davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

ent vein of feeling the characters are all
differentiated, and each Is of consistent.
Identity to the very last af the opera. To
comply with the Able Prevost's tale, the
comedy in "Manon" must needs occur en-
tirely in the first and second acts. In the
last act there is no action, no character
sidel ghts TO relieve the strain on the COM
poser and his audience as there are
in "Boheme," where even humor finds
place in the patnos of the finale.
Fuccini must carry the last act
of "Manon" by sheer music; must
make his drama and his climax
out Of the two almost inactive figures of
Manon and her lover. by the suggestive
power OF his m music. There are but two
ways of scoring a scene of this sort. One
is to dress it in the old Italian fustian,
the other is to treat it Wagnerianly.
Puccini naturally prefers the latter way /;
and be overdoes it. He gives to the scene
pathos and passion. and unduiating
meiody in abundance; but he seems to
lose his sense OF values; he overposes;
the music writhes and sweeps and burns,
put misses the true elements of dignity
and sincerity.
~
1t is the second and third acts of
"Manon Lescaut" that are the most
spontaneous and telling. The first act is
inclined to be dull from any point of view,
the second is model in proportion and
cumulative power; the third in its less
strenuous scenes reflects the characters
and the variety OF moods with the same
easy authority shat marks ''Boheme."
The little IN madrigal is very ingen uous and
entertaining, and l am sure that it is by
no means as prosy bit as the five young
women of the Italian company's chorus
would make it out 10 be. The minuet is
wonderful. Bar Padere wski's minuet and
[ know Of no modern music that so dex-
terously captures the grace and perfume
of this old form. The melodic enterprise
of the minuet is almost Mozartian, and
every measure of it Is made to serve in
bringing out the picturesque comedy
spirit of the scene. The crimson love
scene for Manon and Des Grieux which
follows predicts to some extent the ex
cesses of the last act, but it gives
way to the most genuinely excit-
ing episode of the opera-the trio
wherein the comfort-loving Manon, her
affabie rascal OF brother and .oor dream
ing Des Gr!eux are contras ed brill
liantIy as are Mimi, Musette, Marcel and
Rodolph in the famous "Boheme" quar-.
tet. However, there are not many mo-
ments OF "Manon" that may be praised TO
that extent. Week after next the Italian
singers commence Il supplementary sea-
son at the Bald win, which will be largely
&c
sibe that the scores o. his latest, La
Tosca,' will arrive from Italy in time to
give US the first American production OF
the work 1t is also possible that the
rivalry between "Manon" and "Boheme"
may be buried in the triumph OF La
Tosca." ASHTON STEVENS.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
Orpheun.
follow.

Much is promised for the new attrac-
tions at the Orpheum. The feature of the
new bill is the Vesuviana operate quartet.
who make their American debut tonight
This quartet was secured by Mr.. Walter
during his recent European travels, and
comes direct from the San Carlos Theater,
Naples. 1t is said that the singers are
famed throughout the Continent. The
comedy feature OF the bill will be o. K.
Sato, comic iuggler, who is said to be
strictly novel Fordyce. the ventriloquist
will affect new line Of work for the new
week, in which he manipulates seven or
eight musical figures.
Stanley & Jackson appear in a musical
skit written specially Tor them and en-
titled After the Ball." ana new views
have been secured for the Biograph,
among which is reversed picture OF the
PILLOW FL that has attracted so
much attention during the past two
weeks. 1.-THE Haverstraw Tunnel" "The
Horseless Fire Engine" ana "The Allan.
tic City Fire Department" have taken so
we'll that they Will be continued. Servais
LIE Roy has established high reputation
as an illusionist and mag gician, and he
promises some new mysteries. The clever
ponies will end their engagement with
this week.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
BY ASHTON STEVENS.

