The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-12

cesa-
In making their preparations for thi
production. Klaw & Erlanger called t
their aid the ablest corps of experts t
be had in thiszcountry and Europe, in
Guiding the dramatist, tho master o
music, the scene painter the historical
coStumer, the archaeoiogiSt and tn
horse trainer. The dramatic version o
the story of Ben Hur' is by William
Young, esq, who made the dramatiza
ton of 'Ganelon," for Lawrence Bar
rett, and the adaptation of Bernhard.
Joan dare for Margaret Mather. !
dramatist of great virility, Hterateul
of distinction, and an antiquarian o
| wide research, a wiser selection TO dra
matize this novel could not have beef
made The music is by Professor Edgai
Stillman Kelly, whose composition o.
the famous Macbeth music brough'
him great fame. The scenery is by Ell
nest Albert and Ernest Gros. Mr. AL
bert painted all the scenes pertaining
TO Jerusalem and Mr.. eros those of An
tioch. That the eight race horses USED
in the chariot race may properly play
their parts, they have been in training
for the past two months. being given g
run daily on the stage of the Broadway
theatre which, in the open air, would be
the equivalent of a mile. To provide
against sickness of any of the horses
three extra ones are in training. The
mechanical contrivance on which the
horses run at full speed and yet remain
on the same spot from start to finish,
is worked on the principal OF tread
mill. The development of this effect
alone cost $4,000 and necessitated the
construction Of an entirely new stage in
the Broadway theatre.
! The drama will hold to the original
story as closely as stage requirements
permit. The book reader will experience
the delight of seeing all the characters
followed with untiring interest in the
story, translated to the more realistic
atmosphere of dramatic portrayal, pre-
scented in an environment which, even
though created by the devices of stage
mimicry, will in effect most truthfully
mirror the period and locale of which
it treats.
Mr.. Young has arranged the story in
fifteen tableauX- The first scene shows
the meeting of the Wise Men in the des-
ert. AS the curtain rises. Balthazar,
the Egyptian, and Melchior the Hin
doc, have already come. They await
Gaspar, the Greek. He enters on his
great white camel. The three go
through their salutationS and relate, in
pantomime, the divine inspiration
which drew them together. The Star
of Bethlehem appears and, guided by
its wondrousiy brilliant rays, they go
of David. In this scene three real cam
els, fitting the description of the story,
are used.
The dramatic action of the play be-
gins in the scene which represents the
roof terrace of the palace of Ithamar.
the dead prince of Hur, the home of
Ben Hur. his mother and his sister.
Tirzah. This scene commands view
of the houSetopS of Jerusalem. Ben
Hur. tainted by MESSIAH, the Roman
youth, once his friend but whom he now
despises, has determined to become a
soldier. He would learn of Rome the
science of war to aid him to bring about
her downfall. Ben Hur and Tirzah are
on the palace roof watching the process
sion pass in the street below through
which Valerius Gratus, the new procur-
ator of Judea. is making his entry into
the city. Ben Hur leans over the terrace
wall and accidentally dis!odges tile.
which falls on the head of the powerful
Roman. Guided by Messiah, who is an
officer of Gratus, the palace of Hur is
attacked. Ben Hur and his mother and
sister are arrested. the former to be
condemned to the galleys for life and
the latter incarcerated in a leprosy-ln-
fected dungeon, where all trace of them
is lost for wears.
Ben Hur is next seen as a slave at an
oar on the Roman trireme of Qsntas
Arrius the tribune, who commands an
expedition sent to eXteTminate the Ae-
gean pirates. Ben Hur attracts the at
tention of the tribune by his Willingness
and marvellous strength. Arrius learns
from him the story of the Hurs and
that Ben Hur is the son of an old
friends. the prince of Hur. The battle
between the trireraes and the pirates
takes place at night. Arrius' ship is
boarded and sunk. Ben Eur saves the
life Of fhe trih1IDa in tho fiCht fnp
sinking galley leaving them afioat on a
spar in the open sea. They are rescued
by Roman galley on the rising of the
sun.
The scenes described make up the
first two acts. The third act opens in
the house of Simonides. the steward of
the father of Ben Hur. in, Antioch. Ben
Hur. now an adopted Roman. the fos-
ter-son of Arrius. meets Esther, the
daughter of SimonideS. They are mu-
tually attracted. He fails to hear any
thing of the fate of his mother and sis
ter from Simonides. but learns that
MESSIAH, his enemy, is to be a contest
ant in the coming chariot races. and is
training his horses in the grove of
Daphne. He goes there, believing that
only through Messiah can he discover
the whereabouts of mother and sister.
The scenes which show this enchanting
place, so graphically described by the
author in the story, comprise more
scenery than was once used in a ia
nous production of "A Midsummer
Nights Dream Two hundred people
will be utilized in the professions which
Ben Hur encounters in his wanderings
through the grove dedicated to the life |
Of pleasure led by the devotees of the J
goddess. Ben Hur saves Balthazar and !
his daughter Iras, from death under |
the wheels of the chariot of Messala,
for which he is thanked by Sheik Ilder- /
i'm the Generous, the host of the Egypt
ians. For this act of heroism Hderim /
proffers to grant any favor asked of !
sheik to drive his horses in the chariot |
race in the circus against MESSIAH, and |
ii IS granted.
The fourth act is presented in two |
scenes the interior of the tent of Sheik !
Ilderim in the orchard of palms, and a |
barge or the lake in the orchard of |
palms Balthazar, the Egyptian. re- |
ates the story of the star of BethIe- /
hem and the Nazarene. now born some |
thirty years. Iras. the fascinating /
laughter of the Egyptian. lures Ben |
Hur from his love of Esther and his |
duty and, in the barge, charms him
from the sheik's other guests by the
beauty of her voice in song Simon
des and his daughter witness the con-
quest of Ben Hur by Iras. to the grief /
and modification of Esther.
The fifth act shows the exterior of the
Circus Maximus at Antioch. Crows
hrong the corridors. laying wagers on
he characters. Messiah is the favor
tie. Sanballat, the secret agent of ST.
nonides. is placing wagers on the Ara
oan chariot and Ben Hur. Iras and
Esther are seen. The former wears
he cOlorS of Messiah and is unveiled