The Portland daily press., 1896-12-05
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
The Span of Life.

The Span of Life.
The "Span of Life, one of the nume-
rous melodramas that Sutton Vare
turns off by the dozen, and which onr
old friend William Calder has purchased.
was produced at Portland theatre last
night to moderate sized audience.
The story of the ''Spau of Life" is one
of the most impro BILE of the many i'm
probable ones always written for melo-
drama, but it introduces thrilling situa-
tions that at times arouse the enthus-
asm of the audience and at others excite
the yisibles. The gentlemanly william
poisons his little deformed brother with
grapes loaded with morphine; tries to
poison the assistant light-keeDer OF Coflln
Rocks lighthouse: tries to compass the
death of the hero in various ways, but
finally comes to grief with his fond moth
or, while the hero and his sweetheart
live happily together ever after. Part
of the scenes are laid in England and
part in Africa.
Mr.. George c. Staley was strong and
effective as Richard Blunt, the hero,
and got a round of applause for his re-
citaI of the dreams, while Mr.. Robert
Neil WAS d crafty, designing Dunstan
Leech with demoniac laugh. William
Eriend was a laughanle Nutty Brown
and was we'll supported by Clara Cole
man as Shrose Tuesday. Mr.. j. H. Fer
ris was an excellent Joshua Garnett, the
assistant leefer Of the light Little
Dnisy wasFery good as tie lame Broth
er cecil, Miss Sterling rleesed rs Kate
HeGthccte, and Miss Floreuce Foster
was good Mrs. jeff Tie CURTIN was
called at t. end of the second set.
The play will be repeated at the matt
nee and evening performance today.
Watson Sisters,
The programme offered at the Portland
theatre three nights te2inning Monday,
December 7tf, is said TO bo ore cf ex
eertional strength and interest. The
Watson Sisters and their company of
merry makers " i'll be the attraction. IN
eluded in its ranks are said to he many
Of the brightest lights of tie vaudeville
stage. Notable III the list are the Watson
Sisters. premier laGy gymnasts of the
worli, assisted ty tho only Juan De
lamora. MiSs May Watson displays a
gymnastic strength III teyeral of the
daring feats ~hich would reflect very
creai ibably ON sandow. Two Buriettas
will be giyen with handsome stare
mouutinas, ''The Birthday" and "Count
No A count host of pretty girls will
add life, vivaoity ard brilliant color to
all the stage spectacles.
The Haydn Concert.
Tickets sIouli be secured ut once at
Stock bridges for the first concert of the
season to he given by the Ha.dn Asso-
citation at Kotzsohmar hall Monday even
ing. The miscellaneous programme will
he found most attractive, ard the HWreak
of the Hesperus' o most melodious work
The Haydns are in finer form tkis year
than for many seasons, many fresh voices
having joined the association
Albani Concert.
The tickets are selling rapidly at tStock
bridges for the great AIbani concert.
Mime. Albani was the soprano in the
great company that had among it's lead
ing artiats Annie Louise Cary contralto,
Ravelli tenor and Galassi basso. Per-
haps that quarterte in "Higoletto' was
as fine as any that has graced the lyric
stage for the past quarter of injury.
Albapi's rendering in that opera Of the
famous ''Cara nome" was sufficient to
I'LL the great Academy of Music with
the best audiences New York could
gather together whenever the opera was
produced, while the great quartett, was
probably never sung more thrilliDgly
than by Albania Cary, Rnvalli, and
Galassi. Nine. Albani will be supported
by a company OF European repntatio n.
Sothern and Trilby Married.
E. Il. Sothern, the son of the great
comedian ESothern, the originator of
Lord Dundreary, and himself "a star of
magnitude since he appeared in "The
Prisoner of Zenda. and now touring
i'll "An Enemy to the King" led the
creator of the role of Trilby, Miss Vir-
ainia Harmed, in the dramatization of |
Du Maurier's novel TO the altar in Phila- |
delphia, Thursday. The wedding took |
place in ST. Marks P. E. church, and |
the only persons present were Mrs. Carl,
a sister of the bride, and Mr.. Sam Soth- |
ern, a brother of the groom. The we'd |
ding. as announced at the time that MIR. |
Sothern made public his engagement, |
was not to have taken place until next |
month. The courtship of the young pen- |
pie dates back more than year. Ru- |
nors were constantly started that they |
were engaged, but no statement was |
made by either until last October.
Crawford.