The record-union., 1898-09-04

play an important part in the Richard
son-FurneSs play and it VIII be put
forward on the date and at the theater
originally set side for the Stephens
output.
When Wilson Barrett did his zone
night only performance of "Othelio'
in Melbourne he ''passioned" with
much frenzy and gave rise to ludi-
crous situation. Having stif1ed Desde-
mona in a busineSs-like fashion, ne
came down the stage, being first sup
posed to draw the tapestry together,
leaving the smothered Miss JeffrleS
comfortably corpsed on the bed. But
in his enthusiasm he did not quite
close the arras, and While he was elo-
cutting in the foreground half the aud
ience We're titterng at the comic slSht
of the beauteous corpse in the rear,
sitting up and arranging her draperie5
to picturesque advantage. Having
seen that they were correctly displayed,
Maud Desdemona lay down and went
dead again, while Wilson Barrett con-
tinued his riot.
There is an ingenious mechanical ef-
feet in the last act of "Chattanooga.
A big engine and tender standing IN
the middle of the stage is given the ap-
pearance of rapid motion by means of
background, provided by one of the
motion picture appliances. The effect
continues for several minutes and is
startling in it's realism.
Robert Mantell does not believe in
frittering any valuable time, and ac-
cordingly will cut his vacation short
to appear in vaudeville until his regular
season opens. He has chosen for his
vaudeville experiment "A Lesson in
Acting" by John Ernest Mccain, which
he will exploit at Keith's Boston and
Philadelphia houses.
Ephriam w. Sells, the eldest of the
three Sells brothers of circus fame, died
at his home in Columbus, Ohio, August
1st of Bright's disease, after an illness
of several months. For years Ephriam,
Louis and Peter Sells have owned and
managed one of the largest circus en-
terprises in the world and they have
amassed a colossal fortune in the show
business. Their honesty and enter
prise gained for them a worldwide rep
utation and they have thousands of
friends wherever their shows have ex-
hibited.
In spite of all the to-do made about it
in the London newspapers, Ragged
Robin seems to have been a failure
at Her Majesty's Theater. At all events
it has come to a speedy ending, in spite
Of the chorus Of appreciation with which
it was received. Except in the case Of
three or four papers the misrepresenta-
ton of theatrical affairs in the London
daily press is very gross. Whether this
fact is due to dishonesty or incapacity
need not be discussed, but it is certain
that much of the professed criticism is
so absurdly eulogistic that it might
easily be mistaken for boX-office no
tices. There are, however, some capa
BILE and independent writer's, and these
intimated pretty plainly that the play
was spoiled in translation. and that
Mr. Tree made a complete mess Of the
principal character.
Director Mailer of the Vienna I'm
perial Opera has done two things lately
that have added much to his already
great popularity among musicians and
music-lovers. He has increased the pay
of his orchestra and chorus 20 per cent.
and reduced the price of seats % per
cent.
The Paris Grand Opera has an annual
subsidy Of $4,000 besides free house
and light, or a value in all of about
$3.50 900 a year. Nevertheless, the re-
6 TT. 49,
shows that there was a. loss on last
years performances.
Norway has had its first music fes-
tival. It was given at Bergen from
June Goth to July I'd and proved a great
success. Greig presided, and while the
orchestra was from Amsterdam, all the
composers represented were Scandi-
navians; the list including Ole Bull,
Greig, Svendsen. Sinding, Hotter Olsen.
Schjelderup, Halvorsen, Filing, Gron-
dahl, Cappellen.
The post of conductor of the royal
opera at Munich, which Mottl was un-
able to accept, has now been given to
Stavenhagen.
The Carl Rosa English Opera Com
pany, which recently ceased to exist,
was founded in London as far back as
1874. a few months after the sudden
death Of Mr. Rosas first wife, the fa-
nous prima donna Parepa Rosa, whose
demise thus proved a double loss to her
husband. as she was to have been the
star of his company. Among the first
members of the company was Santley.
From first to last the company has
| mounted nearly a hundred operas,
many of them for the first time in Eng
| land, and several of them written spe-
cially for the troupe by such musicians
as Mckenzie, Stanford, Corven, Cor
der, McCunn and Goring Thomas
|
| According to Sutherland Edwards,
| operas on Shakespearean subjects have
| never been popular-not even moderate
| ly successful-in England. Julius Cae-
sar'' and Hamlet" were converted into
operas nearly two centuries ago. and
| since that time most of the plays have
done duty as Romeo and
| Juliet" half dozen times. Yet, with
the exception of Gounod's opera on that
subject, and Verdi's last two works,
none of them have been awarded q
high rank in the list of popular operas.
1t is not at all likely that the agita-
| tion now going on in London in re-
gard to the proposed subsidized opera
| house will lead to practical results
Just imagine the feelings Of paterfa-
milias in being called upon to pay al