Evening star., 1896-12-05
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vinced that the book had really been lost ?
They would be certain to think Wilson had
appropriated their successful opera, and
would use 1t in disguise and thereby cheat T.
them Of their rights. These considerations
annoyed Wilson and Candy for days. and
finally the lost book became a subject too
painful to be mentioned. A week ago Will
son was in New York. and while sitting
business representative Of Sir Henry Irv-
ing in the United States. 1--WE got some
thing in your line. Frank" said Childs. en-
thusiastically; 1T came to me in pc
culiar way. It's a comic opera in French.
and after reading 1t / at once thought how
admirably 1t would suit you. 1t is moi
printed and may be a protected piece. but
anyhow you can look that up. 1t certainly
missing book before Wilson. With a yell
of delight the comedian grabbed 1t. A look
at Chiids' spring overcoat explained the
whole matter. 1t was exactly like Will
sons. That book is now in the Lincoln
Safe Deposit vault, and a cable message
mas gone to Paris accepting it for produc-
ton.
National Theater.-Francis Wilson will
appear here at New National Theater next
week. with a new comic opeta Half a
King. words by Harry B. Smith, and
music by Ludwig Enelander who have
revised ard rewritten 1t from the French
of Letterrier and Vanloo. The story OF
Half King" is said to be full of active
de Chateau Margaux being heavily in debt
wishes to marry his son, Honore, to Lu-
cinde, daughter of the wealthy Duke de la
Roche-Trumeau. The contracting parties
not only the wealthy congregate. but also
mountebanks and bohemians. The leader
of the mountebanks. Tereschappe, Is there
with his adopted daughter, Pierette. her
Would-be lover Mistigris. and band of
followers. Honore is in love with Pierette,
who saves him from assault and robbery
by the mountebanks. Tereschappe and his
followers then caDture the Duke de la
Eoche-Trumeau, his secretary and daugh-
ter. and Disgusting themselves as their ca1-
tves. proceed to the house of the Duke de
Chateau Margaux. Pierette. who imper-
soma es Luc:nde, is about to be married to
Honore. when Lucinde. who has managed
to escape. appears and induces Pierette to
renounce her plan. Tereschappe and Pier
ette resume their moCntebank costumes
and return to their old life. The girl is
about to wed her old lover Mistigris. when
the party is arrested for kidnapping the
Duke de la Roche-Trumeau. Explanations
follow, and 1t is learned that Pierette is the
daughter Of the kidnapped duke by an early
alliance The identification is brought about
through half a playing card, the king of
diamonds, which was attached to Pierette' 8
clothing when Terreschappe found her. The
duke produces the other half of the card.
Honore and Pierette are betrothed and
everything ends happily.
Lafayette Square Opera House.-In Mrs.
Ponderbury's Past" the play which Stuart
Robson will produce. in conjunction with
Madam Janauschek, the well-known ira
gedienne. at the Lafayette Square Opera
House next Monday evening, Matthew Pom
der bury is the character assumed by Mr.
Robson, and Mrs. Ponderbury, by Madam
Janauschek. Mrs. Ponderbury Is one of
these strong -willed. domineering women.
who rules home with an iron rod. Matthew
Pcnderbury is two things not easy to recon-
IL,
the most abject coward in will. But into
the neighborhood comes disturber Of Mat
thew's equanimity, and later that Of his
suspicious and somewhat jealous wife-a
cedents, whose beauty prOvokes the too
susceptible Matthew to measures stronger
than he has hitherto attempted, and he
challenges the sprightly fair one to a noe
turnal rendezvous at the studio of an art
ist. When Matthew discovers 1t is time to
be getting home to avoid his wife's sus-
Eioions, he finds the door locked and him
self a prisoner. His outcries attract the
attention of people in the street. who come
to his rescue, and among them Is his wife
In his desperation he feigns somnambulism
1t Is here that the mirth-provoking quail
ties OF the play reach their acme. and no
audience that has witnessed it but have to
view this scene with shouts of laughter
In connection with this comedy Mr.. Robson
has introduced a One-act play as a sort of
preface to the longer one, which is hardly
adequate in time for an American enter
tainment. This Introductory Is a revision
of one of Buckstone's quaint efforts, and Is
q great mirth-provoker. 1t is entitled Mr..
Gilman's Wedding" and presents the
humorous side Of an all but humorous stu
alton for the young husband. who is about
to be arrested on the charge Of bigamy
just as he Is beginning his first honeymoon
Following Robson comes "The Geisha.''
Columbia Theater-Reginald DeKoven
and Harry B. Smiths latest opera The
Mandarin. will be presented to the patrons
of the Columbia Theater for their judg-
ment next week, and each performance will
be under the personal direction of the au-
thors. In their work they will be assisted
by Signor Antonio de Novellis as musical
director and Max Freeman as stage man.
ager. The company Is one of the largest
ever used in opera comique and includes
Bertha Waltzinger. Adele Ritchie Alice
Barnette Helen Redmond, Henry Norman
George Honey. George G. Bon!face. jr., Jo-
seph Sheehan and Samuel Marion The
chorus Is exceptionally strong vocally and
the female portion of it is said to be un-
usually beautiful. When 1t is known that
Charles f. Evans and w. D. Mann, the
most lavish producers In the country, are
the proprietors and managers of the COM
pany nothing need be said as to the ele-
gance of the costuming and scenic environ
nient. or as to the completeness of the pro-
duction in every detail. The story of the
opera is exceedingly interesting and has
for it's central idea the complications re-
sulting from the resemblance of two men,
The scene of the opera Is laid in China. A
mandarin who is the newly appointed gov
ernor of Foo Chow is very susceptible TO
feminine lOveliness and is ever seeking a
kindred soul He comes to a certain por-
ton of his city for the purpose of seeing
Jesse. beauty. who is the wife of vaga-
bond named Fan Tan. The mandarin
learning that he closely resembles Fan
Tan, and that the latter is away from
&c me, obtains the dress of workingman
her =
she Is deceived. and the mandarin is re-
joicing al the success of his ruse. when the
officers of the law appear and arrest the
Fan Tan for misdemeanors COM
mitted by the real Fan Tan. In the second
act Fan Tan Is brought to the palace
where he finds himself the possessor of a
number OF wives and a large family of
small children. He is under the control of
a chaperon, Sing Loo. who is madly in love
with him, and is most despotic governess
The numerous complications that ensue
are exceedingly amusing. and the entire
three acts are divided between sidesplitting
and enhancing music
Grand Opera House.-Black Patti. who is
recognized the world over as the greatest
singer OF her race. enjoys the further dis
tinction of being the stellar feature with
Black PATHS Troubadours," said to be the
grandest company Of its kind ever organ
lied, and which Is to be next weeks attrac-
ton at the Grand Opera House. There are
hfty people in the company which includes
at least a score of speciality performers,
who are leaders in their respective lines
Notable among these are Mr. and Mrs. Hen
Wise, the prince and princess of comedy.