Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-14
NO USE FOR GRAND OPERA


and pair Of beady little red eyes occr-
pied an orchestra seat one place removed
from an aisle at the grand opera perform
ance OF Romeo and Juliet last week He
fumbled his huge watch chain neryously
before the curtain went up on the first act
Inc overture didn't appear to make much
OF hit with him. The whirling baton of
the conductor seemed to have a certain
fascination for him, and he watched its ay-
ing gyrations narrowly. But there was no
indication of ecstasy on his countenance
over the music. Just before the curtain
assembled upon the first scene of the onera
"el-built young man with extremely
well-cnlseied features and large. thoughtful
eyes stepped down the aisle and toox tho
aisle seat next to the stolid-Iookino c;t;,an
Inc latter sized the newcomer mn ont of
! ! corner of his eyes. The curtain was
just about to go up. ~
Bum music and GRAVY of ,b,. ho.,
remarked the beady-eyed man in a hoarse
thoughtful eyes ~ 'A-e
The latter smiled vaguely, but did not re-
ply. linen the performance began The
man In the aisle seat listened to the sing
ing OF the principals with obvious interest
eitnousn without manifest enthusiasm ex-
cept when Melba's fute-like tones were
heard IN the waltz song Then his ewes
Sparkled. and he looked a picture of un-
uelltsonslrative appreciation. The beady-
W q
thing with an indulgent smile. He mot
only included the people on the stage with
IN the precincts of his derisiye smile hut
the audience as WELL He gazed around at
the quiet people with a leer. as who would
say Well just look at this bunch of
make-belleves, pretending they're enjoying
TINS howling, when all of ems laundering
for tuner'
When the curtain came down on the first
act ne still wore his folded smile He turn
eo 10 the thoughtful-eyed young man occu-
py .ii the aisle seat, and said he:
Funny how we bunco ourselves right
along, all through life amt it? Here am
again. Coughed up V to get this seat.
Last time l saw one O. these here things
caIied grand operas L swore I'd never sit
through another of en- and | swore the
same thing the time before that. and the
time before that again. and yet here / am
now, trying to make myself think I'm get
ing my i've dollars worth. Easy money,
The thoughtful-eyed young man smiled
vaguely.
You do not enjoy music of this order,
.nen, perhaps?' he inquired in a subdued
'oh, l try tic bluff myself into the belief
That do. like all the rest of EN-" replied
the oeady-eyed man, apparently delighted
at the opportunity for talk. Just come
around every year to see one of these here
grand opera shows because it's the real
thing and everybody does it. But it comes
e every , near putting nut IN me out o business
Blooming sell. and that's no lie"
Odd, is 1t not, that you should voun-
tarlly inf1ict such punishment upon YOUR
seif?' inquired the beady-eyed mans seat
mate, with no great amount of interest in
his voice. "
oh. 1 just follow the push. that's ALL"
was the reply. Like to have a look at
and so on. But the shows-thcse here
grand opera shows-strike me as being the
inonKeylst things that ever happened. No
head nor tail to EN-. Now. how the dick
ems q We S pose I'd know what's happening
on the stage in this here Romeo nd Juliet
business if hadn't ha' seen the play. with
the folks on the stage talking it in Eng
lish?"
We'll, there are librettos, YOU know"
suggested the young man in the aisle seat.
Well, 1 don't come to the theayter to
read y see, readily answered the man
WIN me piastered hair Now. take some
@ these here Dutch grand opera things
that I've coughed up five spots to see il.
the past. Take that what-choo-cail-it
Long Green thing, FIR instance. Let's see
of 50 see. Nd 1 give you my solemn
word l don't know yet what tn deuce it's
all about Got no idea. even, what it's
about Dutchman comes out in a suit of
TN armor and a big lead sword dangling
between his legs, and he bawls .Achr and
list" and 'Hein.' and Lieber" and the
big stout woman in white clothes does the
same thing, and then duck that's called
king stomps out and bawls lot O. stuff,
and then the tin-armored chap steps on to
the back of a wooden swan and is jerked
off the stage, and the fat woman in the
white dress does considerable more screeca-
ing, and SO on, and so on. And every time
you think one of EN- on the stage is going to
quit bawling and actually give you a chune
for your money, something happens and
they change their minds and begin a-shout-
ing again. Queer game, that"
You do not admire the German opera,
them, ventured the young man, yawning.
We'll, l guess nod. ain'd i'd" was the
quick response. Went couple O. years
ago to see a thing called 'Seeg-fry-ed'
my hat if a mug with no more clo'es on
than a grizzly bears pelt didn't come out
the first rattle out O. the box and hammer
on an anvil for fully forty minutes, and
howl cusses at the audience in Dutch
Well, of all the funny
Then the curtain went up When the
curtain descended on the second act the
young man with the thoughtful eyes quick
ly took his hat from beneath the seat and
started to walk out. He was besieged by
lot Of ladies and gentlemen before he had
taken many steps, for Walter Damrosch is
a good deal of a social fayorite hereabouts
The beady-eyed man heard the people be-
hind him addressing his just-departed seat
mate Mr.. Damrosch.'
"Damrosch-Damrosch." he was heard 20
mutter to himself. burned f / don't
b'lieve that's the Dutchman that conducts
those-why, of course it is, Well. | put a
bug in his ear, anyhow give him some
thing to think about.