The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-03
LIrE rop1cs ABoUr roWN.

unknown suddenly come into prominence.
Lecturers. singers, readers and other parlor
entertainers come before society out OF COM
plete obscurisy or from at least a retirement
that has not been interrupted since the Easter
Rayeties brought the last preceding Lenten
weeks to an end. The supply OF these enter
%tainers was never greater than it is this year.
In addition to what the professionals do to en-
tertaln people during, the presumed time OF
abstinence from any but subdued %gayeties.
II% itSFsr y and n% e osRe r. fes s shSt haS SauSB Been mfS of%ed
to relieve the ,tedium Of this period. There Is
quite so great as. the supply. and this idea is
borne Out. by the circulars recently sent around
army a O oi Penit snG Is e SSsasssHimfs to 1 4e s 5Se
nounces this year a series OF two concerts at
popular. prices"..an uhprecedented departure
In Lenten' entertainments, but an indication
that the demand may have grown. somewhat
slack, 4 thing that Is to be had at popular
pertinent might seem dangerous, as fashion is
one of the Indispensable qualities of a sue
these performers during the rest of the year, is
Q mystery In the majority or cases. one travels.
h Inp opSer s l5S% P Si%ss sG II atqSS ew aSa in ST. shG Ga 5SEs.
tine and New York.
New York's society As responsible for the
latest progress In the domain OF art" writes
one Of the leading German newspapers. THE
Wagner cycle Is Just now being sung at the
Opera House In New York. Apparently the
work did not seem to the most fashionable
Representatives Of the plutocracy sufficiently
rich in variety. 80 to help out that the opera
supper was invented. At first this was taken
In a neighboring restaurant aftor the per-
Torrance, but as Mrs. Bayard Cutting found
'G5tterdAmmerung' too long. she invited her
friends to an elaborate meal in the directors
room. AS music for tho meal. the guests
could not be seen. and as they were not will
Ing to forego this pleasure. 1t was decided. al;
ter the third course to return to tn, principal
box and there have the rest OF the supper
served. This was the newest fashion discov.
cred. and since that time the occupants, OF the
boxes. while the curtain Is up. cheerfnlly, en-
low their suppers.' The nearest approach in
reality to this German newspaper story was a
tea given Due afternoon in the directors room
| OF the Opera House. The refreshments offered
there consisted Of the highest kind customary
s Sc p as anaue under any y Observation-Disclosures.
At the first evening performance OF 'Gotter-
dammerunR" two glasses OF beer found their
on the grand tier. Whence they came no.
body ever discovered, as the empty glasses HSf.S
the exception OF these two. lndplgences the
audience had to conflne itself to the lemonade
and sandwiches provided by the caterer.
Israel Zangwill said that he experienced
here both o frost and a roast. as he arrived in
the warmest sumner weather and left lust
| after q blizzard. Mr.. Z%anRwill's career here
knew no such extremes. however. so far as his
| experiences as q lecturer were concerned. He
kept along on o level Of popularity that was
not disturbed by any such Interruptions as
some NJ the lecturers have known. He was
not SO successful as DIR. Watson, Ian Mac
laren. - who took moro money with him back to
England than any other lecturer who has been
/ here In years nor did he have the rather NOR
tilying experiences which have befallen some
will was taken up by q wealthy and intelligent
section OF New York, aud as this was almost its
i nriate eRpo Ss bnG az sIw SessoT th fsts snpoor 60 n a4F his
lectures were well attended. The value Of his
attack on the modern theatre could not readily
t Ss To- him. v When MI. %ZanswilI comes
back to New York it viii be to place himself
ton with the stage. He comes here next au-
tumn to BE, present at the PRODUCTION of two
plays. which will be his first offerings as a
novels. The English literary celebrities left
70 e2 in nn 11 1n,s '9 MOST Of II those that are ! a1 HiE
able have been here. Those that the public
would most like to see will not come, II is
those in whom the public takes the least possi-
BILE interest are not only willing but also anx-
ious to make the experiment.
The decline OF st. Valentines day in New
York. to Judge by the appearance OF the shop
windows about that time. seems to be an ac-
complished fact. The supply OF Valentines Of
fered seemed smaller this year than ever be-
fore. and the disappearance of the comic val
entine was more noticeable than ever. For
several years some attempt has been made to
render the comic valentine a more artistic
thing than IL used to be. There was little en-
couraRement, however. for that effort at i'm
pr0vement. as the public did not respond.
possible II they wanted them at all, said one
stationer who found himself with a large sup
ply on his hands. an" an the improved ones did
terest In them. II was'true Of the others to al
the artistic side Of them. So long as they are
Raudy enough or ugly enough. as the case hap
they are, artistic or not. But the sale OF val
entines this year must have been amalier than
the egef" WI The eI same i@ story IS comes Q yio this y ye smH .Fom
London. where the interest In st. Valentines
day is said 10 have declined to an extent which
years the day will have ceased to have any OF
Its old character.
One Of the curious customs OF the Metropol-
itan Opera House seems inexplicable to per-
sons who do not realize that the administra-
ton OF the stage ia almost entirely foreign
and modelled on the fashion Of other coun-
tries. It is not likely that NJ. Jean de Reszke.
when he sings Romeo. or Nine. Sembrich,
when she sings Violettd. or Nine. Eames. when
she appears as Esd. will forget that the per-
Torrance is going to take place on n certain
day. They usually prepare themselves for il
several days beforehand; and are likely TO have
little else on their minds for some hours pre-
vious to appearing. But no chances are taken
by the stage manager. Every person to take
part in a performance receives beforehand
a notice By mall that the performance is to be
given. at a certain hour ON a certain day. and
that he or she is to appear In tho part as
signed long before; This notification Is print
ul~arlty-althouRh 1t is scarcely probable that
without 1t ope. Of the principals or for that
matter one Of the subordinates would noglec,
to appear at the right time.
The American club woman is not to be sub
dued merely because slio happens to be some
what far from the land OF her birth. The lat
est development Of the woman's club Is the
organization founded by tho women from this
country who now live In London. The club
has been MS carefully organized as II 1t were
in an American city. and rooms have been en-
gagged in one OF the leading London hotels
In order that the women may'see one another
frequently and not have time to lose interest
an arrangement has been adopted by which
ELL - $40. thnn lAl