The evening times., 1896-12-05
COMING TO THE THEATERS.

The Mandarin" that will be the attrac-
| ton at the Columbia Theater next week,
comes direct from a most successful run at
the Herald Square Theater, in New York,
where II is playing to the capacity OF the
house. Reginald De Koven, who has eX-
ceedcd himself in the beauty and attract
| iveness OF the music of the opera, Will
come To Washington to personally super
intend the performances, and he will be
accompanied by Harry B. Smith, the libret-
tist. Mr.. Smith has long been looked upon
as the most successful writer OF opera
books in the country, and he has never
presented anything to the public that has
met with such universal approval.
The company is one of the strongest and
most evenly balanced ones that has been
organized since the days OF the old Casino,
when that home OF opera was in the height
OF its glory. Signor Antonio de Novellis
is i'll charge OF the music, and Max Free
man controls the stage. These gentlemen
are too Well known to opera patrons to re-
qulre any Introduction, and their names at
tachcd to any production is a guarantee
Uf Its excellence. :.
The company also includes Bertha Walt
Finger, Adele Ritcbe, Helen Redmond.
Henry Norman, George Honey, George c.
Boniiace, jr., Joseph Sheehan, Samuel
Marion, Il chorus OF sixty-five, and an
orchestra OF twenty-five. The ladies OF
the company are said to be the prettiest
and all have fresh voices and are good
singers. Nearly five weeks We're spent in
the selection of the chorus alone.
Mr.. Francis Wilson and his manager are
highly elated over their belief that in
Half King which VIII be seen at the
found u piece that Will eclipse the puhlic's
recollection of "Erminie.''
Nearly every actur and author has
profess oaaI bugaboo that clings Ia MIN like
snbad's ''old Man cf The Sea" M oueh-
out his career; jefferson has his Rip
Van Wnkie, Florence had his Bardweil
Slote, Raymond his Mulberry Sellers and
even the versa tile Booth his Hamlet.
SO the merry Francis has his CadcauX,
" "Erminie." Whether 1t is mere amusing
Than the thief IN ''Erminic'' is a question
each individual spectator VIII settle for
himself.
But the management point with fome
pride TO the mercenary fact that Half
a Kings" business in it's first month in
New York showed much larger receipts
than "Erminie's" for the same period
after its original production. And figures
certainly have convincing way about
them in the eyes OF these up-to-date man
ager. Anyhow Half kirg' is said o
be big success. and an opera pretty sure
To please wherever it may be presented
Stuart Kobson's adroitness and quaint
humor have been evident in the many
characters he has made his own. ON Mon
day next at Lafayette Square Opera House
he Will add another Characterization to
ms Interesting creations. 1t Is that OF
Matthew Ponderbury, well-meaning, ever
submissive Matthew.
But while Matthew submissively obeys
wmie In her presence. he adrUItly manages
to slip into many little digressions, the
pieaSantcr To him on the principle that
stolen sweets are sweetest. He may be
locked into a room and set to doing
scbOoiboy' S task. but lie does I with all an
urcnin's rebellion, and like one has his
rroiic and accumpishes his task in a man
ner truly ingenious.
However. IN one OF ms mea nlpringS, he
Is discovered by his wife, but is adequate
to the occasion and hits upon the novel
scheme OF feigning som nambulism. FL
nally the time comes when the pedestal
upon which Matthew'S wife has posed as
modci or virtue and worth, Crumbes be
meath her and she becomes the submissive
one.
As an Introductory act, one of Buck
stones humorous stories entitled MIR
Gilman Wedding" is used.