Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-11-05
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American travo olcrs abroad como uron
loaliy lights and customs that arc
strange 20 their American senses. HOre
is AN incident of an opening night at
the Chatelet theater Paris. that will
not soon be forgotten by a certain party
of there New Yorkers who witnessed it.
Tho presentation was of Berlioz's
Faust" in accordance with popular
request. It had been given in the clos
ing spring nights, and in the fall was
put ON again, with the same artists III
the various roles. Certain numbers
notably "Marche Hongroise" and Mcph-
isto's song-had captivated Paris, and
an overwhelming crowd was at the
doors on the opening night to hear their
favorites.
Now, there is a peculiar custom in
vogue at the Chatelet for admitting and
seating the audience. They enter in
squads, and each squad must be seated
before another can get in. OF course
this is admirable when time is no OBJ
ject, but ON this particular night the
crowd was too great to be handled in
this slow way. And the curtain went
up and the movement of the opera, un-
der the direction of M. Cologne, pro-
ceeded when no more than two-thirds
of the audience had been seated.
In the first balcony sat three New
Yorkers-a married couple with a young
lady acquaintance. The opera proceeded
over the heads of the moving, restless
audience for an hour, when an ominous
murmuring OF voices began to make it.
self heard above the tones of the orohes'
ira 1t muttered, rolled, vibrated, grew
and conveyed feeling of danger from
some unknown peril. The young Amer
lean matron, nervous as American wo-
men are, took fright.
at is fire, she whispered to her
husband. 1.-THE theater is on fire. You
must take me out quick, or we shall
be crushed as we'll as burned. +"
But the husband was obdurate, and
as the noise of voices increased i'll vol
ume and angriness he turned to reassure
his wife and her friend.
"Be easy. 1t isn't fire. This is go.
ing to be one of the sights of Paris, and
l wouldn't miss it for lot ON Broad
way. "
By this time the menacing attitude
of the audience had forced itself upon
the attention of NJ. Cologne. His musit
clans ceased playing; he looked at them
imploringly, glared at the bowling au-
dience de6antly, rolled out a command
cracking with RS, waved his baton and
went on.
Then the audience passed from fret
full repining TO offensive action. With
a common impulse it swarmed forward,
overran the orchestra, and some 40 men
olambered upon the stage itself. They
silenced the musicians, shouted, danced
back and forth i'll an apparently uncon-
| trollable rage shook their fists under
the noses of every one in authority and
introduced a sudden and unwelcome ell
ement of anarchy into the evenings
spectacle.
"What is the matter? Can you make
out what they're saying?' the young
lady asked.
"Why, yes" the escort replied.
''They couldn't get into the theater in
season to hear the favorite numbers,
and they feel cheated. This is the pop
ular Partisan expression of outraged
feelings"
"But what are they going TO do about
it?' asked his wife "Will they tear
the house DOWN. Do lot us go away at
once. "
"No, they'll hurt no one but NJ. Co
logne, and not him if he docs what they
are demanding
Whatever is that1"
"As near as can make out. IL is Ia
go back TO the beginning and play the
entire score again. That means an ex'
ira hour, and no wonder he objects" f"
But the objection proved futile, Aft
or ten minutes of charges and counter
charges, Of negative shakes Of the head
aud affirmative shakes Of many fists,
Mr. Cologne turned back the pages Of
his score and again raised bis baton,
The excited audience was oalmed in d
moment aud became seated aud atten
tive, The movement proceeded smooth
ly, triumphantly, with appreoiatiye ap
plause, Feelings Of the most perfect
harmony existed Aud tho ChateleI
scored great success
Nov, la Now York, said the Amer
loan as be- took the two ladies ~ theiI
hotel, I've w0uldn't have done u So
- should think not, said bis vii,
Ia earnest patriotism
mo" he want On, "thoro NO would
haye talked about GpT hard luok he
tween tho aois, aiid tho neat mOrninR
would haze fought ihe thing all ogef hi
ihe newspapers And VIZ WOpldn'i hagi
soen the opers eitlor n seeins ~ nle,
ny daaf, ihat ihe French ohafaoief ha,
= feature ~ two which ihe American
NDuld 40 npll fO iHitain
nYwy wnll, said msdaiH nm
glad saw lile 0lais isioe 0YsI ip "a,
evening l'm way mnoh obliged d
ilpsp IieBebmfu hpi Hll iAo naiae.
lm quiis e4piani ~ bo sld leiHall
AmWloap " hsp f~h ligles