New-York tribune., 1902-06-09
FRENCH THEATRE SEASON,
SOME PROMISING YOUNG ACTRESSES
DEVELOPED.
PeHs. May II

has been one of unusual interest. The theatre,
have done better business than for sevAr,1
years past. The number Of new plays lyric and
dramatic that has been brought out excssdv
previous records; altogether about one h,nsrsa
and seventy-six new plays operas have bAen
produced in Paris since September. Some %
these have attained genuine success such a.
the society comedy Les Deux Ecoles." by Al.
fred Capus; "LEnigme," by Paul Hervieu; the
satirical vaudeville lie Marquis de Priola." bv
Henri Lavedan: the frisky mundane comedy
Madame FliFt." by Gavault; the military farce
LIE Billet de Logement," by Antony Mars
'Lueette" by Romain Coous, and 'Loute" bv
Pierre weber-both stories Of left-handed mar
riages little one act comedy called lie Cceur
ses Raisons," by sardou's son-in-law, Robert
de Flers; the medieval drama Mona Wanna"
by Maeterlinck. and perhaps Brieuxs somewhat
risky venture Petite Amie," at the Theatre
Franeais. Among the new operas that have
been well received by the public "Gris6idis"
by Massenet, and "PeIleas ct Nssande" by
Claude Dubussy, both OF which were brought
out at the Opera Comique.
Several young actresses have developed dur
ing the season and now promise to attain fore
most rank. Mile Suzanne Despres. who last
year was so successful in Poll de Carotte' at
the Theatre Antoine, gave remarkable i'm
personation of a young eannibal girl brought
suddenly into contact with Partisan civilization
in De Curei's powerful drama La File Sau-
wage" and made her debut in April at the
Theatre Franeais in Brieux's Petite Annie"
has made for herself position almost unique
Mile Suzanne Despres is essentially the woman
of the people" She exeeIs in delineating the
temperament, the sadness. pathos and sensibil-
ity Of the Partisan working girl. She invariably
triumphs in characters which elicit from the
Sunday afternoon public sympathy and tears
Mile Suzanne Despres would fairly revel in
playing the women characters of Dickens's
novels She has the magnetism Of homey
everyday life so different from what is required
by the classical repertery OF the Theatre
Francais and her forthcoming appearances In
the tragedies of Racine are looked forward to
with interest mingled with apprehension.
Mile. Blanche Toutain made so deep i'm
preston on the Partisan critics by the skill and
refinement that she impaired TO the character
of "Yvette' in De Maupassant's novel. adapted
to the stage by Berton, that NJ. Emile Faguet
in referring to her performance wrote: Gentle
men, we have great actress, At Q o'clock she
was debutante, at midnight she was famous
and took her place in the very front rank Of
Partisan artists" Mile Blanche Toutala is 8
sister of the Mile. Toutain who this year
first prizes for both music and painting and
will next year go to Rome, which gives her the
right to avail herself of the advantages Of the
Prix de Rome Academy, this being the first in
stance of such double honors ever being won
by a woman. Mile. Blanche Toutain is gifted
with an imposing physique, is exceedingly at
traetive and possesses raelodious and powerful
voice.
Mile Pierat who scored the highest honeFs
in tragedy and comedy at the Conservatory last
summer has been acting all winter at the
Odeon in ''Brigitte," one of Capus's light COM
edies; in Les Noees COfinthiennes." by Anatoie
France, and in the classic repertery of MolieFe
and of Racine. This talented young woman.
who is barely twenty years of age. has so far
come UP to the expectations formed by Sardeu
and capus, who were among the judges OF her
class at the Conservatory. Mile. PieTat has bean
engaged at the Theatre Franeais. and the
critics predict great things OF her during the
next season.
Mile. Yronne Garrick has for two years been
steadily winning her way at the 0deon, and has
now been engaged at the Theatre FTaneais.
She made a hit in Bissons Chateau Hste-
rique' in Nine. Dugazon" and in various light
comedy parts. Mile. Garrick may be described
as Partisan Maude Adams. She has flexible.
sympathetic voice. and with her graceful figure
is we'll fitted TO double the parts of Mile. Bran
0eS Mile Jeanne fOIl9 mas DCSH uidhlnS HAC5-
ress at the Gymnase, and her irnpersonation OF
"Lucette'' in the bright and subtle comedy OF
that name, by Roman CooIus, has called forth
enthusiastic comment from the critics.
At the Opera Miss Bessie Abbott, who made
highly successful debut as Juliet in singing with
Jean de Reszke in Gounod's Romeo and Juliet,
has also made her mark at the Academy Of
Music in the part of the bird in "siegfried." she
unfortunately fell i'll, and obliged to pass
February and the early spring at AeaeheR. Now
Miss Abbott has resumed the part of Juliet.
and her voice has regained its qualities. Miss
Abbott is of somewhat delicate physique, and if
her strength holds out bids fair to realizs the
glowing predictions pronounced by NJ. Gaillard
and by NJ Jean de Reszke The young American
pFima donna sang at the Elysee Palace in a con-
cert given by President Leubet in honor of the
King of Sweden, whe eemplimented her in most
fattering terms. Two American young women.
Miss Parkinson and Miss Chapman. have been
engaged at the Opera Comique. and their direc-
tor, M. Carre. expresses great confidence in the
future careers of his new pensionnaiFes.
The Montmartre singers have been doing good
business this year. FuFsy is remarkable for his
prompt adaptation of the spirit OF the moment.
He never allows foTty-eight hours 20 pass with
out seizing the topic uppermOst in the boulevard
mind, turning it into ringing coupets set 10
catchy music. usually selected from the light.
graceful eighteenth century airs Paul Delret
is more in vogue than ever with his sentimental
ditties, and well earns his s0ubriquet Of the
''Massenet of the Poor" Lucien Boyer and
Numa Bies. two poet singers OF MontmartFe.
have just started on tour around the world
They began their journey with popular concert
at Rouen, whence they embark for London
where they will sing in few music halls, and
thence make their way across the Atlantic 10