The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-23
1rvE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

Horse Show was tho tendency on tho part Of
the women who were there to return to the
fashion of wearing simpler and darker clothes.
OF the New York women who attended the
show regularly this was particularly observable.
In many cases tailor-mado cloth gowns were
worn In place Of the elaborate costumes which
four or ave years ago began to DO considered
appropriate. The atmosphere Of the show
was never suited, TO such dressing. but the
thought OF criticisinR It. This fashion Of cos.
sso%e sn z NEW a%s'S Workers. had an opportunity DHS 81
seeing the effect Of these elaborate gowns when
thsE were a,sIpS UsssiSly T PGs 2 Was t SP to fess sSS % m ISst
years show, and the result was seen on the
hrst day OF the show Just over. The dressing
ouieter and OF a kind better suited to the char
deter of the exhibition: As the week passed
pated that the result will be more strongly felt
next year. This Is the first move toward bring
Ing the show back TO som1e aIi OF ne Sim Sim
hvo or six years ago.
Tho concerts dc luro are new to New York,
and tho task Of making them seem usual has
proved rather difficult, although with every
succeeding performance the appearance Of the
ballroom has grown moro brilliant. The dell.
cate work Of depriving tho women Of their
headgear which Is 80 often o difficult matter
in this city has finally boon accomplished with
almost complete success, and the Importance
attached to the dress suit'after theopening con.
cert was 80. well emphasized that It was the
uniform garb of all tho men who attended the
second concert. With these two difficulties
overcome and the return to town Of many sub
scribers who were not here when the previous
liancy Of the crowds will increase with every
oI the RstO sIeniRq Siel A lsss T Thairs saS O s1enins
looked like a miniature OF the auditorium at
the Metro lolitan. But there have, arisen
other a 0icultiea In cOnnectiOn with the CON
Gerts quite independent of the matter OF dress.
This was exhibited e very plainly Ou one nc me mor na,ns
was that Of ono Of the subscribers. and he
Nine. Yssyo sing anSN to.m SS e1v' night" The eour.
teous reply was that Nine. ,Ysaye would not
wong on p saS %f shS . vioIffn. night bsss s Ss s sass M MISTAKES xsfss
as this do not affect the appearance Of the
house. they are much less important.
The question as to whether or not one Of the
new restaurants made an explicit announce
ment as to tho character Of the guests 1t would
entertain Is not so weighty as 1t might seem,
because every restaurant proprietor knows how
he can rid himself Of undesirable patronage
when 1t has not grown too habitual. Tho story
Of q well-known singer who got no supper in .
large restaurant last summer has not been for
cotton. In her case the thing was done merely
by the continued abstraction Of tho walters,
WIN NcI0 . dpsOT VI dttcuuiuk OIAcI kucnts
that they quite overlooked the presence of the
unwelcome. couple. Ono phase OF the question
has never been touched on, although 1t is In Q
troubles:as to the character ofrestaurant guests
that arise from time to time. There are scarce
Which, society viii not invade Whenever It
feels like 1t. Many places which started with q
reputation that might be described as Po-
hemian have since been occupied entirely by
persons who are now supposed to object to the
character Of the former patrons Of the place.
they, see others doing sometimes leads into fash
i9nable restaurants the persons who are
and the smoking are recent features Of res
taurant life in New York that have impaired
an informally to the most chilling, establish.
were formerly regarded with awe. One point Of
might be found In the fact that no restaurant
keeper over there would ever be particularly
as they were presentabIe and behaved them.
selves. But his indifference to their charac.
likely to demand any more of their neighbors.
Mime. Marcella sembrich has every reason to
be satisfied with her brief experience in New
York, for no singer has ever before established
herself SO quickly in the affections of the New
York public. She has practically been heard
only three times. But tho audiences at tho
Metropolitan concerts have steadily increased
in size and there have rarely been more people
In the theatre than there were on Sunday last.
Mime. Sembrich. in spite of her great Euro
pean reputation, was In reality O beginner here,
as her appearances In opera at the outset of her
career were remembered by few. New York
learns chiefly Of the singers who appear in Lon
don and possibly Paris. Some Of the Bayreuth
names occasionally become familiar, but not
many of them. The salaries paid at Covent
| Garden and in Paris are SO small that Nine.
Sembrich could not afford to sing frequently in
either city. so New Workers heard little of her.
The conditions in New York are very curious.
A singer must appear under certain circum-
stances in order to receive any public notice.
There are the opera company at the Metropoli-
tan, possibly the Philharmonic and one or two
other means of being introduced to the public
with every condition favorable to .success.
Mime. Sembrich had none OF these advantages
in her favor and has won her present great pop
ularity solely because she is one Of the greatest
artists Of the day. She could sing at the Metro
not compel her to go to San Francisco. Her
success Is O tribute 10 the Judgment of New
Workers.. Her venture in this country has been
undertaken entirely on her own responsibility,
and her Judgment In that matter has beer justi-
fled. as 1t looks now as though she would have
an enormously profitable season. Few singers
have q repertoire-about the same as that of
Adelina Patti-that is likely to be 30 popular
all over the country In concert performances.
The successful concert singers in this country
have been tho women who have sung the old
repertoire, and there are few to-day likely to do
this SO brilliantly as Mme. SembriCh and Mime.
the charming shoulders, of one or the other Of
these two singers. Or they may divide 1t.
DANES FORGOT THE DOLLARS.
Ask the CITY for $50. 600 for the "Celonial