The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-10
THE PASSING SHOW.

Reginald DeKoven, during a matinee
performance of his Foxy CUTLER at the
National Theatre last Wednesday, in
dulged in "reminiscences anent the for
tunes of comic operas and called the at
tention of his listeners to the fact that
his most successful composition, Robin
Hood was during its first year an almost
absolute financial failure, although the
few people that went to see it pronounced
1t a wholly delightful and enjoyable per-
Torrance.
According to Mr.. DeKoven. during the
initial season of the now famous opera no
manager could be found who wanted to
play Robin Hood simply because it al
most invariably failed to attract paying
audiences.
1t was impossible to secure time at any
Boston theatre and to give the residents
OF that city an opportunity to hear the
piece it was necessary to rent the Boston
| Music Hall, place not regularly given
over to theatrical performances, and where
| ii remained for three or four weeks to uni
| formly bad business. The box office re-
ceipts averaged about $500 performance.
The Bostonians' management next tried
TO present the sheriff of nottingham and
his merry companions in New York, but
no manager could be found who had suffi-
cient faith in the music of Mr.. DeK0ven
and the lyrics of Harry B. Smith to book
the organization, and at last, after every
| other resource had been exhausted. it was
brought to the Standard Theatre, now the
| Manhattan. According to the terms Of
! the contract the BostonianS had to rent
the theatre outright, paying $1,000 week
and guaranteeing five weeks occupancy of
! the playhouse. This engagement failed to
I bring money to the Golfers of the Barna-
' l1a. rfafTN1 a he
| time the five weeks had expired the deficit
was rather large. The next time robin
| Hood came to New York it played to
| over $4,000 and it is always good for this
| sum every week it appears on Broadway.
The same fight for recognition that was
made in the metropolis was experienced in
almost every city IN the country in which
the opera was presented during that now
memorable first season.
1t is curious fact that one Of the
most popular songs in the opera. THE
: Brown October Ale," never received an
encore during the early performances and
Mr.. Mcdonald became so thoroughly dis
gusted with it that he requested Mr.. De
Koven to eliminate the number. Inst cad,
the composer touched II up a bit and sUg-
gested to Mr.. Mcdonald a few changes
in his manner of singing it. with the re-
suit that it Immediately became the best
song allotted to the Bostonians' baritone.
II am firmly convinced" concluded Mr.
De Koven, that II the airs in Robin
Hood were of the catchy order and not
of the kind that second and third hear
ings are almost necessary to bring out
the beauties in them. that it would faSe
been laid on the shelf long ago. No good
opera can hope 70 =Beeome popular until
people have had a chance TO hear 1t more
than one time and appreciate its real
merits. If it can be kept before the pub
lie that long, its success is assured. pro-
viding, Of course, that 1t has the right
stuff in it,
A writer who evidently follows the do
ings of the dramatic world quite closely
has submitted the following interesting
and novel tale of the present theatrical
year with the request that it be printed
in The Times
AT the White Horse Tavern" "Cyra-
no de Bergerac" was intently watching
THE Maneuvres OF Jane" as she played
THE First Violin for THE Ambassador"
She had just finished playing a beautiful
Aria when THE Kings Musketeer"
accompanied by his Brother Officers"
came in singing THE Song of the Sword"
They looked for THE Little Minister"
who had succumbed to the charms Of the
immoral "Sapho" and the two had eloped,
probably Because She Loved Him So
The DeReQeTales were loudly de-
nounced by The Christian" who, with
THE Girl From Maxim's,' had just ruin
ed "a Rich Mans Son" They were cap
tured. however. Twelve Months Later
by Sherlock Holmes" and were sent
way Down East" which was THE Only
Way" TO get rid of them.
'.Papa's Wife who was More Than
Queen" and, who had THE Pride of Jen-
nico," had just arrived with My Lady's
Lord" and proceeded to play game of
cards for THE Great Ruby" at which
Hearts Are Trumps." They were inter
rupted by THE Bugle Call" which an
nounced the arrival of Lord and Lady
Algy," together with Miss Hobbs who |
were known at the tavern as Three Lit !
tie Lambs" After enquiring Why Smith /
Left Home" and What Happened to /
JONES' Algy said to Rip Van Wrinkle"
who was seated on The Sunken Bell'' |
reading "a Partisan Romance" Give Me |
Five Shillings," but Rip had just given his /
last penny to Barbara Frietchie," who |
had spent it on THE Man in the Moon
David Harum' said that if he had Ben
Hur' he would have given it to "A Greek
Slave" This led to angry words. but
oliver Goldsmith" stepped forward. made
The Sign OF the Cross and parted The
Rivals" asking them if they thought the
tavern was The School for Scandal"
THE Gay Lord Quex" then began TO
tell of Lady Huntworth's Experiment at
Sag Harbor' with The Children of the
Ghetto" Naughty Anthony" who was
His Fathers Son." had just married
My Daughter in Law, but they had Am
Honeymoon, because His
ExcelIency the Governor" arrived at the
tavern with "A Royal Family" and every
thing was SO crowded that "Robespierre"
put The Girl in the Barracks" and then
The Elder Miss Blossom a
Lady OF Quality, who thought The
Greatest Thing in fhes World" was TO "B
Sharp" Nearly an this happened in "A
Day and a Night and Will probably hap
ben Never Again. But come what may
"A Man and His Wife" better known as
The Cowboy and 1.-The Lady will never
forget those good old days When We
We're Twenty
Local friends of Blanche Bates, who
was, until month Or 20 ago, the leading
lady of the I.afayette Stock Company. will
be pleased to learn lla3 the effort to es-
tablish f.r as a star IN an adaptation by
Paul Peter OF Ogidas novel Under
Two Flags" has been eminenty success
'ul The first performance occurred at
The Garden Theatre. New York last Tues
lay night and the event was one Of the
most propltious OF the present year. The
play proved to be an out-and-out melo- ,
irdma, staged in an elaborate manner. {
David Belasco. who discovered" Miss ,
Bates last year after she had made SEN ,
,ational success in The Great Ruby" at :
DAYS. came in for good share of the ,
praise for the excellence of the produc-