The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-14
Young Ladies Institute See THE
Charity Ball" at the
Columbia.
RAILROAD DRAMA AT MoRosCO's
John Mason and Marion Manola Ap
pear at the 0rpheum-The
Casino Chutes.

The first production of Carmen" was
last night at the California Theater. 1t
was described in the play bills as adapted
from the story of 'Prosper Merimee and
the opera OF Bizet, by Marie Doran and
Mollie Revel."
This was slightly misleading in the play
bills. The version of carmen" proved to
be a thrilling melodrama, entwined with
some good music and staged with an eye to
scenic effect, but not the less melodrama
of the most pronounced type.
AS for being adopted from the sources
named, it was based, with variations, upon
Merimee and Bizet, but the variations,
both from Merimee's simple story and
Bizet's terse dramatic opera, were so con-
siderable that it is scarcely an exaggera-
ton to say there was more of variation
than of Merimee and Bizet.
Putting aside all sentiment for the
story and the opera, and allowing for the
vulgarization that must necessarily take
place in transforming them-with varia-
tons Into a melodrama, it must be al
lowed that Carmen" is play which will
appeal to good many people. 1t is some
thing out of the usual line of works of
this kind and it is full of scenic effect,
motion and color.
AS for the variations on the story and
the opera they are too numerous to men
ton in detail. The toreador, who is
called Rodriguez, appears in the first act
and in the third act. He does not enjoy
that easy access 10 the smugglers' camp
which the piece gives him. In fact he en-
tiers their lair by stealth, is taken prisoner
and is released by Carmen, who drugs the
guard, after which the toreador, in the
most impudent manner, hovers about out
side, singing the "Toreador now guard
thee" but emitting the first portion OF the
aria.
OF course melodrama has to have vii
lains, and the authoresses, apparently not
wishing to make villains out of the hero
and heroine, have very ingeniously created
a couple. cara, the female villain, is the
girl Carmen stabs in the first act In the
opera this stabbing is done "off," but in
the play il is performed in full view OF the
audience. cara is not killed, but is dis.
figured by the wound, and she takes out
her revenge by putting Garcia, former
! husband of Carmen, on her trail.
1t seems that Carmen had betrayed the
man to justice when she tired of him and
he, having esca ped, was thirsting for her
gore. Sullivan, who played the part with
great intensity, adopted telling Svengali
makeup.
The end of the first act, though one oil
the variations" was really clever bit OF
dramatic invention on the part of the
authoress. Carmen has told Don Jose she
has tired of him and he threatens
TO kill her, whereupon she tries
to "bluff" him out of his purpose
by describing how she got rid oil
her former husband. Now Garcia has
tracked her to her lair in the mountains
he overhears this amiable confession and
| darts forward to kill her. Carmen cIings
to Don Jose, who defends her; the men
fight with daggers. Garcia is slain anG
Don Jose staggers back wounded, callins
Carmen. Instead of needing him the
tickle gypsy leaves him lying there and
goes off after the toreador, who is still
heard singing without.
There are many more departures from
Merimee and Bizet. Some of them tried
to rob the work of its local coloring-fol
instance. divorce must be as easy there a,
in Oklahoma, for Carmen always seems tc
marry, for the time being, the gentleman
| dPOh WbOAA oAO 4uo OCoIOWCQ ueI
affections.
In the title role Miss Rose Coehlar
modelled herself largely upon operati,
Carmens who have played the part before
her. She looked handsome, and in the
scenes of love and coquetry she was really
very clever and effective, but she proved
herself to be singularly lacking in the cat
like deviltry that is such marked featur,
of the part.
Miss Coghlan tried conscientiously te
! give one the impression of arch-wicked
ness, but she did not succeed in convey.
ing it. That she did not convey the i'm.
| preston OF brooding tragedy in the care
scene that good lyric Carmen gives wa,
probably no fault of hers. This scene de.
mands the music to give it the splendidly
dramatic impression that it should convey.
Frederick Warde had some very happy
moments as Don Jose, though as whole
he fell too much into the melodramatiC
spirit of the whole performance His love
scene in the garden with Carmen won
several curtain calls. Miss Anna DAILY
made a very charming Mercedes, who in
the present edition substitutes Michaella.
Beach was satisfactory as the toreador,
and the rest of the cast was also good.
Of the turns" introduced in Lila:
Pastia's gardens the two best were Pro-
lessor Lombardero's quartet and some
dances by Signorita Matildita, premiere
danseuse who did not appeal to the audi
ence as she ought to have done, for she i:
a woman whose like for accomplished
dancing is seldom seen on the local stage
Taken altogether, it is safe to predict
prosperity for Carmen" as q melod rama.
The works of Merimee and Bizet have
been yulgarized. it is true, but the new
production is thrilling, appeals to the eye
and is well put on the stage.
At the Columbia.
1t was Young Ladies' Institute night at III,
Columbia last evening, as about $50 of tn,
members OF that organization, ACCOMPANYING