The evening times., 1898-11-26
'THE'GLAeUERs OF VIENNA.

- agla4ESts 5R4sf--
Vienna, Nov. 1O.-The history of vi
emma theaters is the history of the
claquers, who have made and. be 1t
known, sometimes marred, them. vi
emma has had more really fa-
nous claque leaders than actors. They,
at least, have been native talent. while
the Woters, Sandrocks and Odillons to
say nothing of the Ropaczsys and Pal
mays and a hundred others, have been
purely imported material. One is remind
ed of this by the recent death of the
leader of the Peoples Theater claque.
Herr Gentner. He was a claquer of the
good old school. PannowitZ, the great.
unapproachable Pannowitz, was his pro-
totype.
A claquer of genius has not been seen in
Vienna like unto PannowitZ. He had the
income of a minister. His adlatus. Konig.
received from him fixed salary. Panno-
witt was always dressed in the latest
fashion. At prepieres one saw him in
evening dress, never as the transparent
professional clapper. He changed his
place every evening, now and again occu-
pied a box, and even paid for it, when
necessary. His aide-de-camp used to
instruct his men In the duties of the
evening. Pannowitz applauded but lit
tie, just like a regular habitue. His forte
lay in his wonderful dumb show. under
standed of his retainers only. His baton
was his handkerchief every movement
of which had its distinct and intelligible
significance. And when he laughed there
was no help for il. the whole OF the pub
lie had to join in the Irresistible cachin-
nation. His disguises We're complete. The
aDXi0nS dehutanta nnnli Snnlafines lifflp
guess that the harmless looking old gem
tleman with side whiskers sitting in a
box, and never able to applaud or laugh
enough, was the great, the unrivalled
and well-paid prince of claquers.
And now his great disciple. Gentner
has gone. too. He was as modest in life
in profession. He was discreet in
starting the applause. though he had
hands like a couple of card tables, but he
generally managed to transport his faith
full followers into veritable furioso at
| will. He had an absolutely inimitable
hiss for his patrons pet aversions. which
was absolutely fatal when well paid for
When he raised both his hands to cap
that was sign for the whole band 10 let
| loose their stOred-up thunders. He him
self did not join in. His neighbors must
never know that he was the paid ap-
pIauder. Then he would take out his
/ handkerchief, and the applause would
suddenly end. That was all a la Panno-
witZ. But the meister practically died in
exile. Like a great statesman. a faux
pas had blotted out his professional ex-
istence in night. His locum tenens hal
omitted to applaud diva. The diva tad
a crying fit and demanded Gentne-s dis
charge. A diva can forgive everything.
! but not the applause that failed. 1t prov
aIY . he. Of
the pride of his life was shortly 20 have
a debut In Vienna. and his fathers Zig
hands We're to make him. One day they
brought the lad home TO die. And now.
penniless. chldless and exiled. the fallen
genius has gone to bourne where.
doubtless. the art of manufactured ap-
plause is a wholly negligeable quantity.
1t was not his wish nor his lot 10 die in
/ haruess--not. for instance. like poor
Samek. whose fear of being too late cost
him his life in the Ring Theater disaster