The record-union., 1899-11-22
ADJUSTMENTS.


comedy What Happened to Jones. :"
There has been some newspaper COM
ment upon the dismemberment Of Mr..
Clarke's company in San Francisco
after successful engagement there,
and just prior to his coming into the
interior. The comedian manager says
that he has simply exercised his right
to make changes in the roster Of his
company, and that he has done SO to
better it. Accordingly he will bring
here tonight four new people instead
of the four women whose engagement
was concluded in San Francisco, and
that his company will be found to be
stronger in consequence. The play
has been given here before by Mr..
Clarke. 1t is one of Broadhurst's es-
pecial successes. 1t is very ridiculous
and very funny, and is conceded to be
one Of the best laugh provokers on the
road.
There was a large audience at the
opera-house last night, the occasion be-
ing the first of the Popular Musical
Evenings" under the direction Of Her.
bert A. Kidder, for three years con-
ductor of the Capital Concert Series.
The audience was not only large, the
largest concert audience here in a long
time, but it was representative of the
community, and included the majority
of lovers of good music and those of the
most exacting tastes AS an evidence
that the concert was of superior order,
the audience thus indicated was quite
enthusiastic and INDUCED itself fully
in encores and in warm and thoroughly
sincere applause, by it's demands more
than doubling the length of the pro-
gram. The verdict of such critical
assemblage being one of cordial ap-
proval, it must be taken also as in
dorsement of Manager Kidders direc
ton and his judgment in selecting the
people for his first company in his
fourth year. He certainly kept every
promise, and the entertainment filled
expectation raised by his announce
ment. Mrs. Birmin CHAM, whose velvety
contralto is familiar here, has not sung
better in this city. She was in good
voice Her tones are as pure and of
greater volume, and her method, we
think, has measurably improved Her
contralto is marked by especial clear
ness, with depth in the lower register,
and by fine feeling throughout. She in
terprets with appreciative sense the
thought of the theme in hand, which
is more than half the battle in any
form of music confjded to the human
voice. She had three solo numbers and
two in combination with other voices.
In every case encores were responded
to. The gem of her work was the air
from Romeo and Juliet" it being also
the most difficult of her numbers, but
the beautiful and little songs, MY
Rosary and Love in a Bubble" were
charming. Miss Maude Fay, mezzo-
soprano was heard here for the first
time-indeed, it is the young singers
first appearance outside her home city.
There was just a faint suggestion of
nervousness, entirely pardonable in
young artist who is for the first time
before a strange public. Her voice is
of fine quality and has the charm of
freshness, while it is delightfully."- sweet
and is Of ample volume. She sings with
intelligence and accuracy and is moved
on by feeling inspired by the work she
essays She won decided success, and
must certainly feel proud of the re-
ception accorded to her by so critical
and wholly strange an audience. The
choicest of her numbers-and she was
recalled after each one, responded to
every encore and was the recipient of
floral tributes also-was the first, ''Tat-
ters," by Gerald Lane, a selection
charged with tender sentiment, which
she developed with feeling and taste.
Miss Moroney, the pianiste, proved
satisfactory accompanist, for her solo.
Godard's "Valse Chromatique,' re-
ceived the compliment of a recall Mr..
Hynes, the humorous monologuist and
singer, made a. great hit. He is of just
the proportions which we usually asso-
ciate with overlowing jollity. He was
four times recalled, and the audience
did not then tire of his work. His
laughing song was the best of his num-
bers, and fairly set the audience into
spasms of mirth. But the chief attrac-
ton of the company was unquestion-
ably Mr. Girard, the New York bari
tone, who has taken up his residence
in California recently. He has a voice
of purity, great strength and notable
fexibility. 1t is a strong, sweet and
sympathetic voice, but is handled with
such ease and simplicity as to make it
more than pleasurable to hear tit ex-
cites warm admiration. Certainly his
reception last night testified with en-
phasis to judgment in his favor. His
style is large and that of high cultiva-
ton. The voice is sonorous, but never
marked by effort in that direction.
There is no roughness in his tones in
any register, nor is there a dull note
in his work; the sympathetic quality
did. He is likewise a. splendid accom-
panist. being heard in that role to Mrs.
Birmingham s numbers and those Of Mr.
Hynes, and is also a composer, and his
last solo number was a song of his own.
The lavish praise he received from the
audience was wholly merited. Mr..
Girard and Mrs. Birmingham sang BE
meath the Stars and Girard with Miss
Fay and Mrs. Birmingham gave excel
lently Queen of the Night" The bari
tones solo work included the PRO
logue," from "I. Pagliacci," and three
other numbers, to the last of which
he was compelled to add two more. One
of them, an exquisite rendering of BE
cause 1 Love You," impelled the audi
ence to demand still another. Nor was
it satisfied with the long and difficult
pear after that number also. So the
concert was a success-a pleasing and
enjoyable evening of song under good
management. Mr.. Kidder has set a
pace for the remainder of the series