The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-14

honor to MIR. Damrosch as the composer
of an American opera have persistently |
asserted that he Is the first American |
citizen to write and have performed In |
America a grand opera on an American
subject. The members of the society |
have resolutely ignored all corrections OF |
their misstgtement and have repeated II
again and again. They make the avenue
of their escape from admission OF their
error what they are pleased TO call the
fact that previous composers were not
American citizens. George r. Bristow
was born in Brooklyn, Dec. ID, 1873. Ac-
cording to the law OF the land he was
certainly a citizen. On sept. "a, 1S55,
his opera rip Van Winkle,'. based on
the familiar American form OF an old
legend was produced played, sung and
otherwise performed in this city. These
are facts.
From all sections of the country in
which the famous comedian Digby Bell
and his charming wife, Laura Joyce-Bell,
have appeared this season, come the most
fisttering reports of their complete sue
Hoyts comedy, "a Midnight Bell"
Both are credited with having achieved
a greater amount of success than In any
other characters they have essayed. The
supporting company which was especially
selected for the comedy, the superb seem
cry by Voegtlin and the exquisite catchy
music by Victor Herbert, author of
"Prince Ansnias" and "The Wizard OF
the Nile," and conductor of Gilmore's
famous band, all have come in for their
share OF praise. This big show will be
seen at Keith's Opera House week OF
March 30.
After an absence OF four years from
this country, and consequently from Bos-
ton, Nine Sarah Bernhardt returns to
b, N Mnndau March
%, for limited engagement of two
weeks, under the direction of Messrs.
Abbey, Schoeffel and Grau, Nine.
} ernhardt Is supported by her COM
pany, and presents her repertory
with the original scenery, costumes
Renaissance, Paris. Her opening bill,
which IL one of her great novelties on the
present tour, having been most successful
ly received by press and public during
the engagements in New York and other
cities Visited, is "Izeyl," four act
drama in verse, written expressly for
Mime. Bernhardt by Amand Sylvestre and
Eugene Morand, with music by M. q.
Pierne. The repertory for the first week
will be: Monday, tuesday and Wednes-
"Izeyl''; Thursday night. "La Tosca";
Friday night, "Magda'; Saturday after
noon, "La Dame Aux Camelias"; Satur.
day night, "Pbedre.o The sale of seats
and boxes for the first week will open one
week in..s.advance. Monday morning, I
March I6, at the fremont Theater box
Office.
The meIodrama entitled "a Flag of
Truce" introducing the talented young
actor, Horace Mitchell, will be presented
at Lothrop's Opera House during the
week beginning March %. Kate Dallas
will also be in the cast.
son the Mississippi" including the
once famous and dreaded Ku Klux klan,
n Madri Gras carnival in New Orleans,
floating theater on the Mississippi,
gilded gambling hell In the Crescent City
and a large number of musical darkeys
and other entertaining types OF South
ern character will be at keith's Opera
House week Of March %.
Joseph Murphy, the famous Irish come
dian. will be seen in the ProvidenceOpera
House for three nights and Saturday mat
inee, March 20, 27 and 2S. He will play
kerry Cow and "Shaun Rhue.' two
OF the most successful Irish comedies ever
written.
The New York critics say that Mr.. Bel
lew expertness as an actor Is more In
yet, when all is 8 aid, he is probably the
best Romeo of the time, and that is what
his audiences think about II.
No recent play in Paris has created so
much comment az IA Big For une,n at
the rheater Francais. IL is by Henri Neil
hac, who formerly coIlaborated with Lu-
dovic Halevy i'm "Frou Frou" and the
librettos Of "la Pelle Helene" "Ia
Grande Duchesse" and other operas. The
new work Is a study of the influence of
wealth, and the theme Is said TO be treat
ed with scsthing satire, although the
"losson" OF the play is e,timsted by the
French critics to be its least effective ele-
ment.
The announcements thst "The Heart OF
Marylandn will close Its first regular sea-
son at tho Herald Square Theater on Sat-
urday, April 25, aud that on Monday,
April "a, 1.-THE Heart of Maryland" Will
begin q supplementary spring and sum-
mer season OF limited duration at the
Herald Square Theater may seem Just
little bit queer TO the uninitiated. But
when you learn that actors and actresses
don't, as n rule, get as large salaries for
supplementary spring and summer sea-
sonso as they do for Irregular seasonsn
the colored gentlemen In the woodpile is
partially revealed.
al don't make many boasts," said Mr..