The morning times., 1896-11-10
GEM OF GREEN AND COLD
New Columbia Thea,er Enjoys
a Brilliant Christening.
BAPTISED BY GRAND OPERA
Large and Fashionable Audience At
tended the Ceremony-"Roarin
Dick g. Co." Given Its Initial
Presentation at the National-A
New d'Artagan at the Academy.

Hn'hts which neceSSitateu the poo'poS
iheht OF its opening from the middle Oh ias'
month, the New Columbia Theater, known
before its reconstruction as MetZerotts
MUSIC Hall was la 81 nightdedcatedto tomusic
and drama
BY token of this accession to its theat.
rical roster Washington may now Lga 81 OF
the finest comedy theater south OF New
YORK. In Its subdued color and the scIise
oi snusness which the Columbia iInpatts
u at once suggests Days and the Madison
square Theatcrs in New York city.
ne opening last night was attended With
considerable cclat. On thepart OF the large
and distinguished audience there was the
sumuia ting feeling always aroused by
bijou, the house was made additionally
beautiful by unlimited floral decorations,
ana the performance was OF a character
which harmoniZed with the occasion.
The Columbia was described III recent
edition of The Times ON the basis of an
examination of the house III IT'S Then
and his description OF what hisideas would
realize.
A HARMONIOUS INTERIOR
The audience found the house substantially
as IL had been described The general tone
uI colorng is a suEdUed green which some
times fades almost to a steel gray. and
the Contrasting shade is gilt or yellow.
This chaste and restful combination 1.lakes
happy result To the eye, Wmch tlres OF
high colors and brash tones so long pre-
dominating iG theater decoration.
No attempt has been made at elaborate
ornamentation, except in the bordcr ana
Capping OF the prOSceniuin opening. hcrc
gilt frame of bay leaves is ilankeu on
either side by panellcd ornameniation, and
above is an ornate series OF afenes, as
eInble matte masks, between which are
emblaZuned the letters which spell the
name OF the tbeater.
AS a concession to the tradition OF
theatrical lore, there Were, of course, por-
tions of the house which We're not COM
peted. The retiring rooms and the rear
OF the balconies still await finishing tuuches,
and the handsome box railings and drap-
cries arrived too late TO permit OF their
being put in place. only the lower boxes
were occupied.
But the florists art screened any in
dcatiOns OF an unfinished condition. The
balcony fronts Were wreatlIed in green
vines, the boxes Were banked in palms,
the foyer was decorated with fcstouns and
potted plants. and the harnonies of green
in the floral and painted decorations was
complete.
WELL ARRANGED SEATS.
Most commented upon last night of any
feature about the new thcater is the ad-
mIrable view and sense OF proximity from
| any seat in the house. SO admirably situ-
| ated IN this respect are the balcony seats
that the management may fnd the public
more willing TO 20 upstairs than to sit
in the orchestra.
Last night handsome souvenir programs
were distributed. They give the official
announcement OF the management data
TtehluinS tHt gentlemen Iuentltlet win
The enterprise. and numerous portraits.
The descriptive matter was in substance
what was heretofore given III these col
nmns. The house program is published by
Walton Bradford.
The drop curtain Is . gem OF art, and
The scenery from proscenium TO back wall
in all its varied changes, was pronounced
by the admiring audience to he complete
and in harmony with the most advanced
ideas in scenic art. The fact that the
Columbia is absolutely fireproof, and pro-
as the building law requires, lends ad-
| dtional interest To those who object
10 burning before their time.
Congratulations are to be extended to
Messrs. Nixon and Zimmerman ana Meter
OFT and Luckett on their ambitious and
artistic undertaking. glance at the
goers OF Washington may look to this
house for nothing but the best class or
attractions.
LAST NIGHTS OPERA.
For the opening the management pro-
| vided the Metropolitan English Opera Com
pany, who sang III Trovatore" with con
| siderable satisfaction, in spite OF the haste,
| worry and confusion attending an open
iis In spite, also, or the submerged or
| chestra. which should at once be raised
eighteen inches or two feet, the artists
| sang fairly well. The prima donna. Georginc
Januschowsky, as Leonora, accomplished
| a distinct hit by her finished vocal per
| Torrance, aided by her commanding stage
| presence and excellent dramatic force Her
entrance provoked long continued plaudits.
| Her Voice is full and round with "a good
upper register, although sounding muTfled
| III the lower notes.
Next in orGer and almost first in popu-
| iafity IN TINS, ner nome, wds Lizzie Al ac-
| Nichol, the cuntralto, who sang ''Azucna''
the gypsy queen. She is physically the per
| rect embodiment OF the composers ideal
ana her bls Sparkling eyes, mick auburn
hair, volUptuous form and fine features were
| a iIluns ncSground Tor the Voice she dis
played. Every note was struck true and
| clear and the range displayed was almost
| pncnomtn.ti. Suc was. perhaps a Jriiie
nervous, but it only added a delightful
| vibrato quality.
Payne Clarke was manly, ardent and
| William Mertens scored a hit and was re-
| peatedly applauded.
The CnGrus was not unusual in size but
| most extraordinary, they Were young good
looking, sang in good time, and acted with
| e.sSs.. The orchestra is, however, out of
sound as well as sight. Twenty-Five ad-
mirable musicians were entirely lost to
audience us well as singers
Miss Howe did not sing as advertised
| This was by reason OF an unwarranted
assumption of member of the staff in
announcing the program without instruc-
| tions. She at no time intended to sing in
| III Trovatore." She will appear later in
a conspicuous role.
AT the New National Thcatcr last night
| an audience which taxed the limits of
| the house gathered to speed Maurice Barry
more on his stellar flight and see his new
| first production on any stage and so far
rs is known it is the authors first work
| 10 reach the fOotlights.
| After the third act, in response to an
| enthusiastic outburst, the curtain was
raised seven times. gorgeous floral pieces
were passed to the star and he made a
| speech. 1t was eXtemporaneouS but
honest and well considered and it eX.
| planned 10 the audience the reason of things
Mr.. Barrymore regretted the immature con-
that the company had not been ahlc To
rehearse in a theatcr until Sunday. and
SO i'll had Miss Crane been that she had
been able to rehearse scarcely at all.
| Much as the audience regretted to hear
/ of these mlSfortuneS, 1t was a relief to
Mr.. Barrymore's friends TO know that his
| play as seen last night was not the ripeSt
| fruit of his ability as playwright or pro
| duCer.
The play as given, lacked cohercncy.
| Some things were not clearly enough ex-
several OF the. interests unfinished. Dri-
| matte con nvention suffered in both in
| stances. The character of Dick is not
clearly defined before We sec him, the
| time being devoted to an irrelevant dead
| relative. There is no necessity for The
| dramatst to win our sympathy for Dick
The irresistible personality of Barrymore
is in evidence ut the start, and it is i'm
possible to believe he has been an ir-
| reclaimably vicious desperate Brans-
combe rather has our sympathy at first, and
| lose u, III III
| evident from the melodramaric manner in
which Evelyn spurns him that Dick is u
| para gon OF virtue comrS,red to him
And what becomes of him? What be-
| comes of the ma jor, who left with n
i threat of vengeance for something or
| other on his right cheek?
| Yet the story is an attractive one. A
| Young man, Dick PontifeX, with naturally
| rakish tendencies. leaves home because OF
| iucornpa tihlity with n. renurtous father.
| He becomes a bIackleg Of notOriety. The
| play opens ten years later, at the time
| ~ Ills return home. With him Is the ma ior
| his partner in crime. and in the firm of
tt. "a