The San Francisco call., 1898-02-10
HENRI MARTIAL, WITH HIS HAIR CUT,
I From his lotest photograph.

ing the congratulations of a few friends there arose noise as of an approaching tornado in the stone corridors leading to the greenroom, and in a second or two there dashed in those two monumental artists, Ysaye and Pugno, followed by the youthful and simmer Gerardy. The next thing seen was the enveloping of Marteau in three successive pairs of arms and the imprinting of three chaste kisses on his rosy cheeks. Great was the emotion displayed the famous men and the crowd of satellites which swarmed into the room in their wake. All talked at once, endearing terms were tossed about with surprising freedom and the triumphant violinist having been duly feted general attention was benz up on the violin upon wh'ch M'rteau had played his encore. the Saint-Saens' Ron do Capriccioso." It was Ysaye's own be- loved Guarnerius, lent for the occasion.
 The Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary will celebrate in December, 1898, the fftieth ami versary of his reign. On this occa- sion several expositions will be opened at Vienna in the course of the year. A cul- mary exhibition will open the series, and has already been inaugurated. But the dramatic art would not have been spe-
 
 fetes had not committee taken the mat ter up with view to arrange some pop ular performances. For this purpose provisionary theater will be constructed at the top of the Kahlenberg, a moun- tain sufficiently elevated above the banks of the Danube, and otherwise more inn posing than the little hill which bears the theater of Bayreuth and is reflected in the yellow waters of the Mein. In this theater 5000 persons can be seated in the open air, and the prices will be much reduced. As to the artists, they will be drawn from all classes of the Viennese population, and more than three hundred dilettanti, actors and singers of both sexes, as well as the orchestral musicians have already offered their gratuitous as- siStance. The theater will be inaugurated by an apropos performance, entitled Fifty Years" and will pass in review all the memorae-e events of the reign of the Emperor trancis Joseph. The mu- sic naturally will play an important role and two Viennese composers have taken charge of it. The work of a popular the ater under these conditions will assured ly be very interesting.
 The little town of Urbania, in the Ital- ian Marches, has awakened to the fact that it was the birthplace of the eele- brated singer, Crescentini, who was known in his day as the reviyer of the art of Italian singing. By a decision of the Municipal Council 1t has been de- cided to call the street where he was born ''Via Crescentini'' (Crescentini street.. Bi- ographers of Napoleon have often re- called the proiound impression that this admirable singer produced when he ap- peared before the imperial court at the Tuileries in 1898 in Zingarelli's Romeo and Juliet Never" say these biogra- phers, were the arts of acting and sing ing pushed so far" The entry of Romeo in the third act, his prayer, his cries of despair, his aria. '.Ombra Odorata As petta.' had such an effect upon Napoleon and his court that thev all burst into tears. The Emperor afterward showed that he was not ashamed of the weak ness into which he mad been betrayed for he bestowed upon Crescentini the or der of the Iron Crown. The singer was born at Urbania ln 1766. and died at Ma ples in 1Ss6.
 The historic opera-house of La Scala