The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-14
DRESS REHEARSAL
OF COMIC OPERA
viii Have Its First Public Production at
the rockingham Tonight.
LILLIAN RUSSELL IS THE STAR

Tue TTOtuinSudih iUuiSht.
LILLIAN RUSSELL IS THE STAR
..An American Beauty Is the Title
orthe Opera and 1t Gives the Well
Known Diva an Excellent Opportn-
nifty 10 Display Her Operatic Tai
cut-.Supportcd by "A Good Company
A very satisfactory dress rehearsal
Of "An American Beamy' took place
at the Frothingham last night 1t is
three act comic opera which viii serve
to introduce the fair Lillian Russell to
theatregoers this season. The opinion
Of those who saw AN American Beau
ty" last night, handicapped with the
duh setting of a first dress rehearsal,
We're of the opinion that it will meet
with much success and that in the new
opera Miss Russell has n role that dis
plays to excellent advantage her dis
tinctive operate talent.
The book of the opera was written by
Hugh Norton" pen name Of NJ. ;. Nc
Lollan. the brilliant young man who
until recently was editor OF Town Top
les of New York. The music of the
opera is by Gustave kerber, who has
done his portion of the work in a very
satisfactory manner. Both Mr.. McLei-
Ian and Mr.. Kerbcr We're present last
night. as We're George W. Lederer, OF
the firm OF Canary & Lederer, Miss
Russells managers: William Perzell, of
New York; Edward Funkenstein, a
prominent lawyer of San Francisco:
Mime. Kate Rolla, late of the Metropoil-
tan Opera House, New York; a. II.
Hummel, of the law firm of Howe u
Hummel. of New York: Nicholas Bid
die. of the New York Herald; William
King, of the New York World; Colonel
George L. Hinton. Of the New York
Evening World; Alan Dole. of the New
York Journal; Ambrose Constine and
T.. A. Nlvcn, of Wilkes Barre; Charles
T., Gale, of New York, and job Hedges,
private secretary to Mayor Strong, Of
New York.
The company numbers over sixty per-
sons and 1t arrived in this city Satur-
day evening over the Lehigh Valley
and Delaware and Hudson railroad in
a special train. Miss Russell travels
ia special parlor car which bears her
name.
SPENT THE DAY REHEARSING.
Early yesterday morning the COM
pany began the final rehearsals under
the direction of that past master of
stage craft, George Lederer, and Kept
at that task steadily all day. At $50
last night the curtain was swung up
on the dress rehearsal when the result
of the careful rehearsing was appar-
ent in the comparative smoothness
with which the opera moved along.
Tonight the opera will have its first
public production at the rockingham
and Scranton theatre -goers Will see
something OF a departure from the us
ual lines on which comic operas are con-
structed and Miss Russell in role
which gives her many advantages. Be
sides those named above the following
from out Of town will be here to see
the first production tonight. Leander
Richardson. editor of the Democratic
York; AL Hayman and r. Henry
French, New York, and John Seager,
private secretary to the secretary of
the war.
The story of the opera opens at New
port in the height of its social season,
is a legitimate source of curiosity for
the uninitiatcd, and Monte Carlo in the
full swing of its gilded gaming and in
trguc, is rich in possibilities that no
playmaker has yet reflected. This is
the environment chosen for the new
opera. Prince Schwepps, an attenuat-
ed prnfiCate and depleted foreigner,
sojourning in Newport in an eager aim
to replenish his cXchcquer by marriage
to a title hunting heircss, succeeds in
trapping into engagement Mrs. Ga
brillc DalmCnt, a young widow.
The curtain arises - the luxuriously
appointed estate of Mrs. Dalmont in
Newport almost at the hour fixed for
her nuptials. The prince is watching
the moments anyiously. The hour ar
rivcs and passes. The young widow
does not appear; then it amusngly de-
vciops that her nonappearance marks
the twelfth time she has potponed the
wedding.
DO NOT INTEREST HER.
None Of the clgibles of Newport
exclusives are able to even remotely
interest the affections of the young
widow. In Newport. dazzled by hci
grace and beauty and anxious to win
without the prejudice of his fortune oi
title. is the Earl of Beverly. guised aS
gardner IN the train of Mrs. Dal.
mont, a role which the fair Lillian real
ICES is Marian, a cOnfidante. Marian
discovers the Garls secret and at once
determines to outWit the cunning and
cupidity of Prince Schweprs. Thig
determination is ventilated before the
first act is well under way, and thence
the action passes to a curious bail a,
Newport. introducing the widow in ar
impulsive and picturesque revelry atol
Cf the palanquined back of an ele.
phant, and finally to its third period
showing Monte Carlo. The play OF
incident is varied, involving in it.
comic elements 4 circus manager
clown and managers wife. an attendant
of the princes in one Bobo, and the
prince himself.
Picturesque features are found in
the fashionable fetings of Mrs. Dal
mont's set a novelty in the circus ball
and the cosmopolitan fashions fOunC
about Monaco's famous gaming
grounds.
The organization supporting Mis-,
Russell embraces favoritc comic opera
notables, including among others. Sus.
anna Leonard, George T.. Hawley