The record-union., 1896-09-20

1eVe one OF her first efforts was Iidoe
on sacramento Stage-haS mace
big hit in Rosemary in New YORK
The New York World" of september
9th said of her: Five years ago, aIter
the first performance of 'The Maskeu
Ball, Miss Maude Adams awoKe 10 liiiu
herself famous. At one bound she Iiau
achieved histrionic distinction; sne hau
established her right to be consloereo
among the leading actresses OF the
American stage. Her work In the sup
port of John Drew's first stellar elrorts
was found to be brilliant IN It's concep-
ton and dainty and artistic IN lts exc
cution: refinement and intelligence
marked her performance OF role tnat
might have bee ruined by a less cult
ured and less graceful actress. In ali
the plays in which John Drew has been
seen during his career as star MISS
Adams has always fairly divided the
honors with him, and her artistic de-
veIopment has always kept pace with
and occasionally outstripped his. In
the most recent Of these productions,
Rosemary which was given at the
Fmnire Theater last Monday night,
while opinion may differ as to the merits
of Mr.. Drew's performance Of Sir Jas
T,ar Thorndyke there is no dissenting
voice in the general need of praise ac-
corded the Dorothy Cruikshank of
Maude Adams. 1t is perhaps rank her
esv to so popular a star as John Drew,
b,1t II is a fact nevertheless that Miss
Adams dominates the Empire stage
whenever the action Of Rosemary
D1acas her in view of the audience. MISS
Adams Dorothy is beyond doubt the nit
of the dawning seasons first week.
De Koven & Smiths new opera, just
nroduced in New York, is called The
Mandarin" and a critic wrote in ad-
vance of its production thus; II II
were called The Prince and the Beg
gar or The Two DromioS OF Pef1n, or
something like that, you would nave
rough idea of the foundation OF the
story. But while Mr.. Smith mas taken
7he Dromio theme to begin work on, ne
has merely used the idea of two men
looking alike. They are not brothers,
like the Dromios, nor relatives; In fact,
they are entirely unlike in every re-
spect except in close physical reSen-
blance. One is a mandarin, the other
y yagabond. The mandarin, for Na-
sons of his own, and Mr.. Smiths, prl-
anarily to set the operate troubles under
way, disguises himself as a laoorer.
This, of course, was very foolish on MS
mart. as it enables Mr.. Smith at once
t. have him mistaken for the vagabond,
while, as you have guessed, the Vaga-
bond is mistaken for the mandarin IN
playful disguise. Now they're OH ana
The trouble begins. The mandarin Is
punished for the vagabond's misdeeds,
and the vagabond, knowing gooo
- n
palace. The vagabond's wife turns up
and claims the mandarin, and that offl-
ciaPs generous allowance of dozen
martial partners proceed to make home
happyFfor the masquerading Vagabond
With this as a good starting point Mr.
Smith puts through their PAGES the two
comedians who play the doubles, to the
accompaniment of the complications
familiar in German farces, comic opera
ard insane asylums. Regarding the
music, Mr.. De Koven, 1t is said, mas
gone back to his robin Hood style,
which is a paradoxical statement, as 1t
was not generally known that Mr.. De
Koven had ever departed from that
we'll known musical form of his. The
score is said to contain a number or
airs which Mr.. De Koven thinks will
not fail to catch the public ear.
William d. Mann Of the Herald
Square Theater says that there was
some Chinese music in the score to give
il local color. but after several visits to
Chinese theaters the composer conclud-
ed that the theaters doors would have
10 be locked or the Chinese local color
reduced to the minimum If an Amer1-
can was to be retained in the theater.
Mr. De Koven was at first aVerse 10
entirely abandoning the Chinese mu-
sic. and rehearsed some of 1t for Mr..
Mann and Mr.. Evans on hired piano
brought to the theater for the purpose
and played by professional accom-
PIANIST engaged for the occasion. and
who was known to his musical friends
as the 'Hoboken Rock Crusher.' The
piano had withstood the wear and tear
of a continuous performance show for
several weeks and had been used by
the accompanist when he was the win
ner Of a six-day piano playing contest
at a local dime museum. One repetition
of the Chinese music, however, caused
the treble wires to slacken about
an inch and quarter and much OF
the valuable glue in the back Of the
instrument to fall out. 1t was noticed
also by Mr.. Mann and Mr.. Evans that
the Salvation Army Band, which
nightly at the corner of Thirty-fifth
street and Herald Square. just outside
Of the theater. drives terror into the
teart Of the devil to musical accompa-
rinent moved down the street after
the Chinese music rehearsal began.
Then Mr. De Koven gave in and said
he would not trouble the pianist fur
Their, and the Chinese local color was
eliminated from the score"
Edward Harrigan talked two weeks
ago TO a New York reporter saying: Il
don't think the public interest in plays
that depict the incidents and types of
local life is on the wane, but it is un-
doubtedly true that both the audiences
and the types are changing. The audi
ences of to-day take my drawing-room
scenes in Marty Malone better than
the audiences of twenty years ago did
my scenes from the slums. New York
fs a great cosmopolitan city, and at
present it's population is in a transition
neriod Many Of the old types have
passed away under the new conditions,
and new types are forming. Now the
introduction Of new local type is a
risky thing; there is always the danger
that his characteristics will not be read
lily recognized. For instance, the CUBAN
is a very recent factor OF any moment
in New York life. but the time is not far
distant when he Will be as readily ac-
cepted as the familiar Irish. German
and negro characters Of the dramatist' 9
store"