Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-12
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| MUSIC
MUSIC

close. and will depart with both grace ana
dignity; for there could be nothing more
graceful than the chorus whichFrancls VIII
son will present in "Erminie" next week, ana
nothing more dignified than translation
from the German dramatic poet. Hauptmah'
such as E. H. Sothern will exploit Inc
week which closes tonight was mace IN
teresting by the Daniel Frohman produc-
ton of THE Maneuvers of Jane" and by
the return Of De Wolf Hopper In THE
Charlatan." A vaudeville performance at
the Lafayette seemed little strange In its
surroundings. Camille D'Arvile caroled
with operate dignity for many dollars per
song at the New Grand, and the Academy
took well-earned rest after the experience
with The Hustler" Herman had CHEEKY
and sociable aggregation of comedians and
songstresses. and the Bijou closed its doors
for an executive session to discuss plans for
the future. The Midway Carnival made a
gigantic effort to get away with all the
loose change in town
Next week brings the Academy back into
the field with one of the biggest aggrega-
tons OF colored performers ever organized.
Manager Luckett has just returned from
New York, where arrangements were COM
pleted for the summer stock company at
the Columbia Theater. In addition to VIM.
Morris and Katherine Grey, Louise Thorn
dyke Boucicault. Eleanor Carey and Chas.
Stanley have been secured. Jack Mason
may join the company. Men and Women"
will open the season.
Charles Henry Meltzsr. the translator
into English of THE Sunkep Bell" speaks
as follows of his first meeting with Ger
hart Hauptmarn, the famous German
dramatist, when he first visited this coun-
try. The occasion was the time of the pro-
"Hanele," that caIsed such 9 sensation
when it was first done at the Fifth Avenue
Theater.
Il met him for the first time at a little
country inn at Riverside, Gem. Instead of
the aggressive, self-confldent man 1 had
fancied him, l saw a-student, almost an
ascetic. His beyish air and shrinking
gravity were curisalsly at variance with the
though tortured lips, Nand the experience
in his pale and weary eyes. lie had a
smooth face. high forehead. crowned
with short and careless hair, and a we'll
street l might have set him down as a
young curate or seminari5t. A painful
retrospective. haunted earnestness was
stamped upon his face-the face of think
er. dreamer, genius.
A test of Washing tons wishes in the
matter of continuous polite vaudeville will
be made by Manager Chase of the New
Grand week after next. 1t will be made.
however. under the most favorable condi-
tons. as that week marks the gathering
here of the Shriners. There will be fif-
teen high-class attractions on the bill and
the performance will begin at pm and
run continuously ten hours. In that time
the entire fifteen acts will probably have
each been on the stage three times.
II was wonderfully impressed with the
LOYALTY of the RritiSh W n
London" said De Wolf Hopper the other
day. 1T is not manifest merely in the up
per classes, but every one is stanch sup
porter Of the government in its carrying on
the war in South Africa. The audiences
at the theaters and music halls reflect the
feeling of the country. When the British
are successful the attendance is large, and
when news of disaster to Great Britain
comes no one wants to go to a place of
amusement.
Il came very near taking a lease of a
theater for a year and remaining in London
but the victory and disaster of Spion Kop
determined me to come back to America and
go over to LONDON again next year. l made
a personal hit in the English METROPOLIS
and my company and the operas were we'll
liked. 1 think that if it had been produced
first The Charlatan' would have made
greater success than Ell CAPTAIN in
which l made my first appearance.
you can't imagine" he continued, "my
anxiety on the first night l opened The
house was packed and all the Americans in
seats were sold: tried to get two seats for
Charles Frohman but l couldn't procure
them for love or money. / told him he
might come back and stand in the wings.
but he didn't want to do that At first the
audience didn't know how to take me- 1t
was a new thing to the English to see a
great big fellow like me acting the buffoon,
and then they found out could sing. and
that surprised them. What finally caught
them however. was my speech before the
curtain. l was advised by the managers
not to make a speech but T. had to. for the
Americans in the house wouldn't let me
off. 1t was a big hit and the most cordial
relations between me and the audience were
established.
big, and 1 think it was because others in
the company had chance as well as nv
self. In Eel Captain l am practically the
show. while in the 'Char.atan there is a nice
little love story. and both Miss Bergen and
Mr.. Blake became favorites."
How about the Spion kop news that you
mentioned a little while ago?' he was
asked.
'Oh, I'll tell you. had week in which
to make up my mind about taking the the
alter, and during that week the news of
the capture and retreat from that hill was
received. There was great anxiety about
Gen. Buffers movements. and when the
news came that he had taken the hill ey-
erybody went wild The few theaters that
were open were crowded. Then there was
no further news the next day, and the
anxiety returned Then came the informa-
ton that the British, were compelled to
retreat because they could not hold the
hill. and every one was stricken with grief.
No one wanted amusement. introduced
Sousa's Hands Across the Sea- and we
sang 1t with the union Jack and the stars
and stripes joined The audience applauded,
for they think great deal of America over
there, but they rather resented the SYM
pathy, for they feel that the war is their
particular funeral and they want to con-
duct it in their own way and by themselves
They don't want anyhody's sympathy. No
one there has any doubt as to the result,
whether the war lasts three months longer
or three years, and they are all determined
that the government shall eventually win.
There is one thing that struck me as Pc
culiarly pathetic and that was the number
OF people whom 1 met on the street with
Grape on their arms. There have been SO
many officers killed and the ramihcations
of the families of the nobility are very ex-
tensiye. so that when one officer Is killed
there are a great many who become mourn
ers. 1 have a very kindly feeling for the
English people They treated me well. and
some Of the members of my own profess
sion went much out Of their way to be
kindly toward me. I hope to renew the
pleasant feelings when return there next
fall"
Messrs voelckel and Nolan, managers of