The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
NEW ITALY'S MUSIC HALL.
VAUDEVILLE INTENDED FOR A FOR
EIGN AUDIENCE OSLT

=
| EIGN AUDIENCE ONLY.
| Singers and Dancers That Como Hero from
Naly-All Kinds of Men Go to See and
Henri Thom--Present Use of an Old-Time
Residence in Old Greenwich Village.
On block once so favored by fashion that 1t
got a name all for itself Ia house no more d.
lapdatcd than those about 1t. but more illus
trative OF the change that has come over the
! neghborhood. All OF the broad red-brlck resi-
dences are tencments now. crowded with
more families than persons they ever held
before they sank to their present es-
tate. Tho Easements shelter green gro
ceres. Offering the wares that reveal
the race OF the expatrated Europeans
they appeal to, CHEAP eating house shows by
the list OF its viands the taste OF its customers.
and the names OF a shoemaker and tailor
who are settled In other Easements OF the
block do not disturb the strongly national
character OF the row. They are oil Italians.
and the street is In the heart OF what hns come
to be known as New Italy. The crowds that
swarm In the streets are little less compact
than those found in the downtown settlements
OF the same people. and on some blocks the
admixture OF other races Is no more noticeable.
The pioneers who started from Mulberry street
to penetrate the old Greenwich region found
there some sturdy originals who were not in
clined to surrender Immediately. So the neigh
borhood still bears traces Of them. On some
streets in that neighborhood there are only
swarthy -skinned men to be met aud the only
language heard is alien to American ears.
Here the conquest of the old region has been
complete. and in one of these blocks Is the
house 80 different from those about 1t. in
spite OF their common sQualtdness and decay.
Dweers in the others have turned their atten-
ton to serving the material wants OF the new
nnl ha afn Of ana
their artistic needs. A semi-circ!e of glass
globes Eliminates the dull facade Of the house
and shows the crumbling mortar between the
bricks. The basement is SO light that It's long
bar In the incongruous surroundings OF the
old-fashoned room is visible from the
street. In the window hang several post
ers printed In Italian. photographs OF
men and women Enthusiastically Italian. as
we'll as the customary advertisements OF poti-
cal picnics. 1t Is only the group OF pictures in
the dusty windows that intimates to the world
what the swinging doors lead to. Through
them Ia the principal entrance to the Grand
Cosmopolitan Music Hall-the Roster Balls
OF the Italian population OF New York and a
resort almost Us distinctly national in character
as IL it we're situated many hundreds OF miles
from the Mills Hotel and the Blocker street
cars. and not within stone throw Of them.
There Is another way OF getting into the audi
forum than through the barroom in the base
ment. Up a short flight Of steps one finds the
former drawing room OF the house. character
stic still Of the decoration and style OF that
period In spite OF the layers OF smoke and dirty
paper that cover the walls now. This is the
entrance by which women only. rare visitors
to the music hall. pass to the little gallery
reserved for them. Women come seldom.
| however. to the Cosmopolitan. and more
than two or three OF them are never seen at the
same time. Their balcony is over the lower
| entrance to. the hail: II the old house has
| changed to the street view. the transformations
| In the rear have been more remarkable,
long. narrow. low building has been added to
! The walls of the new building have not boon
yellow paint. Already the cloud OF smoke
which is never out of the PLACE has added q
mellow tone to the color. Otherwise 1t is
At one end opposite the women's balcony is
c am "n sd
are lifted by the performers AS they appear.
In the background is a crudely painted vista
which is is" a few feet lower than. the stage:
sits an % o9rehestra sT9Hm np Of piano;
artistic equipments of the Italian music hall.
and the accommodations for the public
Tables are arranged in regular order through
the narrow room There Is nc, admission fee.
Gs e as the
| FREQ music hall except in regard to the char
Of s mS f be as
| different In some particulars. They are CRATE
ipl for the tips given them. AND acknowledGe
| this feeling TO the patron who Is liberal to them
| even in small way.
Il the sntertanmeRWt . on the stage Of the
Ssther sn s 80 Both t a1T
Ger Fhe resdns the
hood. who must know Of the place: never select
made no attempt to attract. The only thing
that gave the performance any qua lty COM
mon to that OF other similar nj, shows when The
sonRs in the conventional music hall manner.
| Her success with the audience was slight. 1t
was with no idea OF appealing to an American
clientele that she was on the programme. The
ETY. which 1t is not at all easy to find in view Of
the scarcity Of Italian performers to be had
the last not a suggestion OF -" rag time OBJ
truded itself Even the Americ ian girl. not an
to sentimental ballads. and did not dare at
! tempt coon song in such an unconGenial
! atmosphere.
the emf oil last week. The music hall usually
! enloysa regular patronage sufficient to make
beer which was the only beverage drunk. The
tables near the stage were occupied mainly by
scented in the audience. So was nearly every
degree OF certain moderate prosperity.
suggestion of dandlhedness In their apparel.
an imitation of the cheap smartness that has
| come to be within the reach OF almost the
poorest now. These were grocers from the
shops in the ncighborhooi. dressed with sort
| OF substantial poverty that indicated no real
want Thin-tacet. bright-eyed men,, gray
haired and unshayen. OF the kind seen
| at barrel organ or over uiles OF waste
| and refuse. were present These were
| day workingmen in their patched and
| dusty clothes with only a soilsd handkerchief
tied about their necks while the others wore
stylish collars and ties. Men in shiny broud-
cloth trousers. which proclaimed them waters
from the restaurants in the neighboIhOad or
| further uptown. sat at the same table With the
| luDorer OF a much seVerer school. All kinds
OF their race were there. and there was only
that one common hJnu between them.
An American could have felt no more out OF
the atmosphere had lie found himself in some
| Italian town The glass of beer that sat on
the tn BILE IN front OF these men was no suhsti-
tute Tor what happened on the stage and no
| mitigation for It. The orchestra playing the
| overture the other might took more time at It
than the audience Thought necessary. So there
| was Il spontaneous ONT burst against the ex-
cess OF preliminary music, Suddenly men
| began to whistle. applaud. and grUan.