The record-union., 1896-12-20

ice, all for the Christmas dinner for the
poor to be gotten UP by the Salvation
Army. This dinner benefit will take
place Wednesday, afternoon at 2 O'Clock.
Since the foregoing was written it has
been decided that the gross proceeds of
the benefit shall be divided between the
Salvation Army Christmas dinner to
poor families, the Founding Home
Christmas dinner and the Orphan Asy-
lum Christmas dinner. This is wise and
ought to enlist the sympathies and aid
of all the people. Now let the Opera
house be crowded.
An exchange says: A truly philan-
thropic movement is spreading in New
1ork. In most of the theaters the wom-
en- remove their hats upon taking their
seats. When this spirit has taken ac-
tive possession of the entire country,
the new woman" will be a reality, and
an Improvement on the old
The proposition to build a home for
aged actresses is one to be encouraged.
IL it is successful the aged actresses
Will be spared the humiliation of hav-
ing to earn their living by appearing in
the spectacular productions says the
Riverside Enterprise" But whoever
knew of an actress confessing to such
age as to be eligible for such a home?
Wilton Lackaye did not have a very
large audience at the Metropolitan
Theater in this city last week, when he
presented his powerful but lugubrious
and funerea1 play, "Dr. Belgraff.'' Still,
it was not so small an audience as to
justify the artist in administering the
rebuke he did. Perhaps knowledge of
the fact that the drama was one nerv-
Gus and tirnid, abnormally imaginative
people should not See operated to keep a
good many away. Then, too, there are
numbers of others who, while not made
to dream by dreams or see bad things
in slumber or suffer nightmare by rea-
son of dramatic picture, do not rel
ish that which is depressing, however
artistic may be the work. However that
may be, the audience did not crowd the
theater. In the first act one of the
characters approaches DR.. Belgraff
(Mr. Lackaye), and in a low tone asks
Are we alone2" The reply of the doc
tor should be in the arnative, of course.
Mr. Lackaye, however, hesitated a mo-
ment and giving the audience a quick
glance muttered, Almost" The re-
ply created a half sincere laugh but
the most of the people 1t offended. They
at least had honored him by attendance,
and they were not pleased to have the
leading artist suddenly get out of the
character he was perSonating and in
troduce purely selfish thought. More
than that. it broke In upon the har-
mony OF the drama, for the moment
the actor ceased to be Belgraff and be-
came Lackaye counting his box re-
ceipts. there was a shock. Mr. Lack
aye should remember that the true art
ist is never guilty of snubbing his au-
dience and never quarrels with it. He
is just as faithful to the few who come
to see his work as to the many. Be
cause there is not a crowd is no reason
for his complaining to those who are
not b1ameworthy.
Great things, in musical way, are
expected or the new and extremely
youthful tenor discovered by Nine.
Cosima Wagner. The alleged prodigy's
name is Carl Keinlechner, and until
very recently he was a blacksmith's
apprentice. All musical Europe is Cos
siping about the lad. He is to be placed
IN the musical and dramatic school at
Bayreuth, which has already produced
so many remarkable artists 1t is ex-
pected that young Keinlechner will
make his first appearance on the stage
at the forthcoming Wagnerian festival
II the genius of Mine. Wagner's un-
earthing can be nodded into any state
of art, we may see the boy tenor reap
ing a harvest of American dollars In
the near future.
About year ago the management of
the Opera in Berlin addressed a letter to
Verdi asking him to revise his opera
'Luisa Miller with a view to its pro-
duction in that city Verdi replied
rather tartly that in his opinion the
opera did not need revising. 1t has, in
fact, always been one of his favorite
works, and he has felt much aggrieved
at its want of success, which he at
tributes partly to the fact that the
Naples manager who had secured the
manuscript became bankrupt a few
days before its performance 1t is one
of the four operas which Verdi wrote
to librettos based on plays by Schiller
c'Jungfrau Won Orleans - die Rau-
ber." Don Carlos" and "Kabale und
Liebe," or 'Luisa Miller'), and there is
more than enough good music in It to
justify its revival and performance in
place of the everlasting "Traviata" and
"Trovatore." 1t was revived in Rome
a few weeks ago with such notable sue
cess that 1t is to be hoped it will be
taken UP in other cities, including New
York, where variety in the italian re-
pertory is sadly needed.
Andrew Mack is one of the unfortu-
rate successful stars whose life Is made
weary and sad by the importunings of
would be playwrights. During his re-
cent engagement at the Star Theater,
New York, bushy haired individual
made numerous efforts To get at the
young comedian 10 read him a new play
But being a marked individual he was
incontinently turned down by Treasurer
Stevens and never got further than the
box office Undismayed he remained
hot on Mack's trail and one fine matt
nee day waylaid the actor as he was
passing in to the hobby Before the actor
had a chance to demonstrate the author
hauled out q big bundle of manuscript
and without stopping to take his breath
ratified off:
Mr. Mack, have here an up to- date
Irish comedy drama that will knock
out all previous Irish plays. Just see
hows 1t ends. Fourth act, heroine coast
ing down KILLARNEY NonntaspS ,,1,nc-