Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-26
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
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| The greatest romance of life. is the ro-
! nance of artistic success. 1t is the ro-
| nance of personal achievement ratified by
| popular approval. 1t is the romance that
| lives after. 1t is the great romance about
which many lesser ones circle, like will-o'-
| the-wisps, with their ephemeral light. In
| the career of nearly every great artist the
| respectful adulation of the public is sup
| plemented by the aggressive alteration of
| the individual. The individual represents
all degrees of life. Crowns. titles and bank
| accounts and the humble tributes of the
unfortunate are laid at the same feet. Dis
cussions of art are followed by gossip of
Bohemia; but the public is wont TO look
only upon the sunny side, for it likes the
glitter.
In the life of Yvette Guilbert there is the
| one great romance, but it lacks the lesser
ones. The achievement of this woman is
emphasized by the obstacles she has over
come Hers was an unhappy childhood,
but out of the cruel candor of her parents
In a recent interview with the French
chanteuse it is gathered that her father
was wont to address her thus:
Thou art so ugly, my little one. God
knows thou hast a nose that is worse than
a crime to support. Thou hast a face that
VIII be but sorrow to thee, for no man
can love thee. Thou must study, thou must
be SO wise and SO intelligent that some
good persons may forgive thee for coming
lHlO tne WOrlu 10 De so ugly q woman. AM
thy mother is punished for all her sins to
have brought to me daughter with such Il
nose"
And from her mother, with many a kiss
and many a, tear:
Thou art indeed too ugly to look at. Thy
nose must have ruined thee. And yet, hadst
arms and legs so long and so bony, some.
thing might still be done with thee. God
hath, indeed. afflicted thy poor mother.
Thou must have talents or thou art lost
Those who saw Guilbert at the Auditor
ium last night can bear witness that the
nose. the arms and the legs are still with
her; SO are the marks of suffering that
made her sensible to her personal disad-
vantageS and the eXactions that enabled
her to compensate in other directions. But
there was also an evidence of an endow,
ment of intellectually, for no ordinary
mind could acquire such power to discrim-
mate, command, appeal and suffer. Had
she chosen the dramatic stage instead of
the music hall there would be a place for
Bernhardts mantle. Her singing is nothing
remarkable. save in quality and expression.
She has tones that are Irresistible; tones
that might convert a sonnet into a sonata
"a Chopin sonata. Her pantomime is not
less eloquent. Her facial expression can be
read even by the untutored. Her style is
distinctively French, and even in her IA
miliar English songs she makes her char
acters all French, as If shrinking from the
hoydenish representations of tough types
familiar to the American stage. In her
most abandoned moments there is this res
ervation of refinement
philosopher. She might have put her art
to better purpose than the music hall
stage and songs of the street, and there is
pang of regret that she did not look
higher; but she seems to have taken the
world as she has found it. In New York.
for example, where satiated public de-
mandS something sensational for its enter
tainment, she was described as eXasperat-
ingly suggestive. "On the road" however.
no quarrel can be had with her manner of
singing before the audiences of the best
theaterS
Among the other contributors to the pro-
gramme there are two worthy of mention
Mr.. Romili. the accompanist, and Mr..
Goff the baritone. who though personally
awkward has a good voice and sings we'll
Charitable consideration for the others
makes one withhold criticism, especially
as the concert is not to be repeated here
AUSTIN LATCHAW.
lghtful actresses in light comedy, who
will be remembered for her charming work
in "Gloriana" and oar Flat" will be seen
at the Auditorium this evening and to-
morrow afternoon and evening, in a new
comedy. entitled "A Divorce Cure" in
which she is said to have surpassed all her
former successes. The matinee will be Civ
en- at popular prices
The sale of seats for the Nordica concert
at the Gilliss next week was resumed with
renewed activity yesterday. Out town
orders are coming in every day and the To-
cal people are buying steadily. The concert
there are good seats left for those who
have not yet made their selections. In fact
there are no bad seats in so small u the
ater for great musical attraction.
James A. Hearne and his successful play
of American home life, Shore Acres" will
be the attraction at the Coates opera house
next week. This is Mr.. Hearne's fifth sea-
son in this play and he expects to continue
playing Nathaniel Berry the rest of his
life. The sale of seats will open at the box
office on Thursday morning.
James j. Corbett will appear at the
Grand opera house next week in "a Naval
Cadet" an interesting comedy drama that
tells of the trials of an ambitious naval
robbed of the plans before he has a chance
to get the same patented. His supporting
company this season includes Theodore
Brown, Hudson Liston. w. 7. Doyle Leo
more Bradley, Fanchon Campbell, Marion
Lester and Millie James. Il daughter of
that clever actor, Louis James.
Katie Emmett will be seen at the Ninth
Street next week in her greatest success
1.-The Waits of New York play that has
her managers. 1t is said to have been re-
vived this season with more elaboration
than ever before.
San Francisco. Jan. 25-Madame Mod
jeska, the noted actress, made her appear
ance in ''Madga' at the Baldwin theater
tonight. after Il retirement of nearly two
years. About year and a half ago Mad
anne Modjeska was stricken with paraIy-
sis and il was thought her acting days
were over She has not entirely recovered
however, and has been engaged for sea-
son of four weeks by Al Hayman & Co.
hT TIE nITy uhII