion.
John Philip Sousa, formerly leader of the
United States Marine Band, is probably
the foremost Of band masters now living
in America. When he left the Marine
Band, it was to organize a band of his
own choosing, which he did, being able
to offer better terms for ability than en-
listment in the marine corps insures. The
result is that he has a band of some fifty
pieces that has received the unstinted
commentator of the best critics for
artistic excellence, and by very many of
them is classed as being the best band in
America, If not in the world. Its appear
ance at the Midwinter Fair has been a
complete success. Such concerts as Sousa
proposes to give here rise above the ordi-
nary very far, and are worthy of more
than common attention. The soloist work
and the concerted numbers given by such
an organization are Of an order heard
only at long intervals outside of the great
centers OF population. That this iudg-
ment is warranted, quotations from the
best authorities are cited. Thus. Dudley
Buck bears testimony to what he terms
1.-The perfection of the band" Bartlett,
the composer, says its performances "are
revelation and a delight" Baldwin,
leader of the celebrated Boston Cadet
Band, pronOunces it 1.-The finest organiza-
ton of the kind in America" The New
York Times judges it Ito be simple JUS
tice to rank it as the best of our concert
bands" The Times of Denver, when the
band played there March 18th, said:
The Instrumentation of the entire pro-
gramme evidenced scholarly knowledge IN
tonal combinations, phrasing, general inter-
probation, and the bringing out of the noblest
qualities of the various groups of instru-
ments, while the union of ensemble and art
lstic performance was wonderful. But, in one
way, the most notable pertOrmance-a per-
formance which continually aStOnishes the
cOnservatives-wa the production of piano
and orchestral effects, which many q local
musician up to last evening would have en-
phatically denied as possible of performance
by wind instruments.
The soprano soloist with the band is
Inez Mecusker, a singer whose ability is
represented as entirely worthy OF the Or
ganiZation to which she is attached.
Sousa himself is quite too widely and well
known as a composer, solo Instrumental
ist and leader to call for much remark.
The programmes promised for Sacra-
mentO are before US and are choice. There
is very little to choose between the two.
The afternoon numbers are from Rossini,
Kunkel, Greig, Roeckel, Orth, Sousa,
Wagner and Perdue. There are two dis
criptive pieces Alpine Storm" and
"In a Clock Store" Miss Mecusker
sings once, and there are instrumental
solos introduced in the concerted pieces.
In the evening the selections are from
Wagner, Rubenstein, Pryor, Dix, Pade-
rewski, Gottschalk, Sousa, Liszt, Luz
ders and Bonnaud. Miss Mecusker sings
once, there is q trombone solo, one de-
scriptive piece-''A Musical Critics
Dream" The concerts are given here
under the local management of Z. l..
Hawk and O. Z. Dodge and the business
direction of D. Blakely, the organizer of
the band. formerly director Of the Mime
apolis Philharmonic Society and the
Mendelssohn Club, and Secretary of State
of Minnesota and Superintendent of Pub
lie instruction in that State a number of
years ago. He was six years manager of
Gilmore's Band and has managed the
tours of Strauss Vienna Orchestra and
the orchestra of Theodore Thomas. His
relation to musical organization is ac-
cepted as evidence of its merit through
out the country. Mr.. Blakely is in the
city perfecting the details for the concerts
in Sacramento.
1ho oLOSAtOIA <AilieltONi OPS SOiu pduJ
of sixty-eight people have decided to
come to Sacramento on the night of
April 10th and present the popular comic
opera, Pirates of Penzance." The princi-
pal roles viii be played by some of Stock
toms leading society people, who have
many friends in Sacramento. a large
delegation of Stockton people will come
here with the company.
The charity ball given last night at the
old PAVILION was well attended, and the
dancers enjoyed very pleasant evening"
A Mother Goose carnival and dance
will be held April 18th and 9th. at Turner
Hall, under the auspices of Fair Oaks
Relief Corps, for the benefit OF the relief
fund.
The "Black Crook" now presented at
Stockwells Theater, San Francisco, will
be given here by the same company, and
all the scenery there used, on the 18th and
18th of April.
The Effie Ellsler box sale opened well
yesterday. 1t will continue to-day at the
Opera-house office.
April 9th the Spider and Fly Company
plays return engagement.
Awarded Highest t