Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-04-21
THEATRICAL TOPICS.
SOME SAYINGS AND DOiEOS
IN STACELAND.
Comic Opera still Fiourishes In the
Eastern Metropolis-Jeff de Angels
In the Jolly Musketeer'-Camille de
Arviile In the Highwaymen.
New York Correspondence.)


Comic opera still fourishes, and one
of it's star fourishers this season Is
Jefferson de Angels, whose tour IN
THE Jolly Musketeer" is continuing
auspiciously in the leading theatrical
centers of our frivolity-loving country.
Two seasons ago Mr.. De Angels at
tempted starring tour with dlsas-
trous results, but last season he was
received with such favor as the comic
pivot of the Lillian Russell-Della FOX
Jefferson de Angels combination that
he felt justified in attempting again 10
paddle his own canoe. And this time
he has succeeded.
Many theater-goers may be surprised
to learn Mr.. de Angels is an old stager
of almost thirty years standing. lie
has done his share of work in almost
every style of theatrical entertainment
He was born to the for his father
was a burnt-cork comedian out in the
California of gold-digging days. Jen'
as he is invariably called by his intim-
ates and others who merely know MIN
by constant acquaintance across the
footlights, was born in San Francisco
or thereabouts, and while in his teens
used to make the round of the mining
camps with his sister Sally, doing
songs and dances and giving comic
recitations in exchange for miners
gold. La Petite Sally, as his sister
became known, starred with Jen
around the world in a juvenile Pima
fore" company, of which their father
was manager, and she appeared with
him in half-hour sketches on the varle-
ty stage until $780, and after that IN
NAV called Zone Word" until her
death in 1882 Notwithstanding his
popularity in the west, Jeff yearned for
New York and the East, and nnally
reaching the metropolis, spent several
wears doing German songs and dances
| and other variety work in the cheap
theaters on the Bowery and elsewhere.
n 1887 he was fortunate enough 10
secure a position in the McCaull opera
company, and thereafter took part IN
all the doughty colonel's successes for
three or four seasons, finally drifting
into the Casino company as successor
to Francis Wilson and James I. Pow
ers. Two seasons as leading comedian
with Della Fox, the disastrous attempt
to star in 1.-The Caliph," already re-
ferred to, preceded his triple-star sue
cess with Lillian Russell and Della
Fox.
The thought of comic opera come
dams naturally turns attention towards
the center of the stage where the
prima donna so frequently battles her
self in the lime-light glare. Sometimes
she is prima donna only In name; she
may be first lady in the company, but
she is not always able to entrance the
audience with voice as sweet and
charming as her presence. On the
American stage there are really very
few prima donnas in comic opera who
can sing, and one of that few is Miss
Camille D'Arville, who has spent over
ten years on our stage at the head Of
prominent companies. Strange to say
although my visits to the theater In
that period have been more than or
dinarily numerous, l have never
CHANGED to see Miss D'Arville and must
rely for a judgment of her work upon
the opinion of theirs. She is now
singing the leading part in 1.-THE High
wayman," the comic opera built by
Reginald de Koven and Harry B. Smith
as a successor to the perennially pop
ular robin Hood" Miss D'Arville Is
of Dutch parentage and birth and spent
the first fifteen years of her existence
} among the bikes and bitches of quaint
: old Holland, where she discovered
soul of music within her and voice
. wherewith to express it, and accord
ingly set out for Vienna to stndy the