New-York tribune., 1901-09-29
ROYALTY AT THE PLAY.
FONDNESS OF MONARCHS FOR THE
DRAMA-KING EDWARD HIS OWN
CENSOR-THE KAISER SUPER
INTENDS REHEARSALS.

There Is so much that is theatrical and that
partakes of the stage in the ceremonial and
etiquette which prevail at the courts Of Old
World royalty that 1t would seem natural for
the anointed of the Lord to be averse TO
dramatic entertainments and to the presenta-
tiOn before the footlights of scenes that must
necessarily he a more or less cheap and tawdry
mimicry of their own doings and surroundings.
And yet this is far from being the case. Actors
and actresses themselves, and forced by the
nature of their calling TO spend the greater por-
tion of their existence in the glare, not of the
footlights, but of that fierce light of publicity
that beats around a throne, condemned to
spectacular mode of life. and forming part of
same prediction for theatres by way of re-
taxation as do professional Thespians. The lat
ter when they have any spare time on their
hands. and wish 20 enjoy themselves. seem to
prefer attendance at some dramatic performance
to any other form of pastime, and so 1t Is
with their fellow actors and actresses on the
thrones of Europe who seem to find their great
est enjoyment in theatrical entertainments
To judge from the cable dispatches from Paris
describing the visit of the Czar land Czarna to
France there was nothing that afforded the
Autocrat so much pleasure during his stay as
the representation given by the artists of the
not alone in his fondness for entertainments of
this kind is demonstrated by the fact that state
performances at the opera and at the theatre
are among the principal features on the pro-
gremme of all royal festivities, whether they be
in connection with visit from some foreign
sovereign some important celebration of a
national or dynastic character. Sometimes the
performance takes place in the private theatre.
nth which almost every royal palace is
equipped, but more frequently the scene of the
entertainment is one of the crown theatres or
the grand opera house. which is closed on that
night the general public, and restricted TO the
invited guests of the executive
The spectacle presented by the house at such
times as these is wonderfully brilliant. as all
the are in ball or court dress, with jewels
While the men are in uniforms. those of the
Hungarian magnates at the gala performances
of the opera at Vienna, for instance, being OF
harbarc and yet picturesque magnihcence, with
their gems their costly furs and multicolOred
velvets. The drawback to these state perform
ances is that they suffer somewhat from the
circumstance that the attention of the audience
is not wholly given to the stage, being monop-
olized in part by the illustriOus actors and
actress in whose honor the show is given. And
then too the fact that one present Is per
mitted TO show any signs Of approval until the
chief parsonage In the house has deigned 70
give the signal for applause, seems to have
sort OF chilling and dispiritng effect upon the
performers, who seldom at their best on
such occasions. 1t for Venturing to ap-
plaud Nine Melba at the st. Petersburg opera
one night when the late Car and his consort
were present without the customary signal
having been given by the Autocrat that the
Duke of Orleans requested by Muscovlte
court officials to leave not only the house but
likewise the country And this not even
state performance. but merely an ordinary
open to the public. and which
the Emperor and Empress had decided at the
last moment to attend.