The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-21
THREE STARS IN OPERA
RUSSELL, FOX AND JEFF DE ANGELS
IN "THE WEDDING DAY."
Great Thanksgiving Attraction That
VIII Open at English's-Notes on
Music and Musicians.

The Thanksgiving attraction at Eng
lishs will be the strongest combination of
comic opera stars yet effected in this coun-
try. When it was suggested that Lillian
Russell Della Fox and Jeff De Angels be
brought together. the idea was looked on
by managers generally as practically i'm
possible. But it was done, and success has
crowned the effort 1t is said there has not
been a single cross word or unseemly look
among the three stars, but any number of
flake" quarrels between the Russell and
the Fox have been exploited while the com
pany was playing in New York last spring.
Profitable as the combination has been,
however, the partnership will be dissolved
at the close of this season, as arrange
ments are completed whereby each will
head company next year. After uniting
their fortunes, the greatest difficulty was,
at the outset, to secure an opera that would
afford equal opportunities for each of the
stars. Staugh and Edwards created such
a medium in 1.-The Wedding Day." That
will be the opera given at Englishs the last
half Of this week.
Comic opera, the most popular form of
amusement, sprang from the pen of Off
enbach, and later was fostered by Plan
auette, Lecocq. Millocker, Strauss and Sui
Ivan. 1t drifted into degenerate days
through the drastic influence of the come
dian and the omnipresence of the voiceless
soubrette. To-day the public demands bet
ter things In this line, and the alliance of
Russell, Fox and De Angels promises to
again place this medium of enjoyment on a
pedestal. Lillian Russell will probably al
ways retain the title Of the queen of comic
opera. For the past decade she has plant
lively and comically sung the stories of half
hundred of the successful light operas.
Della Fox. the dainty, sprightly and ever
popular soubrette Jefferson De Angels,
one OF the cleverest Of all comedians in
this work. should certainly prove excellent
foils fer each others genius.
THE Wedding Day is in three acts, with
the Instruction of the Frondists in France
in the seventeenth century as back
ground The story amusingly centers about
an incident in the rebellion in which the
insurrectionists attempt to bring about a
treaty with Spain. Lucille d. Herblay OLil-
Ian RusselD, a member of the French
Queens household. is dispatched to the
Frondist stronghold, at the head of the in
surgent forces, to secure their treaty from
General Boullon before the FrOndists may
secure the signature of the Spanish Sow
ereign. 1t is with variously comic and
other light adventures growing out of the
situation that the opera deals. Lucille, in
her efforts to gain the treaty, is aided by
Rose Marie Della Fox), the bride of
Partisan caterer, and by Pollycop (Jef De
Angelis) baker. The first act of the opera
Is laid in Pollycop's shop, Rue Arbre Sec,
near the Porte ST. Germaine; the second
In Nine Montbazon's palace; the third act
at the Frondists outpost, on the road to
Reuil, and permits magnificent and sump-
tuous stage dressing. The scenery was
ridge; the costumes, which are said to be
marvelS of beauty and workmanship, were
made by Henry Dazian, from designs by
morrow.
A new comic opera was produced at the
New Yorl. Casino on Monday evening. The
title is 1885," and as will be readily in
TERED, the action of the opera takes place
one hundred years from now. The story
deals with the two daughters of one Mad
anne Brent, a woman of the times, who has
plunged deeply into the sciences, particu-
larly astronomy and eventually succeeds in
establishing communication with the planet
Mars The Mars people are brought down to
earth and in manner of speech and dress are
made to be a superior race. The Prince of
Mars falls In love with one of the daugh-
ters. Corona, a pretty girl of lovable dis
position, while the other daughter, Electra,
who Is inclined to be masculine, has many
suitors The customs of society make the
women bold, and the men of a retiring ma
ture. A supposed millionaire from Chicago
Van Duzer Pa cker arrives on the scene, be-
Ing a friend OF Madame Brent. One of the
daughters is an heiress but as their mother
keeps it a secret. Packer, who is really a
penniless adventurer has great difficulty
ascertaining which one has the money, and
so lays siege TO both their hearts and hands.
Disgusting himself as the KBg of Mars. he
comes into many complications. A revenge
full Spanish countess figures prominently in
the story. Packer once sought her hand, be-
leving her to be also wealthy. She follows
him around the country IN her air ship, that
being the means of travel in 1889. The love
affairs If the Prince and Corona do not run
Emooth,t Madame Brent becomes infatu-
ated With the King OF Mars, ana through
her the King is instrumental in changing
the mode of dress of the men and women,
and also the customs of society which
makes the women seek pastimes and voca-
tions foreign to their natures. Electrs be-
comes "a quiet and subdued little maiden
anu goes back to her first love, Alonzo,
college student. The cast included Bertha
Waltzinger, Clarisse Agnew, Clara Alene
Jewell, Mathilde Cottrelly, Hugh Chilvers,
Ferris Hartman, Miro Delamotta, Ben
Lodge, Warwick Ganor, Annie Wheatley,
Tom Ricketts,, Joe Harris, Will Spencer.
Charles Cantor, Rosalie Welles, Lillian Bile
man. Florence knight and Anita Austin.
The New York Herald's critic compliments
the costumes and scenery, a little OF the
music and says: AT the end of the 1seond
act more than half the audience So up
and left the house" Great things were ex-
pected OF the opera.
On the 9th of October Giuseppe Verdi at
tanned his eighty-fourth year. Numbers of
his admirers fiocked to his country house,
the villa of st. Agata, to offer their af-
fectionate congratulations. ITO the admira-
ton which the entire world entertains for
the great maestro" observes the Gazzetta
Musicale, of Milan, there is united sense
OF tender veneration toward the man who,
through long and noble life, has serenely
passed over the incalculable fields of art.
leaving thereon his indelible trace The
entire civilized world will join in the con-
gratulatfons offered to Verdi by his friends
and neighbors. Though a composer of the
strongest individual characteristics, he has
been always thoroughly progressive.
AIDA is a long advance from the standard
OF "Ernani." May still heightened life be
his, and when the END shall come, he may
rest secure of the veneration and love of
this great century.
The Australasian says: I'm sending a
cigarette case as a souvenir to a teacher in
Melbourne, Nine. Melba writes: DO you re-
member very naughty little girl to whom
you taught the harmonium at Richmond?
And do you know that l am that little girl?
How frightened l was of you; and yet you
were very kind. 1 may go to Brazil from
May to August. and am TO receive $500 600;
not bad for an Australian. And the teach
er of tho harmOniun must have glanHed at
the cigarette case. and sighed that there
was no such Brazilian engagement for him
with as great an emoument.
Ysaye is violinist among violinists, he is
a tremendous personality, and though he