The herald., 1897-07-04


ter Of Methodist minister, and Of the
sturdy Scotch stock indicated by her
family name, is lady of fine presence
and with much more than the average
endowment of business tact and shrewd-
ness Even on casual meeting she
conveys the impression Of ability; and
the facility with which she can discourse
upon and describe the great capitals and
other parts of the world in which she has
travelled, the people she has met and the
incidents. both humorous and pathetic,
of her career, show powers of quick OBJ
servation, retentive memory and fine
descriptive spirit.
No one would readily imagine that the
voluble, self-possessed and evidently
well educated lady was not only men,
ber of the dramatic profession but also
manager of an operate company Of con-
siderable size, travelling the country and
giving excellent performances.
Nor would one guess that the lady
herself is an operatdc star of no mean
ability, unless some quick observer
might infer from the rich, we'll modulat-
ed tones of her speaking voice that she
IS also singer whose tones might charm
an audience.
As matter Of fact, the woman thus
described, who may perhaps be seen
standing in the lobby of the theater.
chatting with her agent, lingering her
lorgnette and clad in a tailor-made suit,
the exquisite fit of which reveals the
lines of an unusually fine figure. is the
propriefress Of the Columbia Opera
company, the organization which has
afforded so much pleasure to the patrons
of the Los Angeles theater during the
past week
Miss MacNeill's itinerary since the
setting out Of the company from Chi
cago, where it was organized, may give
some idea of the courage Of her under
taking. From Chicago the company was
taken straight to Winnipeg, Manitoba,
where good business was done during
a season of eight weeks. 1t then came to
this coast. via Spokane and Seattle. re-
turning to the mining district of Ross
land. Nelson, across the Canadian Pa
cific to Victoria and Vancouver, B. c.,
and then down the coast to Portland. Or,
thence into California. The woman who
could pilot good sized company over
such route amid all the annoyances,
delays and vexa tions Of travel, and then
Iunf, Ixy,s ooJv
lected in Los Angeles must have talent
and nerve that single her out for more
than ordinary admiration.
Miss MacNeill was induced to come
here on the representation that this
would be an excellent opportunity for
season of several weeks Of comic opera
at cheap prices. OF course, no such en-
terprise ever has succeeded here in the
past. but there was reason, perhaps,
to expect different outcome for this
attempt. Now. the lady manager has
come, she has seen, but she has not
exactly conquered, as yet. She thinks
1t strange that people should leave this
lovely climate to go east in the summer,
and she says that Los Angeles ought to
be able to sustain a light opera company
when st. Louis can support two COM
panies while the thermometer is always
around 95. In Philadelphia and Wash
ington summer opera is an established
Institution. Whether it will eucceed
here remains to be seen. Certainly if
our theater-goers were thoroughly alive
to the merits of the entertainment fur
nished at SO moderate cost there
should be no doubt of the result.
Miss MacNeill is the possessor of an
excellent contralto voice of considera-
BILE range and power which has been
well cultivated. She was pupil of La
Grange in Paris. and, while this is her
first visit to the west, she has sung con-
tralto roles in the companies of Madame
Tavary andiof Emma Juch. The COM
paratively few opportunities afforded
in grand opera induced her to make her
present departure, and the company has
long list of comic operas which they
sing very acceptably.
Miss Balch, the soprano was with the
Bostonians No. company and sang the
roles taken by Juliette Corden in the
first company. Harry Davies, the ex-
cellent tenor, is Welshman and comes
from the same valley in the principal
ity that Ben Davies, the. more celebrated
tenor, halls from. Mr.. Charles E. Hunt
ington, the bass, is a cousin of Agnes
Huntington Of Paul Jones fame, and he
IS also former member of the Bosto-
mans. The chorus is we'll trained and
w. A. Reynolds, the musical director.
is man of whom nothing but praise is
spoken for the work done in his respon-
sible position.
For the current week three comic oper-
as have been provided, announcements
of which appear in another column, and
1t may be hoped that the public patror-
age will be sufficient 10 induce the fur
ther prolongation of the engagement.
4 4
From The Bells to King Arthur .
u the title under which Clement Scott,s
collected criticisms of Henry Irving's
Lyceum productions have just appeared.
The period covered is from 1871 to 1895
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