brother and her favorite, the Duke d An
iou, on the throne. She endeavors TO use
De Froisac in this conspiracy, offering
MIN as an inducement the secret OF
Gaorelle's parentace, and on his
refusal summons the guard 10 seize
him. Gabrielle, whom the guard dare
not touch, assists De Froisac to
fi.ht his way out of the tower,
and he escapes, bearing with him
the papers which explain away the mys-
terry surrounding his sweethe carts birth.
He Immediately seeks the King, assists
him in defeating the intrigues of the
Queen mother, and is restored to court
with every mark OF royal favcr, and as
matter of course Is safely married 10 Ga
briel e du Bois.
The play is pledged 10 thrill. Managers
Wagon halls and Kempe are said to have
taken picturesque advantage OF the six
teenth century in the matters Of mise-en-
scene AID costume.
The company supportin' Mr.. James
includes Barry Johnstone, Norman Hack
EFT, Frank Peters, w. A. Lincoln, Collin
Kemper, Miss Emerson, Miss Aphie h en-
bricks, Mrs. Wells and Miss Fannie
Gillette, who was last seen here at the
Baldwin, two years ago, in the capacity OF
leading woman for Frederick Warde.
During the second week of his engage
ment at the Colum bia Mr.. James will pre-
sent the following Of his repertory:
"OthelIo" for Monday; for Tuesday
Thursday, Saturday and Sunday evening,
"Spartacus" for Wednesday anu Satur-
day evenings, julius Cesar" and for
Friday "a Cavalier OF France"
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
NGERTRUDE ZELUA
IL At THE
L BALDWIN

reckoned the least inte Ii gent creature IL
the world"
1t is only natural that all ri,icism mu
be biased more o. less by the critics dis
likes and predictions, but it seems
pity that in the capitals of the world Italy
IS not given more sympathetic hearing.
The mighty Richard seems not only 20
have covered his own century tu1 the
next as well. There is no hope of another
Wagner-why not amia blv cons der the
little Puccinis of his lie who are re-
forming the DIR; m1tic music of their
land? ? Wagner coud afford TO wait
and be misunderstood; 1t is not ex-
pected of man that he lift the
world by the ears and set it down a hun
dred years from where be took it up With
out meeting with some opposition from
those conservative, slow-freight mentaIi-
ties that are al once the bane and watch
dog of art-all that was part of Wagner's
triumph. But Puccini is not so import
ant. He is dspu,ing no conventions that
have not already been rsZed; he is merely
VIII ing sane Italian opera; writing it in
the idlon that is demanded by modeTn
musicians. So why not encourage him a.?
y rest of the world, fall in line and
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

THERE IS REALLY NO REASON
NOW WHY "TTALIAN OPERA" SHOULD BE A
TERM OF REPROACH :

will court the tiftieth performance. The
Geisha" is the prettiest musical comedy
that has happened in years, and many
persons who have contracted the habit OF
looking in on ii once q week at least
since its production at the TIvoli
will regret the END that comes to this, as
some time or other it must come to all
good things. On Wednesday night the
m EN- bers of the All-America and Balt-
more ball teams will attend The Geisha"
in body.
A week from Monday night will COM
mence a short season of PlanqUette's re-
mantle com ic opera OF rip Van Winkle,"
in which Edwin Stevens will assume the
name part. Then follows the big Christ
mas. spectacle THE Tales of Mother
Goose" written by MIR. Stevens and set 10
music composed and selected by Max
HirscnfeId
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
Baldwin.

The irresponsible playgoer who is look
ing for a light, noisy, spectacular time
will find it "In Gay New York" at the
Baldwin for another week. Absolutely
nothing remains to be said of this show
that has not been said before in the
columns OF The CALL. Il is the same o
show. Eddie F0y is with it, the Hebrew
cakewaIkers, the Marmaiade sisters. the
spieIers, the bunko-steerers, the old
clothes men and tue short clothes girls
are still in 1t.
1t is now a certainty that the Italian
Opera Company Will play a two weeks
supplementary season at the Baldwin,
following the run of I'm Gay New York"
A subsequent attraction will be Stuart
Robson and his company. Mr.. Robson
Will play The Henrie tia, Comedy of
Errors" and other plays in which he has
won peculiar fame.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

English prose of his; Peter Robertson
opined likewise; even my learned col
league, musical doctor Stewart-with
whom 1 often have been SO fortunate
as to agree-gave "Boheme" the second
place; and when l suggested 10
Donald de V. Graham that "Manon"
had not the graces of "Boheme" there
came bodeful look in mis- eye that foretold
the message from the Argonaut, which Is
not yet issued at the time write. Signor
Luchesi, the meteoric critic OF the
Wasp, is the only one of the craft who
stands with me. He extended warm
hand on Tuesday night and assured me
was all light. At present Luchesi and
are the powerful minority, but we expect
to have history with US.
~
1t is not that l love "Manon" less but
that love "Boheme" more. In "Manon"
l am denied the delicate, distinguished
spell that is cast by "Boheme," the sub
tie Influences OF suggestion that so beauti-
fully illustrate the humor. tenderness and
spring OF Murgers story. In "Manon"
there is a splurge of color that is often too
dlffuse, many of the melodies are TOO ripe
for epcurean ears. Take those that are
woven in the intermezzo, particularly the
love themes OF the second and last
acts-they are more than luscious, they
are juicy; they slobber all over the senses;
like over-Sweet wine, they cloy while
they intoxicate. And that is the sort OF
music that dies of indiscriminate popu-
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
Columbia.

