The record-union., 1899-09-17

The Clay Clement company mas Deen
playing a most successful and long
engagement at the Columbia Theater,
San Francisco 1t is a large and strong
combination Of capable artists. Man
ager Ficks has concluded contract by
which Mr.. Clement brings his troupe
here for three nights. 1t viii open at
the Clunie Opera House next Friday
night in .eThe New Dominion. Satur
day night they will present the melo-
drama. .eThe Bells" and Sunday even
ing "A Southern Gentleman" The sue
cess of the company in San Francisco
and the commentator it has had at
the hands Of press and public warrants
the forecast that it will fill the opera
house here on each of its three nights.
The London Times" declares that it
speaks we'll for the taste of the British
public that Isidore de Lara's opera,
"Messaline," did not repeat the success
de scandale which it had in Monte
Carlo. All the critics deplore the fact
that the composer, who doubtless has
talent, should have followed the young
Italians in choosing a story Of brutal
sensuality, unrelieved by any touch Of
honest love. The Telegraph explains
that formerly all the librettist had 10
do was to write a book that should
provide situations which would justify
elaborate scenes, the words Of which
We're regarded as pegs whereupon TO
hang effective musical phrases and
roulades. The modern composer, how
ever, is expected to imbue himself with
the spirit of the subject he treats and
his music must be a faithful reflection
of the inner meaning of the libretto.
so to speak, to express its very heart
beats. Hence, a sordid subject is now
far more detrimental to the composer
than formerly
"El Captain" is thus discussed by g
London critic: There is, in the first
place, De Wolf Hopper himself He
might, with point, transpose that name
to De Holf Wopper, for he is quite a
colossus. The stalls commune with his
feet; his chin is on terms. with the
gallery. From the harmless, unneces-
sary speech he made at. the conclusion,
one gathered he was a giant of kindly
and humorous disposition. His voice
is deep and dreadful, but it has a genial
ring. There was a sweet little ingenue,
Miss Jessie Mackaye; statuesque lady,
Miss Nella Bergen, with a voice that
scars among the higher C's and neigh
boring vocal SUBMITS, and a bright
enough crowd of chorus beauties,
whose costumes did not err on the side
of reticence. All these stand in a row
and shout. What they shout has often
rhythm, sometimes melody, but never
the inspiration that one would have
expected from the composer of the
Washington Post 1t comes to this
then-if shouting will insure another
American triumph, Ell Captain is that
already. Unfortunately, noise is now
no new shing. But one can never
tell"
Feminine competition on the stage" I"
says Harrison Grey Fiske in the ORA
matte Mirror, "is sharp and incessant
as is the competition of men, but, while
the woman who relies upon beauty
and fine raiment for success may at
tract attention for a time. it is the
woman who works and who constantly
enlarges her vision and increases her
artistic value that rises from station
TO station until legitimate prominence
or, in the case of genius, fame is
her reward. The story of stage genius
has too often been story of early and
long continued hardship before recog-
milton sometimes of a labor so long
necessary that health has succumbed
and middle age, with the blights that
accompany it in such circumstances
finds the ambitious with little faculty
for enjoying the success that is won at
last
Al Hallett, Stanley Ross and Horace
Thomas, all we'll known in San Fran
cisco, have secured the Metropolitan
Opera House, formerly Cordray's old
Third Street Theater, in Portland, and
announce that they will open it for a
stock season with the Hallett- Ross