The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-10-28
THEATRE SCENERY.
William T. Porter EXcels Himself in
the Opera House.
Gets What viii Last Foreyer-The DroplCur
tain a Gem--What CINCINNATI
Thinks of the Artist.

The theatre going public have their
attention fixed just now on the events
TO take place at the New Hawaiian
Opera house early next month. Aside
from the operate treat TO be given at
the opening one week from tonight, the
public is interested in the work that
has been going on in the theatre.
The scenery painted by William T.
Porter is said by him to be the best
work he has done. He took greater
care with it for the reason that in the
States the scenery is painted over,
somtimes many times in a season.
Here it is probable the sets will remain
for many years. In the drop curtain
Mr.. Porter has something more than
thetrical painting, he has picture OF
intrinsic value and excellent finish.
Complying with a request from Mr..
Irwin neither the name or description
of it will be made public until after the
opening of the theatre.
In the United States Mr.. Porter's
talents as an artist are we'll known;
to Honolulu people the following from
the Cincinnati Tribune is interesting:
Last Sunday there was printed up
on the amusement page of the CONNER
cial Tribune a portrait OF William 4.
Porter, the veteran scenic artist of old
Pixies. now at work upon the paint
bridge of the opera-hOuse at Honolulu.
IN the brief article accompanying the
engraving allusion was made to the
now famous scenic artist, z. t. Harvey,
then Mr.. Porters paint boy" Mr.
Harvey, being thus reminded of the
old days. was moved to write the fol-
lowing letter:
81 recognized w T. Porter's picture
in last Sundays Commercial Tribune
at once. 1t seems as if he must have
drank of the fountain of perpetual
youth somewhere. | met him some
eight or nine years ago in San Fran
cisco, and I thought then he looked
lust the same as he did in the old
Pixies opera-house days. Your refer
ence to my having been paint boy for
him was correct; also worked with him
in the old Mozart Hall, where the
Grand now stands. | expect L was the
youngest employe of the old house.
And Louis Ballenberg, who was then
star flute player in the Orshestra;
Charley Mccain, Captain of the supers,
and myself are about all there is left.
| The old Pixies is still legend with
| theatre-goers here, and it was truly a
magnificent opera-houSe. L know OF
| none since that would compare with II.
| But the stage would not be suited to
| IN af
lacked convenience at that date even
The architectural drop curtain painted
by Porter had to be done in front OF
the house in sections on the floor, and
was brought through hole cut in the
wall above the gallery, and so on to the
stage.
Many curious things 1 can remember
about the old house; have often
thought l would like to jot them down
A generation almost of painters anC
actors have passed since that time
Bob Miles played Rookwood then, anC
walked his horse, Minnehaha, up the
front steps on to the stage. No ele
vators then. Mckee Rankin made his
first appearance, l believe, as Adder
Khan; Adah Issac Menken as Mazeppa;
Maggie Mitchell captivated in the
| French Spy and 'Margot, the Poul-
try Dealer, and so 1 might go on.
Leading scenic artists could have
been counted on one hand. There was
none of note in Chicago. Bill Porter
as he was called in Cincinnati, ane
Tom Ryan, in st. Louis, divided the
Western country. When l started ou
for myself, one of the strongest points
in my favor was having been with w
| T. Porter for four years. Scenic art
as a rule, in those days ignored nature
entirely. Nature be hanged, give me
a pot of high lights, was the motto
Porter was one of the first around here
to bring in correct drawing and natura
coloring on the stage. May his shadow
never grow less. Personally he wa:
unaffected, genial and pleasant, man
! ly sort of man. | rejoice that he Is
still in the active and doing well.
ssAdr. Harvey is now we'll on in year!
himself, but, like the veteran Porter
is remarkably we'll preserved, and his
fame has so grown with increasing
years that he is now accounted no
alone the greatest of our local scenic
painters, but among the greatest II
the world. He is known both in th1:
country and abroad, and art critics Of
distinction are lavished in their praise
| of his work"