New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-26
REMITTANCE OF MR.. CRANE.

nlaue tile part NdiIOuSe
RE-ENTRANCE OF MIR. CRANE.
The lovers OF mirth Will hear with much pleasure
of the return OF Mr.. Crane. whose re-entrance was
effected last night at the Fifth Avenue Theatre. in
a new comedy by Miss Martha Morton called his
Wifes Father" and who may be seem for the pres
emit in one OF the characteristic OF his rep
Observation-Disclosures because 1t SHOWS hol
only the quality OF his humor but the gravity or
his mind the depth of his feeling. and the ample
resources Of his fecitous art Miss Mortons com
edy is built upon the doubtful proposition that
father however devoted to his daughter. could be
so strangely dull to propose being her travelling
| conpa Mon on her wedding tour, and TO inlet ms
company upon her and her husband, without the
least consideration of their tastes and wishes 40
one but an absolute donkey could conduc; himself
in such manner as that but. conceding the posi-
bilty of such a man il is easy to see that he msht
no made very comical-and very comica he IS as
played by Mr. Crane
| Billings a wealthy and kindly man. wdower.
| and the proprietor OF grocery In Harlem mas
daughter whom he devotedly loves. and on whom
| he lavishes every luxury. He has consented 10
her marriage. and she is to wed youth drank
HamiIton) whom he has taken into partnership.
| The play opens with the wedding OF the young
| people The good father does not wish MS dsug"-
Ter TO go on a wedding tour, and when she INSISTS
he announces his intention OF going also Billings
very aris,ocratic. given to making display OF
nothing and abnormally sensitive as TO every
fancied slight. That man has son. VINO loves
the daughter OF a woman, once rich. but now the
keeper Of a shop for the sale OF fruit ana artlstc
table d, corations The mother and daughter
are Mrs and Miss Kttie Canary. The son IN
herits some Of his fathers notions OF family pride
and is ashamed 10 propose marriage to the girl
because OF her station in life. and because her
mother keeps a shop. Those Two young
people furnish the minor love interest OF the play
and some OF the comedy. The wedding guests
assemble; the bride and groom manage to out"''
the father, and to slip away leaving him desoia''
at being parted from his idol for the hrst time IN
his life.
The young couple return. and dwell with the
father who is gradually making himself a nuisance
to them as ne leaves them alone. He has
resigned active participation in business and. haV-
ing no occupation. he nearly drives. the husband
crazy by his everlasting presence The young
couple privately furnish house. and suddenly
astonish and dismay the father by moving INTO H.
and Billings is once more deserted
The fugiivcs have arrived al their own home ana ana
enjoying their first breakfast %hen ,ne
law quarrel and the Young man With M HIM on
sncount Of his treatment OF her father. The en-
ragged husband declares that his pTcsence Is nfeded
not Wanted he viii go there. Billings tries to sd-
just matters but the danshsr rn se on rd m1h ana
The scene shifts back 70 he house Of bngs;
ne husband
had a bitter quarrel with her father, and Will not
see him The father has sent Tor ms son, Mn =. ~
husiness in order that pursuit may not affect her
daughters love affair, and the old man VINO mas
InaneentIne 70 marry him The sundercd couple are
reunited the young lovers are or0ustt ,or me
ne sar Tepeang he proposal Of Blngs in the
first t TO e r a crane a" and his excellent
were received with the heartiest favor wore par
snrued Mr. Crane made unequvocal hit with
his audience
oprNrvG OF THE WAGNER SEASON.
Tho establishment of standards OF citicism and the
change of ideals which the coming OF MI. Dam
rosch,s Wapnerian singers compes are so imperative
and ca radical as to suggest extreme caution IN pro-
nouncing judgment upon the Representative" y.
Tristan und Isolde" with which the season OF
German opera at the Metropolitan opened ias, hsh,
The new standard-ths ought TO be said early-wiil
not require concessions 10 'he "o.a"e
co,nnanv ~ efnqers controlled by Mcssrs. Abbey
and Grau as 1t will exact from them. but II IS ho'
easy TO keen nicely balanced mihn ""e' o,e "
plunged from the extreme OF purely sehS"o"9 P"
ure to the other Of such serious contemplation am
varied enjoyment as wagner's great psychoios'ca'
tragedy invites. IL is therefore pleasant 'hhs W
record that while those who are iona Oh 'o''",'''
opinions and INDUCING In comparison are Pi'p"''"@
for the changes there is enough to say ""o"' Wv
incidents Of last night to provide any amount "
agreeable and interesting entertainments '"'' Wv
sea son opened under most suspicious circumstances
no one possibly think Of gainsayihe' Inc spe'
tacle presented by the audience was almost "i'''
parallel At not the most briliiaht Vi III"
gatherings Of this or last season were so many P''
sons seen in the Opera House. To see the st"n''"e
room back OF the orchestra circle cio"ueu wac
nothing strange: but It without paraiei Una,
the same state OF affairs existed IN the s'a
tier dress circle, balcony ana gaiieiy' ~
even this unwonted spectacle seemed lnsishihe""'
when compared with the conduct OF the eh"ao'
binary assemblage The thousands listened aS "
they we're hearing things Oh which huhg NE anu
death Not a stir. not rustic. not wnispei -
devotion art, but II had the intentness oi
devotion to religion. At times. when the ue"en
dous emotional cimaxes in the play ana hus'o
were reached, one could see motion III the mum
iude as when the forest bends under gust VI
wind but not once from the lifting TO the iaihhs
OF the curtain on each act was there mahiiest inv
slightest desire 10 interrupt the broad, sweep'hs'
Irresistible current of the lyric tragedy. But wheh
the veil fell between the world OF reality ana the
mimic then came the storm OF plaudits. Then FRAU
Sucher and Miss Brema were made 10 realize that
they had come among "A multitude or friends ana
Mr. AIvary and Mr.. Fischer that the old love was
still burning brightly In thousands Of hearts. Noth-