Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-02-14
GINS. Loufse By1vesteran ana tnst pnenone-
sally clever little tot. La Regaloncita.


sally clever little tot, La Regaloncita
When Calve sang at the Metropolitan
Opera House for the first time, wrote that
while most persons went To hear her out OF
sheer curiosity the announcement OF the
wonderful Frenchwoman as the star OF the
bill thereafter would be sufficient TO test
she capacity OF the magnificent Temple Of
Art" as Mr.. Grau would put 1t. This has
proved to be the case. Grand opera, al
given this season, despite the prodigslity Of
lyric ability, has not swelled the bank ac-
count of Abbey & Grsu to the extent that
was expected The Wagner element has
shown by its absence that It resents the
slight put upon It's idol by the manage
ment, which, 1t must be admitted, has not
given the works OF "The Shakespeare Of
Music" the attention to which most per-
sons consider they are entitled. This de-
fection from the comparatively limited
ranks Of the lovers Of grand opera has nat
urally injured business and has marred
somewhat the brilliancy and enthusiasm OF
the season. But when IL is necessary to
fill the opera house TO the very doors Car
men," with Calve in the titular role, is an
nounced. The result Is never Ia doubt. Ono
would think that Bizet's master work had
been heard by every one In New York, SO
often has IL been repeated. This 10 very
nearly the case too. Still IL does not appear
to affect the attendance, as there are lots OF
people who have been to hear it several
times, and who will probably 20 again.
II Dame Rumor speak truly, and she
sometimes does, Henry K. Abbey's impor-
tant enterprises in this country are not meet
ing this year with anything like the success
TO which their excellence entities them. 1t
is no secret that during several weeks Of
his engagement here Henry Irving played
to anything but large audiences. and
Coquelin and Hading's business at Abbey's
new theater is by no means phenomenal.
This Is incomprehensible, but IL Is true new
ertheless In the case Of Coquelin the poor
attendance is doubtless due to the fact that
very few people comparatively In this city
understand French sufficiently to follow
the lines of the plays understandinRly. At
any rate l do not think that the great Pa.
risian histrionic lion will be apt to visit
America again very soon.
There is no satisfactory explanation Of It,
but il Is certain that since the first of the
year theatrical business generally has pick
ed up wonderfully not only in this city,
but all over the country, and contrary to
the usual practice number Of excellent at
fractions will be put on the road during
this month and March. One manager who
has several shows on the road-none OF
them Of u particularly high grade-told me
the other day that his average nightly TAX
ings since New Years day had been nearly
10 per cent heavier than before that time.
While this has been a particularly disas-
trous season, the nature OF the manager Is
40 irrepressibly hopeful that several of hem
have already predicted that next year will
be the best theatrical men have known since
1880. These assertions are not based upon
any actual condition which would warrant
one In believing them. 1t Is simply a case
of the wish being father to the thought.
Poor Rosina Vokesl Death upset plan
of hers which was In thorough keeping with
her sweet nature. heard the other day
that when she was Obliged to abandon her
tour on account of illness she was firmly
convinced that a trip to England would
speedily restore her to health. No one could
make her believe that she had consump-
tion, and she was wont to pooh pooh the
suggestion that her life was in danger. So
firmly convinced was she that she would
return to America that she had declared
that she should re-engage every member OF
her company for two seasons st an advance
Of 80 per cent upon their salaries Thus she
hoped to reimburse them for the loss sus-
tanned by reason Of the abandonment Of her
tour. 1t would have been just like Rosna
Vokes to have paid her people for the whole
tour, despite the two weeks clause In their
contracts, before sailing for England, but
those In a position to know say that she
was not pecuniarily able to do II.
Divorces, pugilists, ex-highwaymen, bur
glars and safe crackers are the excrescences
of the theatrical profession, but most Of
them make money while more legitimate
attractions do not. The airy manner in
which these people refer to the 'ex" por-
tion Of their careers IL something inoom-
prehsnsible. In fact, they seem to be proud
OF their past achievements. For example:
IF Kid had the Bank of England at his
back, he'd be broke in year." said Spike
Hennessey, the ex-crook, now in THE
Stowaway" company, recently. Hennessey
was deploring the wanton extravagance OF
his illustrious pal, Kid Mccoy, who. to-
Il