Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-09
T EAT RICAL GOSSIP

ter has held the largest audiences this
week. The only rival to the Castle Square
Opera Company was Robert Mantell, ard
lis new play did not serve to lessen the
number Of people who went to see the
splendid performance of I'll Trovatore /"
Next week there will be a strong oppo-
sitton in the three-star combination con-
sisting of Lillian Russell, Della Fox and
Jefferson De Angelus. They will also pre-
sent an opera called THE Wedding Day"
a work composed especially for the exploit
tation Of two comic opera singers and a
comedian, but said to be pleasing as to the
music and witty as to the book. Next
weeks offerings also include Primrose and
Vests Minstrels, the extravaganza Of DO
Peep" 1.-THE Sidewalks Of New York. and
the Rentz-Santley Burlesque Company.
Speaking of the work Of the Castle Square
Opera Company, a weli-known musician
said: ut Is a work Of education to the
masses The man or woman of ordinary
means cannot afford to attend grand opera
produced by Damrosch or as it was by
Henry Abbey. The price Of admission was
beyond their reach. No matter how much
love of music they possessed. the cost of
seats was prohibitive of their gratifying
their desire to go. Now they can hear
% cents. So far this season we have
had as standard works Mariana and
II Trovatore,' and 'Cavalleria Rustica-
ma is promised for next week. These
operas have been mounted as no grand
opera company ever pretended to put
them on the stage The richest cos
tunes and the most elaborate scenic effects
have been given them. The choruses have
cast has not contained any great names.
such one Is compelled to pay IS scat
to hear. those who have taken the prin-
cipal parts have been men and women
hn how tad IN
session Of fair voices fairly well cultivated
and an earnest effort to do their best with
the roles assigned them.
There never has been grand opera COM
pany in this city in the last thirty years
where the principals have displayed such
uniform dramatic ability. I don't mean
to say that there is any one in the Castle
Square company who is likely to become
an Adelaide Phillips. an Annie Louise Cary,
a Brignoli. Nicolini. aeTamagno, Jean
De Reszke. an Amodio, iha CASTER.
Maurel, a Hermann. d. Formes, a Castle
mary or an Eduardp De- Reszke, but
every one who has been cast for a prin-
cipal part has been capable and conscien-
tious, and has given satisfaction. Besides
the operas have mentioned we have had
such lighter works as the E hines of Nor
mandy, OHvette and the Fencing Master,
all of them better sung and better acted
than have seen them many times when 1
paid $l.5O for seat. 4 tell you the pro-
jectors of the plan of giving good operas
by a good company at cheap prices are
philanthropists. That the people recognize
this is evident from the large audiences
that have attended the performances. While
other attractions have had but a handful
of people, full houses have been the rule at
the opera. 1 hope this company will be-
come a fixed institution here as it has in
Philadelphia. for 1t Is ~ splendid school
for young musicians and source Of pleas
ure to every lover Of music
Herndon Morsell, c. H. Jones and Joe
Sheehan were telling stories of their past
experiences the other day, when Jones told
the following on the late John McCaul:
They were playing THE Bellman," in one
scene OF which there was a representation
of an aurora borealis. The scene painter
had done his work all right, but the man
who worked the calcium light threw in a
green slide. which gave very peculiar
effect. The colonel. when there was
green tinge cast upon the supposed rays of
light, called out: Take it off; who ever
heard of an Irish borealis?" The green
slide was not used any more.
Another one was that one day at re-
hearsn when things didn't go exactly as
the colonel thought they ought to- He
wanted the chorus to express surprise and
in such a manner that there should be no
mistake about 1t. why don't You Urls
lcok astonished?' he said. And then, as
grlmly humorous Idea struck him, he add
ed: 4ou-over on the left-what would
you do II l should suddenly raise all your
equal to the emergency and she at once
replied: Fall dead" Go on with the re-
hearsal" said the colonel, and further in
structions were suspended.
Il had some curious experiences with the
colonel" said Morsell. but Re was a thor
oughiy Just man. with all his peculiarities
l remember the last week I PLAYED with
him in Chicago. My physician mad told
me that ! must stop singing and take a
rest or would permanently injure my
voice. and l had told INN I would 1uit
Saturday night We were singing Lorraine,
ana Perrugtni was singing the lead
ing tenor role, while 1 took the secondary
part The colonel came round back of the
stage thursday night and evidently he was
subjects he turned to me and said: DO vo,
think you are earning your salary? Here
pay you a flrst-class salary, and Won are
singing a second-class part That made
me hot and showed it in nv manner and
In what I said. told him that Inc had
put me In the second-class part and that
l thought l was earning my salary but
that II he didn't and would tell Inc how
much he thought I was being cyernaid 7
would give him check for the amount
at once.
He didn't say anything more, and It so
happened that same night Perrugini was
hoarse and wanted 1 should sing two solos
for him in this opera, / told him T had
had row with the old man and didn't
IKE to do 1t, but he said he would take
the responsibility, and / sang them.
mace big hit in both. getting two en-
ceres on the first and three on the second.
Next night Perrugfni was unable to sing
at all and I sang his part the remainder
OF the week The company was going to
Pittsburg the following week. and as Per
rugfni was unable to sing and as the same
opera was to be sung the FIRST three nights
l went to the colonel and, told him that
II 1t would be any accommodation to him
l would sing the first three nights. In his
grun manner he replied: af''If you will l
shall be Obliged" / sang the three nights,
and when the treasurer came round with
my envelope Wednesday night I found $20.
extra In it. The next day'I met the colo
mel to bid him goodbye, and thanked him
Tor the extra money. He simply said: You
needn't thank me. You earned it, 1 am
Obliged to YOU And go we parted"
Della Fox nowadays. While she was in q
town out west. not long ago, a man came
to the hotel where she was stopping and
showed her puppy whfchihe declared was
peculiar breed Of dog that wouldn't grow
much larger than good sized rat
Miss Fox was surprised, and when the
man said hte would let her have the DUP
for $50 lseeihg IT was her. to any one else
1t would be an even hundred), she paid
him the cash instanter. Then she went
md ,n,p oHt &C..