Evening star., 1898-04-13
AMUsEMENrs.

udS tucI0 Dc0u d0 mUcu luteECSI bkOWn al
the appearance Of a musician as was man
ifested at the Columbia Theater yesterday
afternoon at the recital Of Mr.. josef Hof-
mann. The audience was one of the larg-
est that had ever been assembled in that
theater. all the seats being taken, many
chairs placed on the stage being occupied
and the standing room on the lower floor
being filled. It was a critical musical au-
dience, too. Nearly every local musician
was present, and there was also that largo
class of people who are either amateur
musicians or who have become familiar
with the work Of the most celebrated ar
lists, and who hesitate to bestow their ap-
proval unless in their judgment the per-
former comes UP to the high standard
they have set.
Years ago, when Hofmann came here as
boy in sailor jacket and knickerbockers,
he attracted the attention Of the curious,
as well as of musicians, bat now he comes
In his early manhood. and he must stand
the test of honest criticism as to his worth.
Hoffman, is an exception to the rule that
Juvenile prodigies usually wear out their
abnormal ability and degenerate into very
commonplace maturity.
That he Is born musical genius no one
who heard him during his first visit as &
boy and then yesterday will deny. That he
has reached the maturity of his powers Is
not to be expected, and still greater work
may be hoped for from him than was dis
played at yesterdays recital. That re-
cital, however, demonstrated his remark
able development both from a technical
and an Intellectual standpoint. His mas
terry Of the piano in a mechanical sense
appears to be complete His technique is
as faultless as 1t Is brilliant. His dig1tal
dexterity is something wonderful, and his
remarkable power was best manifested in
the Liszt numbers. His program was ad-
mirably selected to display his versatility,
and the numbers were nearly all familiar.
The Bach prelude and fugue. with which
the recital opened, was given with such
cleanness Of execution that the audience
at once recognized the ability Of the per-
former, and that Notwithstanding his
youthful appearance he was entitled to
rank with the most mature pianist. The
two Mendelssohn songs without words were
delfciously played. and then came a number
of his own, variations and fugue on origf-
nal theme. which was interesting, as it
disclosed his originality of treatment, but
only in that respect.
as a composer. The Chopin group evil
denced poetic feeling in the Interpretation
of the Nocturne and three preludes and
the A-flat Polonaise has rarely been better
Margaret at the Spinning Wheel and
'1he Erl King were splendidly performed,
and then in sharp contrast was the ex-
quisite rendering of Rubinstein's "Barca-
rolee." That which pleased the audience
most, however, and which perhaps present
LisZt arrangement of the "Tannhauser
overture. Liszt's Sixth Rhapsody was on
the program, but as it Is Spanish Rhap-
sody it was not thought desirable to play
1t, and the ''Tannhauser" overture was
substituted. His reading Of this overture
was perfect, and his execution was superb.
The applause that followed this number,
though 1t was the last on the program, was
SO great that, after repeatedly bowling his
Acknowledgements, Hofmann finally gave
an encore. So great was his success that
he has been secured for another recital on
the =. IN instant.
THE HIGHWAYMAN."-T first ele-
ment in the popularity Of De Koven &
Smiths new opera, THE Highwayman."
which comes to the Lafayette Square Opera
House next week, is its picturesqueness
1t is put on the stage with substantial
completeness that leaves no loose ends to
annoy the spectator by their incongruity
The York mail is a veritabe coach, and
comes upon the stage on a gallop behind
Its four really mettlesome steeds. The
holding up is done most realistically, in
full view of the audience. The scenery and
costumes are both fair and fitting to look
upon, and the new organization, known as
the Broadway Theater Opera Company, has
certainly made splendid beginning so far
as Its share In the production goes. The
music Of THE Highwayman' Is q delight
fui accompaniment to libretto that is far
above the average in clever conception and
Camille D. Arville easily bear off the hon.
ors in their excellent rendition of the real
and simulated highwayman. jerome Sykes
VINO was with AN American Beauty" and
"A Round OF Pleasure" is a capital come
dian, with some new twists to his fun, and
Van Rensselaer, Wheeler of "Geisha' MEM
ory Is manly and tuneful as a naval lover
NAT GOODWIN.-Washingt tbeater-
goers have looked forward with no little
anticipation and pleasure to the return of
Mr.. N. c. Goodwin and Miss Maxine Eli
ott, next Monday evening, for a weeks en-
gagement at the New National Theater 1t
Is doubtful II there are two artists on the
American stage today who have a greater
mold upon the masses than Mr.. Goodwin
and Miss Elliott. How great the desire to
see Mr. Goodwin Is is best evidenced by the
unprec edented demand for choice sittings,
and 1t is safe to prophesy that standing
room only will prove a nightly feature dur
ing the week at the New National. What
VIII serve to make the event of more than
ordinary interest is the brilliancy of the
company with which Mr.. Goodwin is sur
rounded, as well as the plays to be pre-
sented. The arrangement of the repertoire
includes AN American Citizen" Monday.
Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and at
the Saturday matinee; "a Gilded Fool"
Thursday and Friday evenings, while "The
| Rivals' will be the Offering on Saturday
evening. The gowns to be worn by Miss
Elliott this season are all new, and have
been the sensation Of New York and Chi
cago. That they will prove a revelation
goes without saying. Among the most
prominent members of the company besides
Mr.. Goodwin and Miss Elliott might b,
mentioned William Ingersoll, Clarence Han
dyside. Neill O'Brien, Louis Payne, l.. Z.
, Woodthorpe Thos. Oberle, Miss Gertrude
Elliott Hattie Russell, Estelle Mortimer
and others Of equal renown.
FANNIE RICE.-Perhaps the daintiest
and funniest actress on the American stage
10 Fannie Rice, who will be seen at the
Academy next week. There is something
about her that is hard to define in cold
print. which seems to warm the heart of
every one who sees her toward her. This is
particularly so with ladies and children.
With that woman's intuition which sur
passes the cold Judgment of men they seem
to know that she is like one of themselves,
good and pure. Her fun is spontaneous,
and she makes people laugh sometim IS
without their knowing why. She is pre-
senting an intensely funny operate comedy
this season called "At the French Ball." II
gives her the widest possible scope for the
display of her great versatility and peculiar
| talents.
"ALONE IN LONDON"-"Alon. in Lon.
don" will receive it's initial revival at the
Grand Opera House next week, with usual
matiness. While the action of the play is