Evening star., 1898-10-20
AMUSEMENTS,

FAUST AT THE LAFAYETTE.-The
best house of the week greeted the Inter-
national Opera Company last night at the
Lafayette Square Opera House, and the en-
thusiasm over the performance of Gounods
Faust" *as manifest during the entire
evening. Faust is very popular here where
all the leading characters have been inter-
preted by the greatest artists in the world
of song, and the melodies are all familiar.
Usually the opera has been given with a
great star as Marguerite, and perhaps one
or two eminent singers as support, but with
an utterly Inadequate chorus and with no
regard to costuming or stage effect. Last
night the performance was we'll rounded
and enjoyable. A competent cast. an ex-
celient chorus and large orchestra of good
musicians. all under the able direction of
Signor Sapio, interpreted the beautiful
music in a thoroughly satisfactory manner.
Nine. De Veres Marguerite was intelligent
ly conceived and faithfully carried out,
while hec singing was all that could be de-
sired An emphatic encore rewarded her
beautiful rendition of the jewel song, while
the church scene. which vas given in its en-
tirety, elected a hearty recall. The enthu-
siasm eliminated, however, at the splendid
singing of the trio in the last act, which was
obliged to be repeated. The Siebel was Miss
EleanOre Broadfoot, who made her first APP
pearance before Washington audience and
at once created favorable impression.
She has rich contralto voice which has
been excellenty trained, and in the flower
song in the third act 1t was heard to good
advantage. Miss Broadfoot has an attract
I've stage presence and sustained the boys
character with good discretion.
Mr.. George Mitchell sang the part Of
Faust intelligently and acted with spirit.
He did not attempt the highC in the SalVe
di more" which was an exhibition of good
judgment. In the duet in the garden scene
and in the trio in the last act his voice was
remarkably effective. Sig. Bellaus Nalen,
fpnr nd ma n
the score gave his fine baritone voice op-
portunity for good display. particularly In
the aria in the second act, In which he
won decided encore In the death scene
he proved himself an excellent actor. Sig
nor Dado was remarkably effective Me-
phistopheles. and the encore that followed
his Calf of Gold" song in the second act
was one of the most pronounced of the
evening. He is a finished actor, and that
fact added greatly to the effectiveness of
his impersonation. The chorus deserves the
warmeSt praise for its work, and the same
should be said of the orchestra, which was
entirely obedient to the baton of Sig. Sapio.
The opera was handsomely costumed and
mounted
III Trovatore" was sung at the matinee
yesterday afternoon, instead Of Carmen,
which had been scheduled, Nine. kronold,
Goff and Sig. Dado in the cast. Tonight a
new opera, which has never before been
sung in Washington. and which is said to
be filled with attractive music and to pre-
is called La Boheme.' and is by Pucclni.
The cast will include Nine. Clementine De
We're, Miss Media Morrison, Sigs. Panbian-
Chi Bellati Dado, Zani, Bardini, Morotto
and Mr.. Parks.
DOG AND PONY CIRCUS.-The Dog and
Pony Circus now showing at the corner of
14th and streets is attracting all the lit
tie ones in town, and last night the big
canvas was filled, and the merry laughter
of the children was constantly heard. A
mammoth engaged
entertaining. consisting of 140 dogs, sixty
five ponies and twenty-five monkeys. And
tertainment of young and old alike, and
those who have witnessed the performance
declare it is the best of its kind extant. AT
one time there are 120 actors in the ring at
once. Professor Blake, who is the moving
spirit among the animals, sends them
through their performance with an ease
and grace that stamps him at once as the
king of trainers. One of the features of
the first part Is the pretended illness of one
of the ponies. He lies PROSTATE on the
ground while the professor sends for a
doctor. The latter comes in the form of
monkey, driving a cart drawn by dog.
He looks wise, tries to talk and hands out
bottle of medicine, which the pony swal-
lows. The marching of the ponies
faultless. When the professor gave the
signal for the dogs TO come on, it sounded
like bedlam let loose, and 140 yelpng ca
mines came helter skelter into the ring and
promptly took their places around the
ring. Their part the program is i'm
portant, and they reach the climax of intel
ligence when, after two representing prize
fighters, a shooting occurs. and the culprit
is hung. In this act miniature patrol
drawn by dogs comes racing to the scene
of the disturbance, in charge of a baboon
sergeant, who very promptly seZes the
culprtt and places him in the wagon Then
follow the trial and the final execution.
The performance ends with the monkey
circus, in which the funny little fellows do
all sorts of human things, such as para
chute jumping, wheeling barroWs, smoking,
riding bicycles, etc. The circus will only
be in Washington one week.