Birmingham state herald., 1896-11-08

are driving down to that old-time theatre in Fourteenth street. The trend Of things is up town but swelldom has managed to get itself down to comment on the new stars that are appearing in grand opera. There arc many southerners who will recall brilliant evenings of this old the atre when the season of grand opera was at its height. Of recent years melodrama has been the form of amusement that has been offered at this playhouse, but this season 1t has been opened for series of Italian operas. Verds Aida was the initial performance, with Mime. Bona plata-Ban in the title role. She is of great renown in Italy, but this is her first appearance on an American stage, and indeed the entire cast with the exception of Signor de Anna are strangers to this country The company includes Mime. Hariclee d-Arclee, who is a protegee of the Queen of Roumania, Josephina Hu- guet d'Arnold, Julie de Gre, Farsi, Durat, Pinto. The repertoire for the past week embraced Tranata, Tranatone and repetition of Aida. It is said that Gior- dano's new opera, Andrea Chenier, which was first presented al La. Scala. in Milan, in the late spring, is to be produced by this Imperial company of singers and 1t is probable that the young$composer will come over to superintend the production The season of opera at the Metropolitan Opera House will open with Faust" Melba has already arrived in New York and Flames is on her way to America The marriage of the operatic tenor Jean De Resyke to the Comtesse de Mailly came in the nature of surprise, as it was presumed the wedding would not oc- cur until De Reszke had fulfilled his en- agreements with the Abbey and Grand Opera company. The De Reszkes sailed a week ago for America.
 I had dear little chat with handsome Rhea, the past week. She is the adorable creature to be sure. AS she stood amidst the shifting of scenery and the confusion that goes on behind the scenes, she was quite as gracious and as fascinating as she appeared in the minuet at the gull leries. She really looked younger than she did on the stage. Her accent lends peculiar charm to her conversation while on the stage it is sometimes so pro- nounced that it is with the greatest diffi- culty that the audience follows her lines, but her tones are musical and her na- tlonality only adds piquancy to her charming personality.
 We are so glad to welcome you again to Birming gham,," I told her.
 She smiled radiantly
 "l am very, very proud of Birming- ham," she said. q am always happy to appear in this city. I am acquainted with several clever people here" She spoke of personalities, of mannerisms, of what the public liked and of what it did not like.
 You are appearing in a new role this season. l ventured.
 'Yes, this is my first appearance as Mary stuart. It is my favorite charac- ter. Oh, l love Mary Stuart The char acter has always appealed to me I love Josephine, too, of course. I have played this part so many times that l almost forget my lines and wish to speak from my heart rather than from memory. I forget that am Rhea. only remember that l am Josephine, the Empress of France.
 At this point she grew so tragic that I wanted to applaud.
 Tt is no wonder that you carry your audience with you through every move- ment of the unhappy life of Josephine"
 An, that is what an artist should aim for, she said And yet I sometimes think that it is not best to play too deep ly upon the emotions, by dwelling upon the pathetic side, for the public loves to laugh. It never tires of comedy It will go to see the tragic and pathetic roles. but 1t is comedy, comedy that they want" From the dramatic world we drifted into the political
 "I am so glad that Mckinley is elected Otherwise I think the country would have been ruined," she said, with lit tie shrug of her shoulders She looked at me inquiringly.
 Madame" I said, Madame, I am g democrat" I had been saying "one' t. everything else she proposed She hat her own convictions, and as for that mat ter I had several. She talked glibly or American politics, and I thought how very absurd it was for her to worry he1 pretty head with political issues. Mary Anderson Navarro is at present occupying the house of Lady Tennyson's sister at Wimbledon. She is to make her permanent home at a magnificent es. tate at Broadway, Warwickshire.
 It is said that Ellen Terry was Dr Maurier's ideal of Trilby. She is describ ed as being of the same height as Terry who was Du Maurier's type of woman Duse is to appear very soon in Italy and afterwards in Russia, where she vii present Le Temaille and two new Italian dramas.
 Mrs. Porter and MT. Bellew are contin uing their triumphs in Australia. The Australian field seems to be a rich one MT. Nat Goodwin has been a drawing card at the Lyceum in Sidney.
 Miss Ethel Barrymore is understudy. ing Miss Maud Adams in the part o Dorothy" in Rosemary" and it is prob able that she will be entrusted with thi. role when Miss Adams retires from he Drew's company.
 Miss Sibyl Sanderson is singing operf in French in Milan. She is under tn, management of the celebrated Italian impresario, Sanzogno.
 Mrs. Langtry will soon commence { tour of England
 MT. Downing has cancelled all of his engagements until after the holidays, ant has opened in the National theater build ing in Washington school of dramatic art and oratory.
 MT. Lackaye has begun his southern tour.
 Miss Davenport will open her Bostor engagement with a revival of Fedora. Her tour will extend to the Pacific coast She says that she will not again play 1T Q Sardon repertoire. but after the hol days will produce a new play from thu pen of an American author.
 MT. Louis James new play, My Lort and Some Ladies'" is something of a his torical comedy. It was adapted iron the French by young journalist of SaI