Evening star., 1898-12-28
ADJUSTMENTS.

bill at the Academy last night was that
classic tragedy "Virginius.' A very large
audience witnessed Mr.. James O'Neill's i'm
personation Of the title role. The very fire.
quent applause demonstrated the success
of the stars efforts. Always a graceful,
intelligent actor, Mr.. O'Neill appears to
fine advantage in the forceful, tragic part
of the Roman father. His splendid ply
sique, well-cultivated voice and mobile face
admirably equip him to express the fate
full, changing emotions of the wronged par
ent. In the tender scenes with his daugh-
ter eventuating in her death by his own
hand Mr.. ONeill was all that could be de-
sired. His defamation in the passages
where he denounces Appius Claudius was
finely given and was devoid of rant. In
every point he fills the highest conception
of the role, and no other actor playing 1t
at present gives more complete satisfac-
ton. Curtain calls were numerous and
enthusiastic.
The supporting cast embraced Edmund
Breese, a capable Appius; Frederick Hart
ley graceful IciIius; Mark Ellsworth,
good as Dentatus; w. j. Dixon as Numi-
torius, T. G. Lingham as Caius, Claude
Gilbert as Lucius and Kate Fletcher as
Servia.
Miss Radcliffe gave very graceful and
winning Interpretation of Virginia, the
daughter, and inspired the greatest SYM
pa thy in the pathetic scene
Monte Cristo' win be given tonight.
GRAND OPERA SEASON.-Every indica-
ton points to the most brilliant realization
of the promises made by the management
anent the brief season of grand opera
which will De inaugurated at the Lafayette
Square Opera House on Tuesday evening
next Charles W. Strine. representing the
organization, is In the city completing the
final arrangements for the appearance of
the Ellis Opera Company. He states that
every appointment and accessory of the
ton OF the operas announced for Washing
ton The entire forces at the command of
Mr.: ELLIS in this project number 100 people
mere is no question:" said Mr.. Strine,
that very satisfactory division of inter-
est has been made regarding the several
appearances of our chief artists. OF course
the opening performance OF Romeo and
Juliet-an opera in which Melba shines
brilliant as well as the most critical al
dience. The first night is the crucial test.
and think. in point of achievement will
prove great surprise even to those who
expect much. With Melba will appear
Bonard the principal French tenor of our
organization, whose appearances establish
him n ore firmly each time as a singer of
the very first rank. The cast of Romeo
IN addition to Melba and Bonard will in
Crude hatfield. Van Cauteren, De Vries. as
Mercutfo; Boudouresquc, as the 'Friar;'
Stehmann. as 'Capulet,' and Rains. Van
Hoose Del Sol, Viviani and Cassi. Signor
Ar,'ando will make his first appearance in
washington as conductor, and the entire
New York symphony Orchestra will inter
pref the instrumental portion of the score.
There are fifty members in this organ
l2auon, and they are attached to our COM
pany as the regular orchestral department.
on Thursday evening, the second night
OF the season. Wagner's great opera, Tam
hauser.' will be given in German. This
will unquestionaby be a most brilliant per
1ormance. Gadski will reappear as Eliza
beth, while Andreas Dtppel will, by an ar
rangement with the Maurice Grau Com
pany, appear as the erring knight This is
one of the most beautiful of all Gadskis
presentations, and no singer of German
opera Is able to give to the purity of Eliza
beths character more eloquent vocal ex-
preston. Oltzka. the principal contralto
of the organization. a singer Of fine re-
pute, Will sing Venus, while Stury, the
great German baritone, will make his de-
but In Washington in the character CT
Wolfram. The opera will be under the ai-
rection of Walter Damrosch, and this bril-
liant conductor is too well known in Wash
ington to require further comment. The
rest of the cast will include Mattfeld, Steh-
mann, Van Hoose, Rains, Cass and LelI-
man.
"On Friday evening the double bill will
De given, when Mascagnfs opera of 'Cava-
ieria Rusticana' and Leoncavallo's L
Pagliacci' will be presented Two prIma
donnas will appear on that evening. Deus-
san should make a triumphal entree in
washington as Media, and Nine. Challia
will sing Santuza. These operas will also
witness the debut of two of the most emf
nent singers of the Ellis organization
Pandolfini and Bensaude, respectively. the
chief tenor and baritone of the Italian de-
partment. Pandolfni will sing Turiddu in
one opera and CaniO in the other while
Bensaude will sing Alto in 'Cavalleria' and
Tonic in 'Pagliacci.' Herr Richard Fried
will conduct the former opera and Seppili
the latter.
The season will close on Saturday after
noon, when Melha will appear in of the
most brilliant eXpositions of her marvel
Gus art. On that occasion the Barber of
Seville will be sung in Italian, with Melba
as Rosina, Bensaude Figaro, Bonnard
as the Count, Rosa as the Doctor and
Boudouresque the Teacher. The remain
der of the cast will include Van Cauteren
and Viviani. Seppili will conduct
MR.. VIM. Fl. CRANE.-It seems to be
quite the fashion among theatrical man
ayers in diiating about the merits of the
plays they are busily exploiting to mention
receipts as an unanswerable argument in
proof of their success. Assurediy this is a
bad fashion, for the mere fact that play
is making money Is no certain sign that it
Is worthy success. The gentiemanly ma
nipuiator of the gold brick makes money,
but for all that he Is a good thing to leave
alone. And so it is with some things the
atrical For instance, in New York on
Monday one of the theaters presented a
pantomfmfc sketch based on the celebrated
French painting known IN English as AN
Affair of Honor" One of the newspapers
said that 1t made the habitues of the mu-
sic hall shudder with its rank audacity.
This entertainment will draw; will be
known as a success, but will be harmful
to the theater. So 1t Will be seen that the
term success IS much abused In speak
ing Of Mr.. Cranes new comedy, The Head
of the Family" which Washington theater-
soers are to see for the first time next
week at the New National Theater the
term may be used, it is said, with perfect
propriety. Crane has had many plays
which the public at large have commended.
but 1t has remained for THE Head of the
Family" to do more for him in an artistic
way than any or all of the others In this
play of comic and serious purport he en-
acts the role of meek little professor all
geniaity, kindness and good nature, de-
voted to his books and his flowers and
submitting with the greatest magma nimity
to the 'bossnss' Of his wife the head Of
the family All Of the New York critics
commended the play, and, to fall into the
very bad habit of quoting receipts, it has
played to In four weeks-well, all of the
money which the KnickeTbocker Theater
could hold. Mr.. Crane has made a hand
some production of the play and given it a
cast of unusual strength. Among those
who will be seen in his support are Miss
Percy HasWell Miss Olive Oliver Miss