The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-03

to destroy Christus. Dathan approaches
Judas and bribes him with priests money
10 betray where Christus will pass the
night. This leads up 10 the arrest, trial
and crucifxion.
Unit. the last moment il seemed that
the first performance in this years Sc
ries would be given amid cold rain and
sleet and most wintry surround ngs. Ten
years ago these would have been almost
impossible conditions, FOR both perform
ers and audience then assembled In a
rooness theater The new partly covered
theater, built with the proceeds OF the
1880 performances. does not look so much
like an engine shed as one would suppose
from the photographs. 1t holds nearly
1900 spectators; there are 1,59S seats al
: s.. 80; fs6 at s.. 54i at $l.50. COS at 81 and
65s at 80 cents. This gives a total OF
Sl75OO0 for the twenty-seven regular per-
formances. while extra ones are to be
given when too many visitors reach the
village for the theater 10 hold in one day.
In 1880 the 700 performers received SS0,0oO:
Mayer the Christus, received $500; the
conductor Of the orchestra $50. Every
thing else was spent on the theater ana
the village. Drains were built, new
hospital founded, drawing and carving
schools established. waterworks built and
the poor provided for. The stage Is 40
feet broad and s6 feet deep. In the CEN
ter. twenty feet from the front. is a
.wide-curtained prCscenium, on each SIDE
OF which is a balconied house. that Of
Annas on the lett and that of PLATE on
the right. These are separated from the
Trosce1iUm by ports or roads which LEAD
10 Jerusalem. The stage except the
! proscenium) is uncovered. the noun
tains. yesterday covered with snow. form
ling a background on one side.
\ The most impressive thing of all was
: the Schultz-Ge ster or chorus OF twenty
women and sixteen men. They hle on
with solemn step and me the front OF
the stage. Their long robes form bril-
liant and harmonious chord OF color. The
1 choragus or leader recites the prologue 10
! each act. pointing out the lessons 1t en-
forces. the chorus sings and then with
draws for the scene or retires to each side
for tableau-
The play commenced yesterday with
Christ's entry into Jerusalem. From the
back of the stage the "vOlk' came slow
,ly. waving branches. chanting march
choraie. one of the most successful pieces
in the Passion music. on. on they came,
all looking backward toward Christ, I'll
II seems as though an innumerable mul-
titude of men, women and children were
streaming on to the stage. Then the
Christus appeared. meek and sitting up
on colt, the foal Of an ass" The pros
cenium represented the Temple hiled
with traders, sellers of doves and lambs
etc. Christ-for all thought OF Anton
Lang. the actor. has disappeared from
the mind-turns them out with blows, oV-
erthrowing their tables. the doves releas'
ed from their wicker cages fly away into
the blue air. and the scene closes wiuf
Nathaniel. a leader OF me priests, prom
isiug the traders their revenge.
/ 1t would take too long to tell OF every
one of the eighteen scenes. IN addition Z
which there are twenty-three tableau'
taken from the old Testament. Thes'
are used to illustrate the scenes. For eN
ample a marvellous scene representing
the falling of the mama in the wilder
ness. in which there must be over hun
dred figures. precedes the Last supper.
representation OF the despair OF Cafi
ushers in the act in which Judas return
the thirty pieces of silver and hangs him
self.
The representation lasted from a. n