The times., 1901-04-28

stage doors. After time the regularity
I OF their life becomes habitual and | have
( had to dispense with only three since the
/ season began. This alone is a remarka-
/. bic record, for opera and burlesque COM
/ paniCS lose some of their chorus at al
: most every city.
One old stager said to me recently,
when she asked for an engagement and
| told her the rules. Umph, you ought 10
run seminary. | wOuldn think of en-
during such tyranny The girls I have,
however. don't know the contrary meth
cd of living and their chaperons are
eagie-eyed in watching for any tendency
toward 'ldckovers. Moreover. 1 know
the parents of all the girls and a warning
from me that I Will write home generally
accomplishes all l desire.
oh, yes. l have had some callow
youths try to break the Gordon surround
ing the young women when they learned
their dtVinities were hedged in on all
sides, but there We never been any H0wcrS,
mash notes, or late suppers visible to
my eyes. | might add that at this time
they take as much pride in maintaining
the discipline as | do and their esprit du
corps is as much in evidence as in a mill
tary company and l am naturally very
proud of them"
Frank Pixley, a newspaper writer, who
used to grind out a column of readable
paragraphs on the Chicago Times-Her-
aid, and whose attention has lately been
turned to writing for the stage, has just
sold his latest product. King DOdo' to
Henry w. Savage, proprietor Of the Cas-
tie Square opera companies who will
give it production in the Windy City dur
ing the summer Mr.. Pixley work has
been well received in Washington. and
two more enjoyable performances than
The BUrgOm3SteT' and The Carpetbag
ger have not been here for some time.
The music for King Dodo" will be writ
ter by Gustave Luders whose tuneful
Tale Of the Kangaroo" of The Burgo-
master is nightly whistied by the gal
leryites at the Columbia.
Rose Coghlan, who for some years has
been devoting her talents to the enter
tainment of vaudeville audiences. Will
next year make a trip through Mexico.
Yucatan. and Cuba, in Diplomacy and
several other pieces. in which she has
been seen in years past Miss Coghlan
Will be supported by what her managers
claim will be a good company.
Prior to crossing the border. the actress
VIII make q brief tour of this country.
Managers George Lederer and NJ 3. Lea
witt have secured a chain Of thirty some
theatres. throughout Mexico and the con-
tiguous territory. and will present during
the season number of attractions from
the United States.
Miss Coghlan. who in private life is
the wife Of John T. Sullivan. of the La
fayette stock company. may be accom-
panied on her tour by her husband
The engagement of the Bostonians at
the National Theatre last week was nota-
bic if for no other reason than that II
served to introduce a new singer to
Washington in the person of Adele Raf-
ter, a young girl on whose shoulders has
fallen the cloak of Jessie Bartlett Davis.
and one who for the first time since the
retirement of Mrs. Davis from the or
ganization has adequately filled the lat
ter's place. The Bostonians had many
prima donnas in the old days, but Jessie
Bartlett Davis made the contralto roles
so conspicuous that somehow they came
to be considered the star parts and her
from the company created a
vacancy it seemed impossible to fiji. But
In Miss Rafter singer has at last been
found who can breathe 20 Promise Me-
in the old soulful way and whose An
gelus'' is a gem.
Miss Rafter's voice is rich and her
tones are broad. mellow, and as clear as
Il bell She brings her head into gener-
GUS requiSitiOn. and when head and I
heart get together in singers art, the
result is obvious. Miss Rafter has ali
the requirements for successful ca {
reer-voice. beauty, magnetism. and, best Z
Of all, she is young. II is a relief to see a /
young woman these days who is as capa- /
Die and as pleasing as the new contralto I
If the Bostonians and her engagement is /
a source of cOngratulatiOn for the mana /
gers of the company and of gratitude on /
The part of the public.
a Times representative met Miss Raf- /
ter during a performance at the National /
last week and on becoming inquisitive. /
learned that this is the singers first pro (
feSsiOnal season
Yes" she said. ''rnine is a literal case
Jf from church to stage, for up to last /
tall ] was the contralto in an Episcopal .
church in New York Four years ago
went to Paris, where / studied for two
ears. Fanchon Thompson, who sang with
he English Grand Opera Company in the
sarly part of the season. went over when .
did and We were fellOW-studentS there.
Miss Thompson has beautiful voice, is
-ery pretty and magnetic, and l am sure :
she viii yet make Americans proud OF
Ter. I went in for grand opera, and Of
curse studied all the heavier roles. Ones
deas and aspira tions are apt to carry one
before them at times, and my opportu-
lity to sing some Of them here has not
Is vet presented itself. In fact, II seems
Iuite ludcrOus that the first role l ever
ung i'm public was Dorothy in The Run
.way Girl which calls for the rendering
# Oh, Listen 10 the Band stayed with
he company a month and then Joined the
3ostOnians.
MY season has been very satisfactory.
The people in the company are so con-
-enial. ard | like the music. our operas
ire beautiful and / enjoy singing them,
hough I believe I am q little partial to
The Serenade'-in fact the whole com
,any is No; | shall not go back TO
hurch music. I am in opera to stay-that
$, if the public and the newspapers will
ct me. We depend on them very much,
or both have all to do with the making
II marring of our careers. | hope to
ave the good will of both This is my
rst visit to Washington and l have seen
ust enough 10 make me want to come
ack very soon, so don't be surprised to
ee me-
Manager T. Daniel Frawley, the we'll
nown Washington player, whose stock
is one of the landmarks of San
francisco, has been in New York during
he past week selecting players for his
and securing options of plays
OF his use during the coming engagement
t the FraWIey company in Frisco this
. ....t - L.. Ill