Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-06
AMUSEMENTS.

Albaughs.-Although 1t may be truth
fully said Of Miss Nethersole that she is
the greatest English-speaking Camille at
present before the public, as much can
not be as truthfully said of her as Juliet,
albeit her Juliet is one of those beauti-
full things we cherish always in memory
as the character of a dear friend who
was not without faults. That Miss Meth
ersole is intense, Is not to be doubted, and
that Juliet was so, the dramatist has made
most apparent. Therefore, 1t follows, when
the artist of such training portrays a char
acter similar, there is every probability
that the result will go beyond, rather than
fall short of what Is the golden mean In
dramatic presentation. 1t Is so in Miss
Nethersole's Juliet, and if adverse criti-
cism may he given, it should be applied
there. Perceptible as this weakness or
strength may be at times, there are occa-
sions when the real and the portrayal bal
ance perfectly, and Miss Nethersole moves
through the beautiful lines of the play, an
ideal Juliet, in perfect rhythm with the
poets thought and the hearers sense OF
absolute fitness She has the magnetism
which attracts and retains and there is
naturalness in her work, which. by In
Vulnerable small things in movement and
tone and touch make very real TINS crea-
ton of a poets fancy-the ideal sweet
heart of all time. Mr.. Barrymore s
Romeo was of the robust type, and hand
some, and Mrs. Phillips, as the Nurse, quite
won the audience. An unusually good bit
of work was Mr.. Nash's Mercutio.
Hagenbecks Trained Animals.-Hagen-
beck's trained animals will arrive In this
city Sunday morning by their special tram
of twelve cars for one weeks engagement,
beginning Monday night. at Albaugn
HonSa When Mr.. HagenDeCK
brought this wonderful collection to this
country as one of the wonders OF the
worlds fair 1t was his intention at the
close of the fair to return to Hamburg,
but so great has been the success in Amer
lea that he concluded to remain here long
enough for the entire country 10 witness
the performance of his animals. Almost
everybody who visited the worlds 1alr re-
members the marvellous performances OF
the animals on the Midway, and new in
terest will be taken in the exhibition from
the fact that many new performing AM
mails have been sent over from Mr.. Hagen
beck's training quarters in Hamburg.
Walter Damrosch's Lecture. " aiter
Damroch, conductor Of the New YORK
Symphony Orchestra, lectUred last night at
Metzerott Hall on Wagner and the Mu-
steal Motives of His Music Dramas" The
audience was high tribute to the muslcai
renown of the lecturer. 1t was fashlon-
able audience, and though 1t is to be as
sumed that ali present did not fully I'M
large majority liked Mr.. Damrosch. he
took his seat at the piano, and while ele-
waiting the stool and getting the lay or the
pedals cast his glance over the audience
Then he toyed deftly and softly with the
keys He struck few chords, slurred a
few others and made several arpegg1o runs.
Then, still seated at the instrument, ne
turned so as to half face the audience, and
said: Il shall endeavor to explain the
musical motives of. the music-dramas Of
Richard Wagner" He spoke this slowly,
with perceptble Teutonic accent, and a
slightly hesitating delivery. He remained
seated at the piano during the delivery OF
the discourse This was required by the
fact that after telling of the motive he
exemplifed 1t on the instrument, and In
several passages proved himself to be no
mean pianist. BY way OF preface he eX-
planned that the system of characteriZing
certain actors and certain actions with
certain musical phrases was not the In
vention of Wagner, as 1t had been done by
prior composers, and was resorted TO In a
limited extent in the operas of Handel
Mozart and Weber. But 1t was Wagner
who systematized the method and carried
IT.: to its uttermoSt conclusion and Its most
luxuriant growth. Then the lecturer re-
viewed "Lohengrin," telling the scheme Of
the music-drama and playing the themes
of the orchestration He told the legend OF
the Flying Dutchman," and played the
music which described the story in way,
as Mr.. Damrosch put 1T, What scenery and
He dwelt at length on the Neibelung and
commented on Wagner's mastery of Morse
mythology, well his Incompatible
genius in translating 1t into the universal
language of musical harmonies. He talked
also of Tristan and Isolde, of Tannhauser
and Lakma, and every now and then grew
enthusiastic as he made clear the motives
and the cues for passion which the actors
had. and the greatness with which Wagner
portrayed all this in melody and harmony.
Wagner's music, so far from being complex
and intricate as the public thought, he
said. was built on themes more simple than
those produced by many of the later-day
music writer's. He played several of the
themes to prove this Once, when he had
done an effective piece Of playing. descrip-
tive of how the Valkyries, mounted on
neighing steeds. were Gathering and pranc-
ing through the clouds to convey war-killed
heroes to Valhalla, the audience broke out
in applause, for which Mr.. Damrosch kind
ly thanked them. saying at the same time.
II am not a pianist
National Lyceum Course.-The requests
for course tickets received by the National
Lyceum bureau since the sale closed have
been so many that arrangements have
been made to supply them. Those who
wish to subscribe during the coming week
cert, December ID, and to the nine enter
tainments yet to come In the advertised
course. These entertainments include lee
lures by H. H. Ragan, Mary Proctor and
Symphony Club, the Ollie Torbett Concert
Company, the Wesleyan College Glee Club
and other companies. and readings by
George Riddle. There will be ten enter
tainments for the old price, $3.50.
The Saengerbund Concert.-Next Sunday
night the Washington Saengerbund will
give the first concert this season at the
Academy Of Music. Heretofore these con-
certs have been for the members only but
this time tickets will be sold to the public.
The program will be an unusually good
one including two numbers for orchestra
and several for the Saengerbund The
soloists will be Miss Lolita Mills, pianist;
Miss Mae Whitesell, soprano; Mr.. Perry
Turpn. tenor, and Mr.. j. ]. Fischer. BARI
tone.
Masonic Temple.-A tea and bazaar for
the benefit of the New Church will be given
at Masonic Temple this evening and con-
tinue tomorrow and Saturday On the last
two days there will be an excellent home
made lunch from IL to pm. The fol-
lowing ladies will have charge of the az
fair: Mrs. r. B. Donaldson, Mrs. e. A.
Carmen, Mrs. John Joy Edison, Mrs. Job
Barnard, Miss Eliza Gardner. Mrs. Martin
Knapp, Mrs. d. ]. Macarty, Mrs. J. H.
Twitchell. Mrs. G. ]. Cooper and Mrs. H. A.
Davis.
Art Loan Exhibition.-There will be an
Art Loan Exhibition for the benefit of the
Eastern Dispensary building fund at G. A.
r. Hall from the 10th to the 18th instants.
The leading artists CT the city have gencr-
ously contributed their best works and the
collection will be unusually fine. There