The record-union., 1896-06-21

tneatef mas nightly been hlled by Ce-
lighted audiences. The versatility Of
the company will be shown in the
change from comedy to drama this week,
the second week of the engagement.
Commencing tomorrow evening, the
organization will be seen in the famous
military drama, Captain Herne, Z. S.
A." in which the distinguished actor,
Joseph ]. Bowling, will make his first
appearance in this city.
Captain Herne' is a play which ap-
peals to the hearts of all Americans, for
ats incidents and scenes are laid during
the Civil War, when men forsooll their
homes and families in defense of the
Stars and Stripes. The author of Cap
tain Herne'' is Margaret Barrett Smith.
and the young lady achieved an instan-
taneous triumph when her play received
its initial presentation in New York City
three years ago. At that time the met
ropolitan press entered upon contro-
versy as to the merits of Captain
Herne," and the general verdict was
that it was one of the best war plays
ever written. The plot of the play is
an interesting one. Captain Herne, u.
S. A, on his State, Louisiana, having
voted herself out of the Union, resolves
to remain true to the Nation. His half
brother, Goeffrey Colchester, goes with
his State. 1t is not pure patristism that
decides him to take this course. He IS
in love with Captain Herne's wife, and
is also covetous of the family estate.
With the aid of an octoroon, who is in
love with Captain Herne, Geoffrey sue
ceeds in parting his half-brother and
bride. Meanwhile the war has begun,
and Captain Herne in despair at what
he believes his wife's dishonor, seeks
death on many a battlefield, but finds
only promotion. AT the battle Of Vicks-
burg the brothers meet, and Captain
Ferne is wounded, being treacherously
shot in the back by a former overseer
He is taken to his own home and nuTsed
ty his mother. He discovers how he
has been duped, and sets out to right
the wrong he has done his wife.
Captain Herne, u. S. A. by its soul
stirring and patriotic movement, allows
of elaborate scenic effects, and this week
the patrons of the Clunie Opera-houss
will see a series of brilliant stage pic
lures, as the Davis-Moulton Company
has brought from New York the seen
cry for the play, painted by Lafayette
Seavey the well-known scenic artist.
These comprise views of New Orleans
and the distant forts, the passing of the
Union gunboats up the river, the battle
fields at Vicksburg, the assault upon the
Confederate earthworks, the Federal
outposts at Vicksburg, the hospital and
Christ Church at Vicksburg. The effect
of realistic scenery helps a play in great
degree, though Captain Herne, U. S.
A" is full of artistic merit in itself.
While it is a war play. there is COM
mendalble absence of gunpowder and
violence, and its story is one of love,
suffering and devotion, blended in a
most effective manner with bright COM
edy scenes deftly introduced.
Joseph ]. Bowling, who plays Cap
tain Herne, is an actor of the heroic or
der, and for the past two years has
starred in the play with dainty Myra
Davis, who has a part well suited to her
varied talent. Arthur Moulton will
have a splendid comedy role and all
the clever members of the company will
appear in the play. Realism will be
lent TO the various scenes by the appear
ance each evening in Captain Herne"
of Company E, Third Brigade, National
Guard, by permission of the command
1IS OIIic6T. NOLIlil5 iI-dIS d Wal play
SO much as "supers'' enacting soldiers,
and the presence on the stage of one Of
Sacramento's crack infantry companies
will be pleasurable feature of the week.
This fine military company will be ten
dered a benefit ON Thursday evening
next by Manager Todd and the Davis
Moulton Company Judging by the
splendid work done during the past
week by the Davis-Moulton Company,
they will this week give the best of sat
isfaction as every care has been taken
to insure a perfect performance on
Monday night, the first night, upon
which the management particularly
dwells.
"Lohengrin'' in German has taken
London by storm, as it did New York
last winter. The following is from the
London Daily News:
Royalty in the persons of the Prince
and Princess of Wales, the Duchess of
Fife and the Princess Victoria, the
classes who filled the boxes and stalls,
and the masses who crowded the gal
lery and the slips, were of course there
TO hear NJ Jean de ResZke sing one of
his most famous parts and to welcome
back NJ Edouard de ResZke, who now
as Henry the Fowler made his first ap-
pearance this season. The eminent
basso had hardly recovered from the
cold from which he has suffered since
his return from the United States, but
N Jean de Reszke was in glorious
voice. and seemed even more at home
in the German than in the Italian YER
sion. which he has hitherto used here.
AT the first appearance of the swan
there was, il is true, an unrehearsed in
cident the bird which drew the magic
beat being apparently determined to
land the knight at the wrong pier, and
then suddenly starting again, well nigh
throwing Lohengrin headlong into the
Scheldt But no one was more amused
at this absuriity than NJ. Jean de
Reszke himself, and having eventually
induced dat old goose" (as Sir Michael
Costa contemptuously called the birO
10 come to its rightful anchorage, he
stepped on shore with all fitting dignity.
The libretto of Meyer r-Helmunds new
opera, .Trischka," lately produced in
Frankfort, is said to be founded on an
actual adventure of Marie Taglioni.
about to return from st. Petersburg to
London. a journey which at that time
Was made most of the way by stage
coaches. the dancer found herself sur
rounded by a band of robbers, under
the leadership of the notorious robber
chief Trischka~ This chieftain, an
other Fra Diavolo, as far as chivalry
and nobility of sentiment was concerned,