The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-20
NANCE O'NE|L
IN THE JEWESS
Big Temperament, but
Too Much Melodrama.
THE ADRIENNE OF MODJESKA
sTHE QUEEN OF sHEBA" PRO-
DUCED AT THE TIVOLI.
"Jones Again-Alhambra and Or
pheum Variety-Alcazar Farce.
Morosco Melo-
drama.
THE ADRIENNE OF MODJESKA
.sTHE QUEEN OF SHEBA" PRO
DUCED AT THE TIVOLI.

explained yesterday that Miss
| Nance O'Neil wanted to celebrate her
| reurn to San Francisco in 'Magda,"
but owing to some legal wrangle about
the American rights could not. So she
fell back on what she considered the
next best part in her repertoire and COM
menced her engagement at the Column
bia last night in the oppressed Hebraic
heroine of Mosenthal's Leah the For
saken," or rather 1.-THE Jewess," for
Mckee Rankin has readapted and re-
titled the piece.
My recollections Of the earlier YER
sions are not clear enough to warrant
searching comparison, but I can say
with easy conscience that Mr.. Rankin's
adaptation has robbed the original of
none of its weight and gloom. THE
Jewess'' weighs ton. And 1t is serious,
with its prosecutions, prejudices, thun-
der storms, grave yards, ill-starred love
of Jewess and Gentle; all written in
the old mode Of obvious melodrama- 1t
is so serious that 1T is hard to take
it very seriously. Perhaps 1t will prove
a profitable attraction during this week
of Jewish holidays, but it does not i'm
!
a week here in the ordinary circum-
stances of a season.
The excuse, of course, is the opportu-
nifty offered Miss O'NeiPs emotional
gifts by the title part. After last night
l should say that emotional work OF
the large, heroic order Is Miss O'Neil's
| speciality. She is a large woman with
big, low, roughish, beautiful voice,
large plastic features and a compelling
personality. While she plays you say
to yourself every now and then, That's
bad art! That's rant! That's melo-
| dramav'-but the robust music Of that
voice, the spell of the personality
even the athletic swing of the big round
armS-reach over the lights and grip
you where you live. Miss O'Neil surely
has it in her to be an artist, unique
artist, but-and l tremble to write 1t,
as think of the scornful way in which
! other good and famous Californians
have said that they mad to come back
to this little old town to find out how
| much they didn't know-she needs to
modify. The half of what she did last
night would have played the part per-
fectly: the whole effort was too much.
! She was too tempestuous, too strenu-
GUS, and she overdid the rich pathos of
her voice. In a word Miss O'NeiPs per-
| Torrance showed positive ability, and a
strong, passionate personality, but it
lacked the tactful qualities OF repreS-
sion and suggestion. Mckee Rankin Is
too good a coach, and according to all
accounts has already done too much for
Miss ONeils art to let her go the pace
of mere melodrama- There is no reason
why Nance O'Neil should not live up
to all the good things that have been
written about her.
Mr. H A. Weaver did a bit Of unob-
trusive and telling work in the part of
the Gentle father. The rest played in
the open key of melodrama, Herbert
Carr, energetic and sonorous as the
Christian hero, and Mr.. Rankin elab-
orately dangerous as the villain school
master. ASHTON STEVENS.
The TivOli
The musical event Of the grand opera
season at the Tivoli opened last night
with Goldmark's Queen of Sheba-" This
.'magnum opus of the famous German
composer had never before been given in
| San Francisco and the management has
spared no trouble and expense to make
the event success.
The libretto was written by the we'll
known author and playwright Mosenthal,
and is founded on the erotic love story
of Antar, the favorite Of King Solomon.
1t is a well-known fact that operas or
plays founded on biblical history pre-
sent extraordinary difficulties for true
realistic production and 1t was, therefore,
extremely satisfying to behold costumes
and scenery which were true enough to
suffice a DOre.
Marie Brands in the title role surpassed
all her former performances and her pow
erful soprano was never heard to better
advantage Her passionate acting moved
the audience to prolonged applause sew
eral times.
Antar, sung by Rhys Thomas, was
well studied production, although his
singing was better than his acting.
Miss Merrill for the first time during
the season, had a congenial part-a role
where the sweetness Of her voice could be
brought well into play-and she won re-
peated applause.
Miss Elvia Crox evidenced again that
| she is capable of excellent singing, her
| Sulamith being a pleasing, well presented
William Schuster sang the high priest.
| his big basso being at all times under
| good control and agreeable.
King Solomon, in the hands OF Maurice
| de Vries suited the voice and acting of
this artist extremely WELL and all his
forces came into play as the wise ruler Of
| Israel.
| The sextet in the first act was a treat
| and the finale in the third fascinating.
| A great deal of credit for this splendid
| performance ought to be given to the
| chorus and to the untiring exertions of
| Directors Hirshfeld and Lask, who have
! really worked wonders in the short time
Tomorrow Flotow's Martha" is on the
! programme. U. n. MOHHE.
The Alhambra.
| Mile. Aimee Austin. the human ny, is
| the feature of the new bill at the AL
| hambra Theater Her act is really new
| and lust about as sensational as any,