The Columbia should have a big audi
encs tomorrow night on the occasion OF
Louis James opening in "a Cavalier OF
France" The play Is a new one, OF the
romantic order, from the pen of EspY
Williams, New Orleans newspaper man.
The story is strung on a series OF intrigues
and conspiracie during the reign of the
Medicis in France, and lis hero is Rene ce
Froi sac gentleman and courl e..
d. Froisac's grace OF person and his
deeds OF valor excite the love of Margaret,
wife OF Henry of Navarro, and with the
assistance f De Froisacs valet she sue
ceeds in having him dismissed from court
on the charge OF stealing her royal garter,
and immediately afterward offers to have
hlm restored 10 the kin.'s favor on con-
dili N that he will accept her royal love.
sBut he Is in love with Gabrielle du Bols,
a maid of honor, whose gentle birth is Il
matter of mystery and who Is the lnno-
cent object of the Kings passion. De
Froisac declines the favors of Margaret of
Navarro, and the offended Queen attempts
TO poison him, but her aIhiab,e plan is
baked by the warning which he receives
through a magic ring given him by Ga
brielle This token serves him also to
save the King, who is about to lake little
of the same, and in deep gratitude his
Mai sly once NOR extends to de Froisac
the freed ON of the palace. But the cheva.
lier haughtily refuses TO come home to
court until he is exonerated of the charge
OF garter-napping.
Gabrielle, who has repulsed the ad
vances of the King, is confined against
her will III the tower OF the Louvre, where
the guards are commanded to protect her
person from injury. De Froisac attemp pts
to rescue her, and Stun bles into The
midst of plot to overthrow the King.
The Queen mother desires the abdication
of Henry. which would place his younger
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

larty. The ''Manon" intermezzo has
grown too popular for me already. 1t is
less directly melodic than the iniermezzo
of Mascagni, and there is more variety
in the orchestration, but will venture
that it would never survive the vogue that
has attended the chestnut OF the "Cavai-
leria." Moreover, "Manon," while it
deals with story that IS more compact
and operaticaIly practicable than that OF
"Boheme," is by no means the stronger
opera in the symphonic sense. The unity
of "Boheme" is the more pronounced;
and in spite OF each act calling tor differ
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
California.

The closing OF the Italian opera season
at the California Theater will be cele-
brated tonight by a miscellaneous oper-
atic and orchestral concert. The pro-
gramme includes symphonies from
Verdis II Vespri Siciliani" THE Barber
OF Seville" and Fra D avola." Monta-
mari will sing a romance from 'Amico
Fritz" an opera of Mascagni's that never
has been given here. Agostini wIlt sing
the romance of AIDA" and 'Pagliacdp
will be given with Viccini, Collenz, Cil hui
and Frances conf in the principal parts. \
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
Morosco's.

The play at the Grand Opera-house this
week will be Southern nelodrama, writ
ten by William Haworth. the author OF
''The Ensign" La the part of Grant
Sherwood, Pascoe will again impersonate
a brave and intrepid detective, who IN
various deep dlsguises wanders through
the mountains of the "m oonshlne" dis
trict bent upon the disruption OF organ
lied crime. He meets his friend, PhEhp
Barstow, young blood who is speAS
the season hunting at b is shooting boz.
This young man has sister who passes
through deal of trouble, all owing 40 ier
love for leader of the infamous Ku-Klux.
He finally comes to a spectacular demise in
the Crescent gam bling palace, and every 4
body is made happy in the real Morosco'
style. Special stress is placed upon the
scenery this week, besides which there
will be band of live pic@aninnies, who
sing. dance and play the banjo.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
Alcazar.

