The Portland daily press., 1895-09-28
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
Richelieu.

Last night Mr.. Thomas E. Shea ap-
peared at Portland Theare as Richelieu,
and he is entitled to great deal of credit
for the excellency of his impersonatlon.
1t was a very carefully considered char
acterization Mr.. Shea gave his great au-
dience, showing the results of long study
and great intelligence. Good as Mr..
Shea has shown himself in other plays
included in the repertoire it must be ad-
mited that his Richelieu was good deal
of surprise. He was seen to particular
advantage in the scene with DE Mauprat
and Julie when DeMauprat, blinded
with jealousy, seeks the Cardinal to kill
him.
At the close of the act there was a per-
sistent call of the curtain. Then again,
In the great curse scene he was impress
sive, and Throughout the play his reading
was natural pleasing and appropriate.
Mr.. Shea's support was very-good
Generally in repertoire companies there
will be one or two fair actors, and some
very poor ones, but Mr.. Shea has secured
a very good all round company, and such
q drama as Richelieu tries their powers
thoroughly. We may especially mention
Mr.. Greenes DeMauprat; Mr.. Robinson's
Baradas; Mr.. MoAuliffe's Sieur de Ber-
inghen; Miss Nesmith's Marion, and
Miss Nesmith's Julie.
The "Snares of New York" will be
given at the matinee today, and the
" Fire PATROL in the evening.
Melba.
Madame Melba arrived in New York
last week and is now busy with the prep
arations for her coming concert tour
which will be one of the most important
musical enterprises ever organized in this
country. Her earliest appearance will be
in this city where she will appear at City
hall on Wednesday evening, October 2.
Though she is the brilliant star and is
to be the particular attraction of the &C.
casion. she has, like true artist, been
careful to surro und herself with high
talent to give perfect ensemble to the
evenings entertainment. She will herself
be heard in her choicest selections, ac-
companied by an orchestra Of eminent
talent, conducted by Mr.. Landon Ronald,
an accomplished English musician who
was fortunately secured by Melba' man.
ager, MIR. Ellis, and who, though SO
young man, has already made his mark
as piano forte composer and yirtuoso,
and as chef d'orchestre under Sir Angus
tus Harris, the distinguished i1npresario
of Covent Garden.
Melba deems herself fortunate in being
able to associate with her the great
Scalchi, who is without peer as a
contralto, and whose operatic triumphs
have made her as we'll known in ST Pet
ersburg. Milan, Paris and London as she
has become in this country. Mile. Bauer
meister Is also happy selection. She is
universal favorite with the audiences
at the Metropolitan Opera House, New
York, where it is tradition that she has
carried on her shoulders the progress of
an Opera and brought it to a complete
success at time when unforeseen occur
rences had apparently foredoomed it to
failure.
In Sig. Giuseppe Campanari, also, the
management is to be congratulated in it's
choice OF basso. Whether as superb
vocalist or histrionic artist he has &C.
quired most fame may be an open ques-
tion. Certain it is that he is worthy
member of distinguished comb ination.
Last, put not least, this occasion is to
bring out Signor D'Aubigne, tenor ar
tist as yet unknown here, but one who is
sure soon to become known to fame. Il
was he who last year at an hours notice,
when Mr.. Abboty was i'll despair at the
sudden illness of Jean de Reszke, ap
peared as Faust, to the enthusiastic
plaudits of an audience saved from dis
appointment, and the warm congratula-
tions Of Melba, who was the Marguerite
of the cast.
Here then is an aggregation of talent
that will inevitably make the Melba con-
cert a memorable occasion. But the
great, overpowering attraction will be
Melba herself, to have heard whom will
enable the audience to know the mex
pressible joy which those felt who mark
1t as the occasion of a lifetime when they
heard the great Patti. whose mantle has
now fallen on Melba.
Little Trixie.
The N. Y. Dramatic Mirror says:
"Campbell's pretty new Empire theatre
in Detroit offered quite lively enter
tainment, RECALLING it's patrons with the
musical comedy entitled Little Trixie, in
which May Smith Robins quite capti-
waited her audiences by her versatility in
five characters in the piece: Little Trixie,
the romp heiress; Ned Somers, law
clerk; Katrina Katzmeyer Wolfenstein a
fraulein; Madame Parepa Rosa. the
opera singer; and little Irish maid.
Little Trixie will be seen at Portland
theatre Oct. I'd and Sd.
Notes.
Miss Katherine Kicker, who is now
in Lewiston will sing there for Scheda
on November 18th, and Miss Knight OF
Portland will also sing for Mr.. Scheda
at his series of concerts November 1914.
A severe wind, hail and rain storm
passed over Burlington, Ia, Thursday.
Barnum & Bailey's circus was giving
an exhibition and dismissed the audi
ece. The main tent, animal tent and
boarding tent were blown to strips and
completely wrecked. No one was injured.
The animals were badly frightened,
and nearly stampeded before the storm
was over.
The Commercial says: Musical peo-
pie in Bangor have been approached by