Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-26

THE Fortune Teller Victor Herbert's
ccni" opera. written for Miss Alice Mel
sen. has captured Washington and the La
fayctt- Square Opera House has held a
series of unusually large audiences all this
week Every seat has been occupied and
standing room has been at a premium. The
work deserves the popularity it has ac-
quired. for it is the best operate effort of
Mr.. Herbert aud it is interpreted by an
excellent company. MI Frank Percy. the
discoveSer of Miss Nielscn's stellar qualif-
ca rious, has surrounded her with good peo-
pie and has given the Fortune Teller a
splendid production. The opera could play
return date here with profit.
As thr Fortune Teller has practically
m0nouolizad the business this week. tine
other theateTs suffered in attendance to
some extent. Way Down East, which
had such long and successful run in New
York, does not seem 10 have caught on
here. although for the past two nights the
people have begun to wake up to the fact
that there is at the National a play that
has an abundance OF heart interest and
which depicts New England lite to the let
ter THE Red, White and Blue" a play
full of patriotism and killing of Spaniards,
has captured the gallery gods in great
shape. and the Hanlons have done fairly
with their up-tO-date "Superba.
Mex week the offerings are good at all
the theaters At the National Sol Smith
Russell comes with his new play. of which
many good things have been said Miss
Blanche Walsh and Melbourne MaCDowell
will he at the Lafayette in the plays that
were made SO popular 10y the late fanry
Davenport. Those who have seen Miss
Walsh This season say that she will prove
a worthy successor to Miss Davenport, and
Mr.. MacDowelrs abilities are well known
Colonel John II Haveriy, at one time the
king OF managers. has again come TO the
front with his oId-time energy, and with
splendid company of MINISTRIES Will be seen
at the Columbia Theater. At the Academy
of Music 4 melodrama, entitled ION Land
and Sea-" will be the attraction. and Man
ager Herman offers q good vaudeville pro-
gram at the Lyceum.
Many who have attended The National
THeater this week have recognized in the
tenor of the quartet that sings so nicely
Mr. Ed Hof a former WashingtOHian, who
WAS heard in church choiTS as = BOY, ana
who later took part IN amateur perform
anCes before he Went on the professional
stage. He ID great success with the late
Col. McCaulI and later with the BostonIans;
and was one Of the few tenOrS VINO coulh
act as well "a sing. Mr.. HJf left the stage
To become an instructor IN conservatory.
but the old longing for lie behind the foot
lights became too strong to resist, and ne Is
nov having easy time VITA Way Down
East" 1t Is expected that h. viii soon
again be seen in opera. During this week
he has beeI renewing old friendships in
this city
The art Of the actor Is ephemeral-his
portraits Of character live but transiently
in tn, memories Of those who witness them
vet the traditions he leaves are perhaps
more tenacious than are the traditions OF
any other art. This is naturally SO because
ether artists leave their works, which may
be studied as ntelligently by the genera
lions that follow they are by cOntem
pOTaTieS. whereas there is nothing LETT to
pOsterity 10y the actor but the traditions.
vt4f1 a1aIF. y1l in he
actor Of today gene rally follows the tradi-
tfons Of a play they have survived as to
the manner and the method of the old dra-
matte worthless in II, and thus for truth or
for error the players Of old are still potent
tC mold the stage habits of those of new
generations who have no higher ambition
than to represent characters as nearly as
they were represented by the dramatic
fathers as the traditions will enable them
To do There can be no doubt that the flu
turt ard remote influence Of great Origi-
nal artist Of the theater is far more power
ful than the influence contemporaneously
exercised 10y such an artist. We all know
ROW SLOW the world is to accept innovating
genius Of any kind. and how many a genius
even dies unrecOgnized only to transmit
work that stamps worth and finally insIu-
ences his calling powerfully. There are
several contemporary figures on the stage
who VIII ia the future. through theatrical
traditions mold the art Of the players who
shall follow them one Of these figures.
Mrs FlSke- who has not yet reached her
dIl4>llc ZSIlLN. Is ALREADY influencing the
stage art OF this country. Strong and
growing as her powers are now. however
II Will remain for future generations of the
theater 70 realize her force and originality
from the preCedents that her art will es-
tablish.
The alertness which Mr.. Frank Perley
displays I'm discovering talent is shown in
the case Of a little Washington lady Miss
May Bowley. who i here this week in The
fortune Teller She i more popularity
Known here as May Blossom = whose
singing and dancing have often delighted
audiences at amateur and semi-professional
entertainments. Small parts in the COM
pau!eS Of such actors as BeerbOhm Tree
ard Henry Miller failed to attract atten-
tiou to her. and she courageously contin-
Ued her attendance at that often derided
institution. the school Of acting. Mr.. Per
ley happened 10 see her work at one OF
thu school performances. He Immediately
engaged her for dancing part in The
Sereuace.' Her progress has been rapid
and her present studies for the operate
stag are more than promising
Walter Stetson reports success with his
new speCialties introducing the rag time
songs. When You Amt Got No Money.
Why. You Needn't Come Around and You
Used 10 BE Excess baggage. But Now
You're Common Freight"
Miss Lille Evans. the clever little actress
who appeared with The Columbia Theatcr
Stock Company LAST spring. has returned
York at tho beginning IF the present theat-
real season and has since had several i'm
purt&ut and successful engagements. Her
last appearance was with The What Hap
Fen-d 10 Jores Company Miss Evans
forte il comedy. AMI she makes a pretty
stage picture
w s St Clair. who plays Nanrique in the
Red. White and Bic. at the Columbia
Theat-r this week. claims Washington as
his nome. Some years ago ne retired from
the stage and took NJ mis- residence here
He inv =sJsd considerable money in hotel
and for "a time played the role Of boniface
His fund Of experience a2i uimble VIII stood
him in pOOG stead and he formed lasting
trIenisiius with many OF the best-kuOwn
people Of the city. Tacn business rrverses
overlook h'm and recently he returned TO
thu stage When Lolita vas in her prime
Mr. St Clair was prominent IN her supper.
FOR several years His present part is made
10 stand out in the cast bacauS. Of The skill
and Indulgence with which he plays ii.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE,
Perhaps no three plays of modern times
have been 80 much talked about as Fanny
DaveupoEIs productions Of Sardou's Ia
IU-sa.' Fedora Antony and f-Ta,