New-York tribune., 1898-11-27
THE TIENNESE CLiQJE.

MASTERS OF TIE SUBTLE ART OF APPLAUSE
Vienna correspondence Of The Pail Mall Gazette.
The history Of Vienna theatres is the history
Of the claquers who have made and be IL
known, sometimes marred them. Vienna has
had more really famous claque leaders than
actors. They at least. have been native talent
while the VOTERS. Sandrocks and Odillons. to
say nothing Of the KOpaczsys and Ialmays ana
a hundred others. have been purely imported
material One is reminded Of this by the recent
death of the leader of the Peoples Theatre
claque. Herr Gentner. He was claqueur oi the
good old school Pannowitz, the great. unap-
proachable PannoWitZ, was his prototype
claqueur of genius has not been seen IN
Venice like unto Pannowtz He had the income
of Il Minister. His adlatus, KONG. received
from him a fixed salary. Panno"itz was always
dressed in the latest fashion. At premiere one
saw him in evening dress, never as the trans
parent professional clapper. He changed ms
place every evening. now and again occupied
box, and even paid for II when necessary. iilS
aide -de-camp used to instruct his men in the
duties of the evening. PannOwitz applauded
but little Just like a regular habitue. His forte
lay in his wonderful dumb show, understood
Of his retaners only His baton was his hand
vchief. every movement of which had It's dIs-
tnct and Ineligible significance. And When
he laughed. there was no help for 1t, the whole
Of the public had TO join in the lrresistIDle
cachinnation His disguises We're complete. The
anxious debutante could sometimes little guess
that the looking old gentleman with
side Nhiskers, sitting in a box and never aDle
to applaud or laugh enough, was the great. the
unrvaed and well-paid prince of caqueurs.
And now his great disciple, Gentner. has cone
too He was as modest in life as in profession.
He was discreet in starting the applause,
though he had hands like a couple Of card -ta-
bles but he generally managed 10 transport his
faithful followers into a 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 clap that was sign for the whole
band to let loose their stOred-up thundcrs. He
himself did not join in. His neghbOrs must
never know that he the paid applauder.
Then he would take out his handkerchief, and
the applause would suddenly end. That vas all
la PannOWitz. But the meister practically
died in exile. Like great statesman, n faux
pas had blotted out his professional existence
in a night His locum tenens had omitted to
applaud a diva. The diva had a crying fit ana
demanded Gentner's discharge. a diva can for
give everything. but not the applause that
failed 1t proved the death Of Gentner. His
actor SON the pride Of his life. wcs shortly to
have a debut in Vienna. and his fathers big
hands were 10 make him one day they brought
the lad home to die. And now, penness, child
less and exed. the fallen genius has gone to
bourne where doubtless. the art Of manufact-
ured applause is wholly negligible quantity.
1t was not his wish nor his lot to die In harness
not for instance, like poor Samek. whose fear
of being too late cost him his life in the RrS
Theatre disaster
Tb- geniIses Of the caque have left no
memoirs behind them fo- the benefit OF pos
terity.