Evening star., 1899-04-15


Opera Company. The engagement is for
but four performances, hut when the prices
range from 81 per seat down the aggregate
piles up pretty high. Song birds come high,
but the public must have them and Will
pay for the best without grumblng. This
was demonstrated Thursday night, when
the Grand Opera House was crowded with
as brilliant an audience as ever assembled
within Its walls. But the Offering was
worthy the house-Nordca, Schumann-
Heink. the two de Reszkes Bispham and
Pringle all in one cast. Last night there
was but half a house. The disappointment
at knowing that Scmbrich was not to sing
was responsible for the absence of many,
but the advance sale was lighter for this
than for either of the other performances.
This proves that people want all they can
get for their money, and that single star,
even though 1t be Senbrich. cannot draw as
against a combination OF artists in single
cast
of the regular theater performances Mr..
Joseph Jefferson, the veteran comedian,
drew good audiences. and the Frawley Com
pauy at the Columbi9 played several nights
to standing room only" This company
has become quite popular and the excel
lenCe of its work justifes all the good
things that have been said OF 1t. Melo-
drama at the Academy failed to draw big
audiences. The Harris Brothers sympo-
SUM Of operas of their own composition
gave evidence OF tnelr aDlIlIy ana hClteu
a desire to see some of the works from
which extracts were given. presented in
their entirety. Vaudeville at the Lyceum
and Bijou well patrOniZed.
Next week the Frawley Company Will
present Alabama, which should attract
large houses at every performance. At the
National Her Atonement, which was first
produced in this city many years ago, but
which has since heen elaborated to a great
extent. will be the attraction, while at the
Academy Black Patti and her company
will hold the boards. At the Grand splen-
did vaudeville program will be offered for
ladies and gentlemen, while at the Lyceum
and Bijou good bills are announced. John
SOusa and his band will give matinee at
the Lafayette Square Thursday after
noon
GRAND OPERA.-Verdi's "Traviata,"
the meodious and pathetic operate version
of Dumas immortal romance, Camille,
was presented by the Grau Company at the
Grand Opero House last night. Despite the
fact that the management was guided in
the selection Of this work of the Italian
master by popular vote, before the season
opened. the audience was a mere handful
compared with the overfiowing house that
heard 'Lohengrin.' The circumstance af-
forded undeniable proof that Wagner
dominates popular. or at least fashionable,
fancy in this city, although it is true that
the announced illness OF Mime. Sembrich,
who was to have sung Violetta, disappoint-
ed and made abseEtees of many who had
contemplated attending. 1t is very much to
lie regretted that the public expresses its
preference so decidedly because, lacking the
ability to give Wagnerian MASTERPIECES
every night, something few impressariOs
would dare venture, the result is to make
the presentation of grand opera an impos-
slblilty in this city. There should be
wider liberation OF scores that are not the
relSElEg sensation. and a more liberal and
generous appreciation of the chef d ouvres
of other composers. 1t would be thought
but for last nights disqualification to the
contrary, that the Washington music world
Is too highly cultured and diScriminatiyC. to
permit itself TO display fanatical worship
of any one school of grand opera OF course
1t may be said that some others than
ITaTiata' would have been more attrac-
tive, and perhaps il is true, but il is diff
cult to believe after Witnessing the demon
strations at the Grand last night The
real meaning Of tSe usually meaningless
phrase. a small but appreciative au-
GIeHce was very apparent, for the volume
OF vehement applause was many times that
evoked by the weird and ponderous soul
chords of "Lohengrin."
NOriica hraveIy stepped into the breach
made by Nine. Serbrich. and, if it be true
that appreciation is the fuel for the flame
2t genius then the reason for her inspired
enorts IS clear She was accorded tributes
2t admiration vouchsafed few singers be-
fore audiences here and reused almost Il
tempest of applause by her vocaliZation as
Fioletta- She accomplished the difficult
fange Of the part with the rarest ease and
elegance. Every note was exqusitely
formed and their liquid purity was re-
flarkahle Her phrasing in the ensembles
was without Il flaw. In the varied musical
phases Of the first act she was at her best
and in the magnificent finale held her notes
above the rest with triumphant power The
T-uNterUus and long continued applause
sccC mPani@d by the enthusiastic casting. Of
Soral offerings upon the stage a her feet
was pu!SC-St irring. NJ. Saligndc as AL
hedo- admirably supported Nordica and
In the feryid duet with her his resonant
hut rather small tenor was not ovcrmatch-
- by his dramatic quality. Nile. Bauer
Ue;S-er was charming in the little she had
70 do as Armiaa. and Miss Roudez was an
acceptable Fora She displayed a voice OF
good quality. well trained. Sienrr Cam
yanari's splendid baritone organ save Ger
mont fine expression, and the audience was
NOt slow in expressing its well known ad-
Entr"ruu OF the singer. SiGrCr Nanni was
tood as GaSrone, and Mr.. Pr.ngIe gave
lurther evidence of future promise as the
GcCtor.
of '.Traviata'' itself little need be said.
because it is one Of the best known and
before the Wagncrian advent one of the
most popular of the serious musical com
positions. Somewhat thin in the dramatic
a. ment. II offers, the other hand,
grouping Of melodies rare in any work It's
simplicity and sweetness are its predom-
naHt features II Is pure music from open
ing To closing bar. and unfailinSly COM
mands the wdrmest commentators. Ner
DIS work pe~meates every heart fiber and
its chords echo and re-eChO long in the
memory. SignOr- -Mancineii and the orches-
ira were more than equal to their task of
Interpretation AMI Afforded no occasion IOf
.-itical q d'sapprOval. The chorus eS-
tcially welI-knit in the ensembles and at
all times was virile and intelligent. This
afternoon Faust sung. ana tonight
Die Walkure' viii he sung by the follow
ing great cast: Siegmuud. NJ Van Dyck;
Hunting. Mr. David Bisphum; Wotan. Herr
Anton Van Rooy; Sieglnfe, Nine. Lin
Lehman. FriCka. Nine. Schumann- -Heink; :;
CerhilIe. Miss Maud RoudeZ: ortllnde.
Nine. Eauermeister; Waltraute, Mime.
Schumann-He.uk: Schwertlcite, Nine.
NeisslinL.cr: Helmv.iege. Fri. Olga Pevny
Si-grune. Nine. Na3;c!Ij; Grimgerde. Nine
M1.k5-K clOgg. ROssweise. Nine. DJtl!d;
BruunhiIte. Nine. Mare Erenla; conductor
Herr ScGalk.
NATIONAL THEATER.-Anson Pond $
successful mCLodrama. Her At0ncment,
VII b. presented at the National Iheater
for one week beginning Monday evening.
This is the big production made by Charles
I-ruhmau. and which has just finished q
long triumphant run at the Academy of
Music, New York Mr.. FrOhman says it
IS tie greatest mciodramatic triumph he
has ever handled. Louis T. Aldrich, Orrin
Johnson. Richard Bennett. NJ J. Gallagher.