Occasionally to this cherries desk comes
some wild, glad word from the passionate
press agent, before which the blue pencil
crumb bes and the blue editor turns green.
Here is one, word for word, from the Al
cazar, in pired by the success of Mrs. Pa
checo's "lncog":
"a week of well defined humor, seven
days of laughter proves too short a time
for the capable players of the AIcazar COM
pany to satisfy its natrons with their
finished rendation Of Mrs. Pacheco's idea
Of mixing up household of lovers into Il
sumptuous stew "FittIng for the Gods"
She has named her receipt '1ncog" and
such will be the bill of fare at the Alcazar
for another week. "Incoe" furnishes
in its plo. substance enough for
dozen plays, its range for action is
unli imited its comedy veins dart out from
every line, and with an exceptionally
clever company large houses are contln-
ualiy provoked to laughter from the open
ing scene to the ringing down of the cur
tain on the last act. T principal action
of the piece rests upon Wright Hunting
tan, Wallace Shaw. Chas Bates Gertrude
Foster, Florida Kingsley and Mrs. F. NJ.
Bates. Tne first mentioned ii Is in
an exceptionally clever manner the role
of Tom Stanhope, scneming, head
strong son of an erratic and dyspeptic
exgeneral well acted by Mr.. Shaw. The
efforts of Chas. Bates as the doctor of he
sanitarium would indicate that he was no
novice as q life Testorer Of the women,
Mrs. Bates is seen a her best as the weep
ing wife OF Dick. Winters. detaine ed sub
iect of mental ab Derration at the SANTA
rum In fact she is the principal in work
ing up the elm ak at the close of the first
and second acts which calls forth a storm
of applause FROM the audience. The ef-
forts OF Florida klc gsley is both difficult
and clever Gertrude as Kate Armitage
does we'll and although cast 10 few lines
they are made the most of by Miss Julia
Crosby"
The Nominee" is in preparation to
follow.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
Dramatic BreVities.

Joseph Jefferson recently made address
before the tudents of Yale. At the close OF
the address student inquired the possibility
OF main tanning a theater in the United States
mod eled after the Comedie Francaise - in
short, a playhouse subsidized by the Govern
ment ga subsIdized play house." Mr.. Jt fer
son said, lis imposs bic in this country.
Where could such a theater be located? In
New York. No. Boston would not have that.
In Boston? No. Chicago would object. In
Chicago? No. San Francisco would want it.
In Washington? No. There would be too
much poIitics there. If any city did get it
there would have to be Democra tie agedian
and a Republican tragedian. No; we never
can have such theater The republic
changed everything in France except the
theater and the opera Tney remained; for
art must always be consistent"
Miss Cisneros has been "scooped" very SsssS
Mr.. Powers First Born" was ''seoopH'
New York manager has presented a m5lo.
drama called "Evangelina Cisneros" Z of
course the heroine Is spur Ous-the real
Evangeiina being engaged exclusively for per
formances in the Journal aud the Examiner.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
SutroS.

An entertaining bill of speciaities will
be presented at Sutro Baths tomorrow
afternoon. Lepento will perform ladder
act for the first time. Carlisle and Wit
son, bu-lesque comedians; jules Zslette,
European eQuilibcisl; Pierpont and Clay
ton, triple horizontal-bar experts, and.
Ohio and Nieber grotesque comedy acres
bats, are on the list
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
The Oberon.

Commencing tomorrow night the
Metropolitan Quartet, said TO he a clever
combination OF male voices, will appear
ct the Oberon in conjunction with Stark's s
Orchestra.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28
The TiVoli.

After the longest and most brilliant run
scored by an opera production in San
Francisco during the last ten years
the Tivoli's ''Geisha" will come to
close next Sunday night, which
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

The local musical teapot is tempes tuous
ever the question of which of Puccini's s
operas is the better, ala Boheme" or
"Manon Lescaut." l awakened Tuesday
to find that The CALL did not speak for all.
Herr Boswortn settled the supremacy of
"Manon" in one line of that i'm perious
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

