The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-19
CONCERNS or II STAGE.
AN ACTOR VINO DID NOT LIKE 10 BE
As FUNNY As HE C0UED.

nim OF Etoyhldon-flnnh Tor Choap Opers
De Wolf Hopper wore an uncommonly fine
costume when he made his first appearance
In The Charlatan." His assumed character
of an astrologer ~justlles an iRpressiveness In
attire. A ] NC robe OF black and red velvet,
trimmed with ermine. was as richly beauti-
full as the best OF materials and taste could
make It. But the actors guise as the wan
dering fakir has been changed remarkably.
In place of the splendid garment he wears one
that IL tattered and torn. The cloth is thread
bare and the fur is thin. This fall from anu
ence to poverty by the mimic parsonage is
consonant with his condition in the play,
which ia that OF poverty. but IT was not for
any regard OF that fact Tint the actor made
the radical alteration for the worse In his
clothes. It was because he had met with
professional" misfortune. 1t is no agGrava-
ton OF his disappointment to publish the truth.
rs It proves both his ambition and his popu-
lRrity. The trouble came of a check to the
former by the latter. Mr.. Hopper found out
long ago that he was n versatile actor. Men
OF the stage are apt to be in advance OF tho
public In discovering their own talents. He
played strongly marked characters in dramas
early in his stage career. He had a good bari-
tone voice for serious singing, and used IL that
way q while. But his positive success was
gained as q buffoon in comic opera. He be-
came famous for jokes and antics. and the
people who had seen.him do anything not gro
tesque soon forgot it. But he did not. The
first performance OF THE Charlatan" at the
Knickerbocker showed his determination to
straiRhten up to his full artistic height. Mr..
Sousa had composed some music to further
that laudable purpose. 1t seemed as though
Mr.. Klein had endeavored to do the same
thing in the libretto. II the author had created
q new and singular character in q new and
engrossing story. the actor might have made
o successful departure from outright foolery
into serio-comic excellence, such as he Is un-
questionably capable OF. Only by giving to
his audiences an extraordinary impersona-
ton could he gain their consent to discard
the cap and bells OF q clown. The role OF the
Chdrldtdn did not make such an achievement
possible. Therefore. after a reasonably per-
sistent effort. the, futility Of which was appar-
ent at once. he has put of the dignity Of good
clothes, and put on the comicality of bad ones.
He has doffed the grand opera manner. and
donned that OF b~urlesaue., He uses slang
s Phr %ssy as a of y ToDs 1 tbat Is t sSsSin VOLTA sliSI T tsnT Ter ds
commqnication with the audience. and. in
and what The CG6ariatan". needed. He may
met esnils Is improHed Is M Meal VII sh he e eaa Keep
that robe to wear some time or other.
-
After all the furry caused by the discovery
that 'Cyrano de Bergerac." having been pub
lished in France without copyright in Amer
lea. is free to the hand OF any Of our man
ayers or actors who choose to grab 1t, there
seems to be no inclination to ~forestall the pro-
duction by Richard Mansfield two weeks
hence. This does not arise from any re-
spect for the authors moral rights. but from
q willingness to let Mr.. Mansfield bear the
brunt Of the uncertain venture. II he wins a
decisive success. Augustin DAILY will prob
ably lose no time in carrying out his promise
panies. and most OF the cheap stock com
As Rant to- Mr. r. M feIns ddoI he sn gets fsf il Without pur.
chase. tor. but he assumes the risk Ola
f piess in T tbs s orfsi aTa% Fre rs + Hdf ees not %9 @ean
necessarily that 1t will be SO in Mr.. Mansfeld's
English version. Indeed. the translation now
Coquelin's art Of expression. In pantomfme
as. we'll as speech. Is requisite to make an en-
whose Biz nose Is a Comic deiormity. How
ever. Mr.. Mansfield has, an Intelligent. appre-
eifssTe A ana sSlsr setor i0 sGSid 81 50 P5G Sass f Re
histriopic gifts: which are not great. but be-
tional material has commanded much respect
and admiration. In case 'Cyrano de. Ber-
alties viii be a punishment to Edmond Ros-
tand, the author. for his unbelief in American
Britain Under the internstio Il copy c9pyrieht law
that, he did not think it. worth while to ex-
iishins the book here. Henry irving par-
chased the piece for use In English. and was
Mansfield announced il for unauthorized pro-
duction. that he could not protect u in this
agent visited Mr.. Rostand with:a view to buy
ing 1t the Frenchman said. Il have nothing to
sejfe y Ny mP play moral can oR be stGlSn X Tbs YaR %iiI ste IN
1t, as they are a nation OF thieves"
The international Opera Company. organ
lied this year to give performances at ordi-
nary theatre prices, promises to give works
not wholly familiar. Formerly pieces were
given to US first by singers in our own tongue.
Abbott revived such infrequently used
works as Verdi's "Ernani" and Masses
Paul ct Virginie." but, as a rule. she stuck to
the stock repertoire Of the travelling COM
panies ever since. But La Boheme" of Puc-
cini. Hummel's one-act opera Mara" heard
here only at q private performance. and Gold
marks "The Cricket on the Hearth" are
promised by the international company.
whether ever really given or not. Another as
sertion is that it will justify up to the name by
singing In two languages-not simultaneously.
it is to be hoped. although such things have
been known at the Metropolitan..bu only two
operas. Carmen and Romeo and Juliet"
will vary the Italian. The force will have
-lembe from various countries. Clementine
de We're. at the head of the organization. Is a
better artist than is commonly heard in such
a company, Nine. Kronold is an American
ity. but more recently in Germany. The, I!tal-
ians imported Will be Salv9 Panblanehi. a
Yergillio Bellatl and Aristide Mancini. bari
tones; Augusta Dado. a basso. who sang here
George Mitchell. who Is to share the leading
tenor roles, Is an American who studied in
Europe and has sung here only In concerts. |
GofH is an American who has appeared
In opera abroad. Mary Howe and Media Nor
own country. Signor 6apio. the musical d.
rector, is known here as a competent musi-
clan. The policy pursued at first by the Cas- |
tie Square company. that Is. to choose singers
not Identified In the public mind with Eng |
fish opera for some seasons. past, Will be tmi- |
by the rival organization. The wisdom
Of that has already been established. Few
companies have been headed. however. by
Buoh an artist as Mime. de We're.