The times., 1897-06-06

Eyre" bF Eugenie Blair, who i 5 pla wing n
summer season there; Denver had A Mod
ern Match" Cleveland saw The Jilt''
and Montreal saw The Country Editor
The company organized by Frederick Bond
to play in Louisville has not yet tegun
their season, nor have they ever announced
an opening date.
Among all the principals of the Castle
Square opera Company, perhaps any one
Of them was better known IN Washington
before his arrival than the director OF
the entire enterprise and principal come
dian, william Wolff. SO far as ante
cedent local reputation, he might as well
have sprung out of the earth with the
flowery growth Of springiime. He has
made an excellent reputation with his
company, ana his own work has surprised
the audience, and now neatly every one
who sees the company asks: And who's
this William Wolff?''
HIS career is unique in the profession
He STANDS alone as the only man who has
pursued and accomplished what he has
In the dramatic field it is not exceptional
to find what is technically called the
stock actor man who can act two or
three parts in all of the acted Shakes
peare, in the standard repertoire, IA the
modern society plays, and the popular
comedies. There are plenty OF them.
But Mr.. Wolff is the only stock operate
comedian. He has a repertoire of char
acters reaching from the buffooneTy of the
Colonel in "Olivette" and the sailor in
Paul Jones'" all through the Gilbert
* Sullivan, Strauss, Spencer, Jacobow ski,
Plan9uette, and other light and romantic
operas, and embracing most of the grand
operas. These parts he can play on an
hours notice without rehearsal.
Yet he wanted to he a traged'aa.
Twenty years ago, when his Ambitions
began manfesting themselves and native
Syracuse began to cramp the ebulIient
young genius, he hitched his wagon 10
the star of Melpomene When mis- 5iog-
raphy is written it VIII recite how, at this
portion of his career, be memorized whole
pages in blank verse and acted them out
before everyone whom he could get 10
listen, veriiable Proteus in his CAPACITY
for playing tragic'cast OF twenty seven,
not to speak of soldiers citizens and b L
tending women" all by himself
In 1877 he joined the Holman Opera Com
pany, a repertoire organization which grad
uated William H. Crane, Signor Per,igini
andothers II was the fl irst step that count
ed and gave direction 10 his entire career
Never since has he assumed to be other than
an operatic repertoire comedian Engage
ments have been offered him to create ,5arts
In conspicuous productions with the 3lofn-
ise OF entire seasons in the same part. but
the alternative which presented work had
no teFTors for him. He knew his capacity
andlimitatiOns, and, like wise shoemaker,
he stuck TO his last When asked for some
other data in connection with his career
he spun off a chronological table like this
I'm 1879 / was at the Aquarium, 1T
Thirty fifth and Broadway, New York
city, and, though the engagement was
for but few weeks, we played new
piece every night After short season
III Boston the next year, l went to Chi
cago and joined the famous Church Choir
Opera Company, which has graduated so
many famous singers, among them Jessie
Bartlett Davis, Josephine Bartlett and
Joseph Herbert. l played The leading roles
in repertoire almost exclusively Of
Gilbert & Sullivan's works. After two
years with this company 1 joined the Hess
the standard and popular operas in every
corner OF the country. Eighteen hundred
and eighty-four called me to New Orleans
To join the Lizzie St Quinten Company,
playing ''Iolanthe'' and '.Chin.es OF Nor
mandy but before the season was over
was playing principal comedy for the
Fay Templeton Opera Company, exploit
ing long repertoire. In 1855 / changed
the bill every week at Grenier's Lyceum.
Chicago.
Tine next season i headed the Thomp-
son Opera Company at Ulngs Cave, st.
Louis, and accompanied them on long
Pacific coast tour. In 1887 l was back
again in st. Louis for the summer, but in
the autumn i oIganizedmy owncompany for
the Alcazar, Chicago. In 1898 .icined
the Baker Opera Company, and with thrm
I remain ed six years. That brings us down
to sci, when / was at the head of the
operaa company at the Schiller Theater
Chicago. The Castle Square Opera Conl-
pany began its career under my direction
in May, 500. and since then have teen
with my latest love-
Like most men of Intelligence, Mr.
Wolff had his idea. 1t came to him very
early in his career. He thought it over.
studied itout, examined its economic value
and finally became convinced of its pIausl-
hility. The idea was that grand and comic
opera might be given at popular prices by
strictly first-class company, with seen
cry and costumes, chorus and orchestra
of the first-class, and make money for the
investors. With the idea of ultimately
making himself invaluable as a director
of such an Organization, he remained la
the operate repertoire companies, foster