The herald., 1898-02-06

The study of elocution, as part of the
necessary equipment for the dramatic
profession, appears to be receiving some
signs of recognition in this country, after
prolonged rebellion at what was called
its infliction. To listen to the terms in
which managers and actors have secuted
the idea of there being any necessity
for an actor to make special study
of the art of using his voice and of pro-
nouncing his words correctly and WE'LL
has been trial of patience for long
time past. The failing was. perhaps. a
revulsion against the old fashioned
stilted defamation Of the Forrest
school, and the term, "elocution," in
uninformed minds. became synonymous
with rant and affectation. That this
delusion is disappearing Is a good sign.
They understand these matters better
abroad. At the Conservatore in Paris
the students devote most Of their time
during term of three years to the
training of the voice. Such training
is as valuable in modern plays as in
any of the poetical dramas of old date.
A New York manager is quoted in the
Sun Of recent date upon this subject. and
his views, coming from quarter where
they could hardly, in the light of recent
experience, be expected, are worth quot
ing. He says:
"One Of the best things which the
dramatic schools can accomplish would
be to train their pupils thoroughly in
elocution. Not long ago there arose
among actors a rebellion against the
study of elocution. There were various
explanations for this. One was that it
made them stited in speech: another
that 1t was unsuited to the modern plays,
and there were enough excuses to make
1t appear that elocution was in reality
great disadvantage to the actor. AS a
matter of fact, there is no one accom-
plishment so important. The actors of
the day have grown not only to neglect
1T. but to depreciate its advantages. It
must remain for the dramatic schools
to impress upon the coming generations
of players how necessary 1t really is.
The actors Of today are rarely able to
moduate their voices. The voice is not
trained. They have never learned how
to control it. More significant than all
the action or gesture in the world Is the
expression of the voice. That denotes o
feeling more potently than any other
means in the actors control and not to
have that In his power is the loss of one
of his most effective aids. 1t is easy
enough to see why the actors do not care
to study elocution. 1t is difficult and
monotonous. and 1t takes time. 1t Is
very much easier to invent business
which is possible to any player with the
average amount of intelligence. But to
speak sentence in such way that
every word is delivered with just the
shade of color or meaning that the sit
uation demands is a far more difficult
matter. That is an art, and an art which
is not TO be picked up in the casual work
of few months"
The principal work to be presented by
the Bostonians this week is the new
three-act comic opera, "The Serenade,"
by Victor Herbert, who is also known
to fame as the composer of "The Wizard
of the Nile" The libretto Of 1.-The Ser
enade" is the work of Harry B. Smith,
and the outline of the plot. as furnished
by the management, is as follows:
The action Of the opera takes place in
Spain at the beginning Of the eighteenth
century, and the story deals with the
Irritation of Alvarado, a dashing barry
tone of the Royal Madrid Opera with
Dolores, lady of rank and ward of
jealous hdalgo of the highest degree.
AS the singer has won the favor of his
inamorata by means Of serenade ad-
dressed to her, the duke of Santa Cruz,
the guardian, flies with the heroine to
his castle in the mountains, but the ar
dent barytone. disguised as position,
manages to accompany the party. Be-
sieged by brigands in the castle, the
position assumes the duties of a cook,
and the near-sighted duke harbors his
rival in his own household. A counter
bit of comedy is injected into these ad-
ventures through Romero, a monksh
bandit, and by love-lorn and stage
struck tailor and a broken-dow tenor,
who, warbllng the detested serenade in
the presence of the duke, are mistaken
for the rivals and incarcerated. Mean
Wnlie lne action is shifted to the
grounds Of monastery and an adjoin-
ing convent, and the barytone, Alvarado,
seeking refuge in the monastery, in or
der to escape the attentions of Jealous
danseuse. Yvonne, learns of the pres
ence of Dolores. Numerous complica-
tions ensue,, and the duke is driven to
despair by hearing not only chorus of
monks take up the refrain of the sere-
made, but a parrot. which echoes the
melody. Everything is wrought out han
PLY in true comic-opera style, Alvarado
marries Dolores and Yvonne is be-
trothed to Lopez, brigand lieutenant
o O. O 49,,
Mrs. Leslie Carter's first appearance
in Shakespearean drama is to be in an
elaborate revival Of "a Winters Tale.
which David Belasco is to superintend
Mrs Carter goes soon to London, where
she will appear in 'gThe Heart of Marv-
land" and on her return to this country
the new. production is to be launched
o o o
Julia Marlowe's new romantic play is