The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-25

lightful Robertson comedies in con-
struction, though its humor is quite up
to date The English verdict of APP
prevail was Endorsed in New York by
the best critics. and it is likely that the
new play will be even better liked than
Squire Kate" which is to be given
here this week also, over which it has
one great advantage as an attraction
to the fairer sex-that of permitting
the ladies in the cast to wear a num-
Der of beautiful and elaborate cos
tunes. Those worn by Miss Cayvan
and Miss Sutherland in Mary Pen
rdngton have attracted a great deal of
attention and have been the subject of
much favorable comment. Three of
the leading New York theaters have
been in negotiation for Miss Cayvan's
appearance next season, and there is
every reason to believe that she will
be the recipient of many more prop
ositions from the best managers in this
country.
No honest manager quarrels with
honest criticism, and more than once
a New York manager has had to thank
unanimity of condemnation by the
leading newspapers for reScuing him
in time from persistence in what would
have been a disastrous enterprise. On
the ether hand, it is true that plays
generally condemned after a first per-
Torrance have occasionally proved fl
nancial successes; but as a rule, such
success has been due to single strik-
ing scene or incident, or to exception
ally salacious treatment, which has
found favor with that large element
which sneers at any line drawn on the
grounds of public morality or whole
some purpose.
THE appearance in London of a
veritable male soprano takes us back, ,"
says the st James Gazette" ito the
eighteenth century, or, at the very
least, to the days when Meyerbeer, in
the latest of his Italian operas - II
Crociato'-wrote the leading part for a
so-called 'sopranist' But Rossini had,
a dozen years before, in 'Tancredi,
substituted for the male alto the fe-
male contralto, and in all this COM
poser's subsequent operas the leading
male part was assigned to the tenor
is in the present day a curiosity. Boy
sopranos are of course, plentiful
enough. But Mr.. Cunnington Steele,
who gave his first vocal recital yester-
! day at Queens Hall possesses a clear,
| fresh, soprano voice, and is a full
grown mature man of 80 years of age.
He sang in simple style, with a fair
| degree Of expression"
! Small attention has generally been
| paid to managers circulars recording
big receipts for any theatrical venture,
in these hard times especially, and none
would be paid now to that concerning
| Klaw and changers Jack and the
| Beanstalk" but for the fact that the
| story has been corroborated from out
side sources. The circular puts the re-
ceipts for the nine weeks, seven at the
| Boston Museum and two at the Boston
Theater at the almost incredible sum
of 500, 25S.
| Edmund Kean was playing "Othello''
in London in March, 1888, his son
Charles taking the part of Iago. Kean
had been i'll for some days, and, against
|
his engagement. On the night of March
10Th he felt very bad and while dress
ing told his son to keep as near him as
possible while on the stage.
Some mischance may overtake me, -
he said.
| All went we'll till the close of the play,
when Kean was speaking the impas-
stoned passage where the Moor de-
spairingly cries, "Othello's occupa-
tons gone" He fell on his sons Shout
der and moaned, and the audience APP
plauded
Il am dying" he said to Charles.
Speak to them for me-
The curtain was rung down and Kean
was taken from the stage to his home,
where he died in few days.
| One of the Drury Lane Theater Com
pany, in the middle of the last century,
was A. w. Peterson. In 1743 he was
playing in Measure for Measure" in
one of the country towns. His role was
Duke Claudio. and in the first scene of
the third act is this speech: BE abso-
lutte for death; either death or life shall
thereby be the sweeter Reason thus
with life
Peterson had reached the middle of
the second sentence, when he fell in an
| apoplectic fit, and died Immediately.
The fiasco Of prize opera is reported
from Munich. A few years ago a prize
was offered by the Batarian Prince
Regent for an operate competition.
More than 100 scores We're sent in, and
the prize was won by Thuille' S
''Theuerdank But when this opera
was produced at Munich a few weeks
ago it was found to be a mere collec-
ton of dissonances, a weak imitation
of Wagner. and everybody wondered
why it ever received a prize. Thuille
is music teacher in Munich.
The English critics seem to agree
that the death scene of Janet Achurch
is one of the most striking features of
the revival of Antony and Cleopatra
in Manchester She dies rigid and erect
upon her throne, crowned, with
the dead Antony at her feet 1t is easy
to believe that a startling effect might
be created in this way. but the plausi-
bility of it is another question.
Miss Olga Brandon who supported
Mr.. Willard in the leading female char
acter of THE Rogue's Comedy at the
fremont Theater, was associated with
him in his first production of Judah"
at the Shaftesbury Theater, London
in 1890, when she made profound i'm
preston in her creation of Vashti Deth-
To rir1