For all its bad management, bad sing
ing ana reckless repertory, some good
came out OF the Italian company season
at the California Theater. 1t gave rs an
object lesson in the music of Italy. We
saw the impotence of the old school ex-
posed IN side by side comparison with the
musical and dramatic virility OF the new.
There seems 10 be no reason now why
Italian opera" should be term
OF reproacn. The gentlemen who set
the pace IN European music criticism are
prone to regard all that comes out of
Italy IS merry jest, but with another
Puccini or two in the field there should be
hope of even their esteem. And the be-
lated people who.once heard the voices of
the world lavished on the ola Italian
operas and therefore held them tradition
ally deaT-why. they are forced to adopt
a new set of illusions. And there Is
no happier nor gentler means OF kill
ing a bad illusion than by re-
placing 1t with a better one. Our
posteriiy may observe with mirth the silly
points Of "BOheme'' and "Manon Les
caut" that are now hidden from US. In
London, where posterity already OBJ
tains among music critics, "Boheme" was
monocted and patronized to the last de-
gree. Its color was voted rotous and
vulgar, its melody deplored for running
to- the banal ballau form. The average
London critic OF music has fed so corpu-
lently on Bayreuth and the Bach choir
that the sounds of the minor melCdisis
scarcely reach his uplifted ears l was
surprised the other day to fad Mr. Run
clman-the man who discovered Beetho-
ven TO the world as a coarse peasant and
Brahms as dull per- on whose heaviness
was mistaken by other dull persons for
esoterlc genius saying in the Saturday
Review that Don Giovanni was the
best opera ever written. | should
like TO have read Runciman
criticism of Puccini's 'Boheme,"
for-and say it in al! modesty-there are
moments Of MELODY in the "Boheme'
that i'm press one as being quite Mozartian
IN spirit and fragrance, TO say nothing of
the minuet scene in "Manon." " which is
obviously after the mode OF Mozart But
MI. Runclnan silently ignored the Car
Rosa Company's production of "Boheme"
at Covent Garden. The last mention of
Italy that l read of his said: The
Italian tenor or barry tone is usually
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-28

listen to the good music of this Pucciui? :?
For there are few men living who write
even acceptable opera. and there is no
o her Italian who so sweetly weds the
flower and essence of Latin song with the
dramaisms of real opera.
The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-03
INSPECTORS ONLY Tin ID.
chief Justice Lore Fines Them all 500
aud OYts,

As stated in yesterdays REPUBLICAN,,
Edward Brant, James Y. EARLY, Edward
Clark, NJ. r. Conway. 7. II Martin aud
James DrGin. election inspectors indicted
for having altered or allowed tho certill.
Gates in their hands ut the last general
election, to be altered. wore fined SlU(
and costs in the General Sessions COuit
yesterday afternoon.
The Brant case was the first ono con.
sidcred and after ho was sentenced Josiah
Marvil pleaded guilty for his remaining
clients. Two, Albert AbbGgnr and Hugh
Wallace were not in court aud when they
do they will receive II like sentence.
Tho light sentence was no surprise to
the community. The REpUBLlCAN had
mado known that no imprisonment would
be given the men, and consequently thcrt
was much condemnation at the action Of
the mon and the trivial consideration the
court gave their cases. In speaking to
Brandt, Chief Justice Lore said that hurc-
tofOrc the offense to which tho mon plead
ed guilty hAd not boon regarded rs G rim.
innl. The court did, however regard II rs
criminal. He added that the court did not
feel that II ought to impose heavy SEN
tcncG and would not do so at this time,
but If mon ever Cnmn before the court for
the same otrenSe they would get tho full
penalty Of the law. The court said it had
understood that Brandt and the Other
men had born previous good characters
Then the fines were imposed
The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-03

WASHINGTON, March 2.-The President
sent for Senator Gray to-day and again
rendered him the appointment of district
Judge for Delaware and the Senator again
declined to accept. The President has
reached the conclusion that since the COM
mittee on judiciary failed on Monday to
report Judge Wolcott's nomination thcro
is no possibility of securing his conflrma.
ton. He Is, therefore, more than ever
convinced that the only chance of securing
n Democratic judge from Delaware lies in
Senator Gray's acceptance. The Senator
did not sec his way clear to accept the
place. and so informed the President.
The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-03

Bombay, March 3.-The official re-
port shows that the number Of deaths
from natural causes in Bombay for the
week ending Feb. 26 Is 1,525, and the
number of deaths from the plague re-
ported in the district is 1880 The reduc-
ton in the total number of deaths is a
satisfactory sign, but some of those
who left Bombay out of fear of the
plague are now returning here from
other infected places which had be-
other infected places which had be-
most drastic measures will be enforced
by the military and other authorities.
The plague tends to spread in the
Thana and Surat districts and II is still
severe in the Coorla and Bandora dis
trirtS