The times., 1897-04-09
"Falka" at the Lafayette.

Yesterday afternoon Washington had an
opportunity to sample the summer opera
that it is to receive for its portion this
year. The audience which attended the
special matinee performance OF the Castle
Garden Opera Company was a large and
brilliant one. Every seat in the Lafayette
Square Theater was filled. If the audience
was a pleased with the company as the
company was with the audience it has
very pleasant idea OF what its summer
amusement is to be.
''Falka' was the opera presented and
the company did justice to it. Miss
Mason and Miss Macnichol took the parts
Of Falka and Hedwige, Mr. William Wolff
that OF FolbaCh. the character created by
Francis Wilson in the Mccall Opera Com
pany several years ago; Mr.. oscar Gerard
that of Tancred, Mr.. Persse that of Arthur.
II. G.. Stewart is the baritone of the COM
pany, Mr.. Persse the tenor, Mr.. Gerard
Mr. Stewart. MI Wolff and Mr.. Arthur
WOlley are the comedians. The others
in the company are Miss Anna LIGHTER,
Miss Bessie Fairbairn, Miss Gertrude Quin-
Ian, Mr.. Maurice Able, Mr.. Frank Ramey,
Miss Gertrude Rutledge, Mr.. F. Mcknight,
Mr.. A. E. Arnold, Mr. II. A dams. and Mr.
c. Steubei. Miss MaoHichol is in fine
voice and was received with an ovation
when she first appeared. Mr. Wolff is u
very funny man, and a good successor to
Wilson in the part of Folbach. Edith
Mason has clear, fine soprano voice. In
fact, the whole company, as it is now CON
stituted, is an excellent one
There can be no question of the success
ofthe Castle Square Opera Company here, If
all of this fine company is retained.
The management is intending to try 3
rather new plan with regard to subsCrip-
tions for this season. 1t has been q NEST
successful one in Philadelphia, and should
meet with the approval Of operagoers he re
quite as much, especially as it is novel for
longtime engagement. The Philadel-
phia people secure seats for certain nights
during the entire season, which they oc
cupy regularly 1t is very pleasant thing
to go to a performance on Monday night,
say, aud find your seat vacant for you
The company intends to give new
opera every week during its stay in Wash
ington.
The Castle Square Company came over
to Washington yesterday and produced its
morning the whole company and the or
chestra and its friends, numbering some
125 people, were in Philadelphia. They
took a special train at 8 20, brought with
them scenery, properties and costumes
for s'Falka'' that they have been using In
Philadelphia during the week, and ar
rived in Washington at II 10, tive hours
and fifty minutes out of Philadelphia.
They had dinner at the Riggs House.
hurried to the Lafayette Square, douned
their costumes, put up their scenery, got
the opera scores ready, and the curtain
went up at 2:35 on as full and complete a
performance as has been given in Philadel
phia. They took the special train here at
q: 20, reached the other end in three hours,
and last night produced the play again In
Philadelphia. We have had flying trips by
several people to take part in benefit per-
formances before, but never a great com
pany of this size, with scenery, costumes
and everything complete.
The Castle Square Opera Company has
been running in Philadelphia for forty-six
weeks and has received the kndest atten-
tion from the Philadelphia public and press.
1t will open on Easter Monday, April 10,
for twelve weeks run at the Lafayette
Square