The times., 1899-04-06
THINGS THEATRICAL.


| native playwrights, David Belasco and
| Henry C De Mile. who wrote series Of
| comedy dramas of American life that re-
stored to popularity the model little house
built by Steele Mackaye and paved the way
| for the present prosperity of Manager Dan
| iel Frohman. David Belasco has long been
noted as one of the modern masters of
stage technique, his recent successes. "The
Heart of Maryland" and "Zaza' having
I won for him in this country place almos.
| equal to that occupied in France by Vic
torien Sardou. Mr.. De Mile was a literary
man, with some knowledge of construction.
| as was proved by his THE Lost Paradise -
but the combination of the two talented
authors was almost ideal for the produc-
| tion'of plays that appealed both for their
| power and beauty to the cultured amuse
ment lovers of the United States. This
productive partnership was ended by the
death of Mr.. De Mile. but it left as val
liable legacies to the public such pieces as
The Wife" and The Charity Ball" The
| latter is, perhaps, the more remarkable of
the two, telling as it does a story that has
its foundations deep down in our social
being.
This is the work which has been chosen
by Manager Frawley to follow "Trilby"
at the Columbia and it will serve to intro
duce no less than four prominent members
of the organization which has already ere
ated strong impression in the Paul Pot
ter dramatization of DuMaurier's popular
novel. Selene Johnson, who was Mr.. Fraw-
leys leading woman in San Francisco;
Georgia Welles. his most winsome SOU
brette, and Harry Corson Clarke. who
achieved such popularity with the combi-
nation that he became n star on his own
hook, and has only recently closed a sue
cessful Pacific Coast tour in What Hap
pened to Jones' in order to rejon his for
mer director in the East. will all be seen
here in 1.-The Charity Ball." Ada Levick.
an accomplished actress, well known
through her connection with some of the
best travelling organizations will also make
her first bow member of the company
at the Columbia Theatre. while John Z.
kellerd. Myron Calice. Alfred Hickman.
Harry Gwynette Godfrey Stein, Frank
Matthew. George CASTOR, and Thomas Phil
lips. with Mrs. F. NJ. Bates Mary Van Bu-
ren, and Marie Barringer, will have prom
inent parts in the cast.
AS in the case of ''Trilby." the comedy
will be mounted with special settings.
painted for il by an expert scenic artist
Frederick Schafer. while the locale calls
for costuming which will give the women
of the troupe opportunities TO appear in
their best AS all have the reputation of
being tasteful dressers, this will be an ex-
traordinary treat for the feminine patrons
of the Columbia, while the men should be
satisfied with the fact that Mr. Frawley's
are remarkably good-looking lot of
actresses. The advance sale OF seats opens
this morning and there will be the usual
Thursday and Saturday matinees.
The Maurice Grau Company. which Is to
provide brief season of classic opera in
this city next week at the Grand, Is now
in Boston. OF the rendering of Lohengrin''
given by the organization. the musical
critic of the Boston Journal is reported
to have said:
As whole the performance was admirable
in certain respects ii was most admirable.
NordicIs Elsa is much better mpersonat!On
than it when she sang that part in Boston
the last time. She has-so far this inquisitivc
heroine is concened-abandoned the conventional
tricks OF the conventional prima donna with
lace handkerchief and carefully educated simrer
She is at i'll action and in repose
There is longer the suspicion-which was
possibly without real foundation, and yet II
was inevitIblc-of insincerity. Her sadness, her
joy. are less deliberately feigncd. Her gestures
are fewer. less mechanical, more effective. She
sang with great and yet without too cvi-
dent effort. On several occasions ! have felt II
my duty to find fault with her as an interpreter
and. more rarely. a singer. 1t is equally
pleasant task-for the discharge Of duty should
he always agreeable-to record 4 portrayal Of
genuine merit.
Mrs ScijurnanR- tIeink made her first appearance
in this city. The part is difficult one, and the
artist has Just recovered from severe sick
ness Her voice is OF linsIai vvrHPsss. rerlaP'
il will turn that shn has two or three Voices
all enuaIIv effective: hut last night the most
marked impression was made by the lower tones
which arr of wondruusly beautiful contralto
quality. There were toues that were like the
tones oi an organ diapason with warmth added
to the Soldty and Ioundncss.
As a singer. she is not technically faultlc9s,
hut on the other hand she is the only German
ortrud known to me in years past and present
who realizes that she may be effective in song aS
well as in defamation shrieks. For this woman
OF noble voice sing and she does sing, She
colors her tones for dramatic purpose; she knows
the value OF piano and mezz0 forte. and she en-
poys these resources without Immediately rising
above or sinking below Tie tr;le pitch. rs an
actress she is not as striking al Individuality.
and vet her impcrsonntioh was strong and con
vinciIg almost wholly Tree from the cheap meio-
dramatic business OF scowls shrrgs creeping. and
jumping which form the stock in trade OF certain
OF her predecessors and present rivals.
Mr. de Reszkc sang last night With even more
than his customary art. and at first almost tcnta
tively rs though hc still sin mind OF his
late indisposition; but he warmed more and
more with his work, and the timhre Of his voice
was as delightful ever. as persuadiuc, as
careSsing as irresistible Ills Lohengrin IS a
picturesque figure OF knighthood. and at time,
he rises To great heights Of song
Edouard de ResZSe was the familiar pljerual
king lie was not in best voice. but the sulidity
OF his tones was grateful. and he contributed
duly 10 the suCres- Ot the performance.
NIr BiSpham WAS an exceedingly dramatic
Tclramund His conception Of the part-that Of
a naturally honest and brave man persuaded by
a wife whom he no doubt secretly fears Il little,
IS we'll us loyes-i, we'll defined and strongly ac-
ccntuated. Mr.. Muhlmann', part WAS thInI-
less one; yet he made the lleiald dicnihcd
person. with a reasonable regard ior accuracy
OF statement.
The work of the chorus was good Its aver
age higher than that to which are ar-
crstoincd in German opera The orchestra was
better than our New York brethren had led US
impression. lie punctilious in attention 10
detail: he was often highly successful in the
achievement OF climax, in his working up
Of the entrance uf Lohcngrin. and the finale OF
the first act. lie is evidently 4 wcll-cquippcd
muscian-ln man OF authority.
The so-called "Dreyfus incident" is the
theme employed in the melodrama, 'Dev-
lis Island" which Manager Wallick
promises to give big production on Mon
day night at the Academy of Music The
author OF the piece has made his leading
character the Frenchman now so well
nnown 10 the world, supplying him with a
love story that is said to contain real heart
interest and heightening the color of the
powerful Incidents connected with the trag
edy. Manager Wallick, who will be re-
membered in connection with When Lon
don Sleeps claims to have staged the
work sumptuously. to have expended con-
siderable money in costumes and to have
engaged for its enactment a cast at once
large and capable. The sale of seats for
the engagement opens this morning and
will probably assume great proportions
early.