Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-21
AMUSENIENTS.

NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-The au-
dience was not obliged to wait for the play
to begin in order to enjoy itself at the New
National Theater last night. The new drop
curtain is one of the most ambitious crea-
tons Of its kind that Washington has seen
for some time On background of blue
within gold rocco border, is a picture for
which Shakespeares Midsummer Nights
Dream furnished inspiration to the artists.
A medley Of popular airs gave a pre-
hminary suggestion of the aims and quality
Of THE Tarrytown Widow" It is farce
designed for the simple and avowed pur-
pose of popular entertainment. There are
no implied insinuations that even though
the auditor may be slightly wearied he
should be cheerful because it is improving
his mind and doing him good. THE
Widow is constructed quite closely on the
lines of legitimate farce, and is, therefore,
wanting in the mutitudinous array of popu-
lar songs, the musical finales and the
sprinklings of speciality which have here
tofore been prominent features of enter
tainments in which Mr.. Joseph Hart ap-
peared. The author, c. T. Darcy, has not
rejected old material in the construction of
the play, and has succeeded in arranging a
maze OF complications which lead the char
acters into genuinely amusing bewilder-
ment. Mr.. Hart demonstrated that he can
be amusing without the semi-vaudeville
accompaniment which he has previously
had in the delineation of his favorite char
acter-the eXuberant old gentleman on a
lark. Mr.. Hart has a natural flow of en-
thusiasm, that keeps interest from flag
ging.
There are no implied claims of extreme
polish in the acting nor of intense erudition
In the authorship of the piece, and the OPP
portunities for introducing new material,
should this be found desirable, are unlimit-
ed Mr.. Harris songs were hugely enjoyed,
and Miss Carrie De Mar won an encore
with new negro ditty. Robert Patton
Gibbs did a splendid piece of character act
ing in the role of an irascible French noble-
man.
THE ACADEMY OF MUsIC.-Tbere
came to the Academy last evening play
practically unheralded, but which not only
thoroughly pleased and delighted the large
audience present. but which is also sure
to be one of the real successes of the sea-
son, AT Piney Ridge" representation of
life in the mountains of Tennessee by David
Higgins. The play is full of action, yet
pleasingly devoid of rant and of blood and
thunder. Throughout its four acts runs a
quiet line of comedy, and although the
plot is not entirely new, reminding one of
Mark Twain's "Pudden-head Wilson, yet
1t Is very cleverly worked out, and in an
entirely different manner. 1t is. too. piece
of several decidedly novel situations, the
erect being reached in some instances
rather by suggestion than by action or
dialogue, treatment which adds to rather
than detracts from the general excellence
OF the production. In the character of
Jack Rose, the hero, the author of the
rlay does much to negative the PROPOSE
tion that authors are poor actors. Quiet
and effective, he is never inconsistent, and
never loses his hold upon the audience.
AS 'Cindy Lane, wronged but loving girl
of the mountains, George Waldron did
we'll with a rather difficult part Helen
Bell was pretty if not wholly effective as
AZa1ie, the heroine, and Mrs. Louise Rial
succeeded well with her portrayal of Dag
mar, an octoroon. AS Chlotilda Beverly
and Man my Summers, Sarah Cameron did
not little good character work Fred
erick Julian as General Deering was ef-
fective. as was Edwin Holland as the VIII
lain, Mark Brarson. Henry Hilliard as
Major Jartref, and Van Kinzie as Abe
Moonlight, young darkey, had the comedy
parts, and the latter did one of the best
pieces Of negro work seen here for a long
time. The other characters were well por-
trayed, the company being a very care
fully selected one and thoroughly well bal
anced. "At Piney Ridge" will be pre-
scented at every performance this week.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
the fact that the Isle Of
Champagne" has been discovered for sew
eral years. and in that time has lost and
gained a head, the land has lost none of
its alluring qualities, and it's associations
are as attractive as ever to an audience
Last nights production of the opera COM
iGue at the Lafayette Square Opera House.
was the IlTSI Dy the new company, ana
that fact was painfully in evidence. AS
King Pomery Sec Richard Golden failed
to come up to the splendid work CIV
en- by Seabrooke in the part, though 1t
iginal version. katherine German as Prs-
ella was attractive and her costumes were
rich and elaborate, but she Is hardly sufff-
GENTLY youthful to realize the authors
IDEAL. She made a hit In the Dove
Song solo. and also in the duet with
Prince Kissengen she warmly ap-
plauded. The whole performance. how
ever, while the piece was splendidly staged
and costumed, showed that 1t had been
rehearsed, and unless the
people get together better the attempt to
revive the opera which Seabrooke made so
popular will not meet with success.
COLUMBIA THEATER-Whether 1t was
the cool weather that has overtaken Wash
u gton, the opera chosen for the occasion,
or the fame of the Castle Square Opera
Company as purveyor Of standard music,
1t is fact that crowded house greeted
that organization in presentation of the
romantic mariana" at the Columbia last
right Mariana has not been sung in
this city for many years, and it's beautiful
gems and fine choruses brought many
memories to the minds of those who heard
it sung last night. The music of Mari
tana" is as ford and as difficult to sing
as that IF some other grand operas that
are more pretentious, but it may be said
that, with possibly one exception, the work
and artistic finish, both as regards chorus
and principals, that could hardly be bet
tered in a light opera organization, The
scenery, as usual, was artistically chosen
while the costumes and other accessories
we're fully in keeping with this branch of
the production. The orchestra, augmented.
and with the addition of a harp, under the
direction of Adolph Liesagang, gave eff
clent assistance and scored round of an
piause for Its work in the overture The
cast was we'll chosen. with the possible
exception of Mariana. Miss Carla Eng
lander does not exactly realize the part
either as to presence, voice or enunciation,
and 1t must be said that most of the num-
bers in which she had the leading voice did
not come up to expectation. Her voice is
mezzo- soprano without the sympathetic
quality so necessary to the score of Mari
tana, though 1t was said she was suffering
from a throat trouble last night The gem
OF the evening was easily discernible in
Miss Lizzie Macnichors ALAS, Those
Chimes" in the score Of Lazarillo. and .he
received for her work in this number an
enthusiastic encore and a handsome tribute
OF flowers. Her voice also showed nm
sp'endidly In the Holy Mother, Guide His
Footsteps" the trio, Turn On, Old Time"
and, in fact, all of the numbers in which
she mad part. Close upon Miss Macnicn-
oPs singing was the work of Joseph Shee
nan as Don Caesar. Sheehan was, per
haps In the best voice possible, and his