Evening star., 1896-04-07

at the first presentation Of the opera here.
and all are thoroughly equipped for their
Janet, Miss Lizzie Macn!chol, a Washing
ton girl, was beautiful as Flora, and sang
with richness and artistic effect a new solo;
Mr.. VIM Prrette, also Of this city, made
sturdy Rob Roy. and delighted every one
with his splendid baritone voice; VIM. Nc
taughlin's Lochiel was all that could be
desired, and his solo, king of the Dungeon
Deep" caught the house. Anna O'Keefe
made a trim Captain Sheridan. and the two
comedians. Richard F. Carroll and Harry
Parker, made heaps of fun during the en-
tire evening. Carroll, by the way, Is one
OF the funniest men in comic opera. He Is
all the applause he receives. II last nights
audieI ce may he taken as an Indication
Rob Roy" will be sung to the full ca
pacity of the opera house during the re-
mainder Of the week.
National Theater.-The play last night
Julia Marlowe Taber, at the New Ma
tional Theater, was Romeo and Juliet,
which lasted from O'Clock until II,
and four hours of Romeo and Juliet is
audience last night, though somewhat glad
IL was over at last, did not go away with
the feeling that every emotion had been
tern into shreds and scattered all over the
stage and theater. Mrs. Taber's Juliet Is
not Of that kind. She has made Juliet
natural and graceful and agreeable, neither
loving too intensely, nor dying too painful
ly. At least it does not appear that she
loves and dies for exhibition purposes only.
I; is a difficult thing not to let the theatric
dominate the reasonable in such charac-
ter as Juliet, and Mrs. Taber is the only
Amercan-it might be said the only Eng
ltsh speaking-actress who can do it. AS to
Mr.. Taber 1t may be said that he Is an
earnest Romeo, without being romantic
enc. nor yet beautiful. He evidently plays
the part because he can, and not because
n ch0nnnR
Mercutio was Mr.. Coleman, and Falstaf-
fan Peter was Mr. w. F. Owen, who, by
the way. is reputed the best Falstaff now
on the stage. Mrs. Sol Smith was fine
old nurse. and Mr.. Edwin Howard, as
Paris. seemed to have abilities and voice to
have made a better Romeo. On the stage
settings, greatly improved since seen here
last, unstinted praise may be bestowed.
They are beautiful and fitting, and, with
one exception the changes were made with
surprising rapidity. The play was re-
ceived with an enthusiasm that called the
players before the curtain many times.
Academy of Music.-Joe Hart is one Of the
comedians whom the public accepts for his
mirthful personality, without analyZing his
atilities according to any rigid standard
of criticism. "a Gay Old Boy Is a rollick-
ing succession Of songs and incidents, with
plot which is of very little consequence IL
it exists at all. The music, which is of the
strictly popular class is exceptionally we'll
rendered. under the direction of W. E.
Matchett. who has composed some catchy
airs for the performance. One of them, a
negro melody, entitled standing Round
Hanging Round" was Immediately taken
up and whistled on the sidewalk after the
performance Carrie DeMar is clever little
woman. who sings character songs pref
tlly and dances gracefully. The company is
well provided with vocal talent and there is
a lavish !iberality with the breezy jingles
winch tickle the ear and invite the feet to
dancing. Joe Hart's songs are bright and
up 70 date, and he received numerous de-
mandS Tor encoreS. Breezy and unpreten-
tious, "A Gay Old Boy has laughs for the
many. and deserves no worse censure than
the avoWal that 1t Is persstently and what
Is perhaps worse. e.intentionally frivolous. But
the public last night hailed it with a mirth-
full enthusiasm which would Indicate that
its mission of hilarity is ACCOMPLISHED
kernan's Lyceum Theater.-In many re-
spects the performance given at Kernan's
this week is the best seen here this sea-
son. 1t is the Younger Brothers Irwin
combination, and has the reputation of be-
ing the highest-priced vaudeville show on
the road A crowded house welcomed the
opening Of the engagement last night and
went away thoroughly satisfied. Since last
seen here the program has been consid-
erably altered, and several new faces are
seem The hit Of the show is George Full
Ter Gordon, whose entertainment Is both
original and entertaining. He portrays in
excellent style several chapters from Je-
convulses the audience with his limitations
The Howards, in the neatest specially be-
fore the public. won new laurels, and
those dainty acrobatic dancers, O'Neill and
sutherland, were good. Cushman and Hol-
combe, In their artistic SKETCH were we'll
received, and the other features of the
long program were all cordially resolved
me Irwin Brothers laughable sketch. The
Zoo, closed the show. Thursday night the
management will have as their guests the
National League Of Musicians. and as
several Of them will participate in the per
hy twill, f{0v,r
terta!ning program Is anticipated
stoddard on Napoleon" Napoleon Bo-
raparte. Hero" formed the subject of a
thrilling lecture by Mr. John L. Stoddard at
MeZerott Hall last night, the third lecture
in the series being delivered by him. The
subject Is o1e with which Mr.. Stoddard is
familiar, and upon which he has been heard
In this city before; yet in last nights lee
ture much new matter was introduced and
the old rewritten and rearranged, present.
Ing graphic account of the most notable
characteristics of the man and the principal
incidents in his marvellous career Neces-
sarily the review Of his life by the lecturer
was rapid. Briefly mentioning his humble
Dirtn on the Island OF Corsica, passing over
the period of his childhood and youth, he at
once entered upon a delineation of his line
of achievement soldier, Introducing him
at the opening of his Italian campaign His
characteristics as soldier his audacity and
bravery the art of enthusing his troops and
of hypnotizing the enemy were dwelt upon
None the less astonishing were his wonder
full successes as ruler of his empire, when
he expended vast sums for bridges roads
canals. and other internal improvements
never borrowing franc, his accounts bal
ancing exactly and large surplus remain
ing In the treasury. The code Of laws which
he formulated; his restoration of religion
with liberty of conscience; his tender treat.
ment of his mother and family; his char
acter as a man, as friend, as father, all
received generous treatment at the hands of
the lecturer. Passing quickly to his corona
ton and papal conservation, and the tre-
mendous increase OF the territory under his
domain, Mr.. Stoddard described the condi
tions leading up to his divorce of Josephine
his second marriage, the birth of an heir
and finally his abdication after the disas-
trous Russian campaign. The climax Of the
lecture as we'll as of the thrilling events In
the life of Napoleon-his return from exile
and the duel between exhausted France and
combined Europe. eliminating in Waterloo
was dramatic. and the lecturer aroused the
sympathies Of his audience as he described
the pathetic end of the great emperor on
the Island Of st. Helena. Mr.. Stoddard is q
champion Of Napoleon. He minimizes his
faults and extols his virtues, but his opin-
lon of his character is sincere and his lee
ture is unusually instructive and entertain
Ing. Tonight and tomorrow night it will be
repeated.
The Yale Glee Club.-The annual concert
Of tho Yale Glee and Banjo Clubs was
given at fho oF