Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-22
MUSIC


hancy that has rarely been equaled. 1t mas
baan a long time since Washington has
seen a really great production; and II must
ha q cautious critic who would deny THIS
anIthet 10 The Darling of the Gods Ii
Affords a brilliant and yet an almost uls-
bearteuing contrast to the general run OF
shows-"shows' in the most bare ana per
frnctory sense of the word-that Washing
TON has been so far compelled to accept. II
was a relief all too leettng, from de-
pressing monotony Mr.. Belasco pos.-
ponements, which are coming 10 pe lesai"
ed as inevitable, are annoying IN tnat 'iiey
crowd what should normally be one or even
two weeks business into the space OF three
DAYS. Many people fail to see the produc-
ton. and those who do are compelled 10
take chances on being seated A Beiasco
production has (as the press agent mas on
several occasions so truly observeo) come
TO he regarded with confidence by the play
going public of this CITY, and Mr.. Belasco
assures the theatergoers here that ne likes
them; that he esteems their opinions ana
regards them as mascots; than which last
assurance there's is no higher compliment
in the theatrical profession. In the MIDST
of SO much mutual admiration II Wouid
seem that Mr.. Belasco might arrange 1or
a more extended view of his massive pro-
auctions He should not permit even stress
OF circumstances to cause an apparent
slight to the playgoers Of this city Who
since he has followed ''Zaza' with a
..Du Barry and a ''Du Barry with a
Darling of the Gods" will stand ready Tor
some time to welcome him with hands out
stretched and full of money.
IT looks as If Andrew Mack had in "A
Bold Soger Boy another Of those sub
stantial matter-of-Course successes so dear
to the hearts of managers. A play which
keeps people coming night after night ana
season after season, as. for instance, Tom
Moore" has DONE can be forgiven for not
creating a metropolitan furore. II 1t mas
an interesting story, sharp flavor OF melo-
drama, with a discreet sweetening of love
interest and a dash Of melody now ana
then from Mr.. Mack, the public Will step
I'D and quaff literally, VOW 1t Is fine ana
wholesome and never think of quarreilns
with the bill Mr.. Mack has undoubtedly
established himself as favorite
X
Otis Harlan, Little Chip and the rest OF
the old friends were welcomed as usual at
the Lafayette. They appear to nave
repertoire that is as inexhaustible and per-
hapS almost DIS luCl dliFc % AAA'SN -
natus purse This time they produced
"a Stranger in a Strange Land and turn
ed It into a musical comedy, with results
which the audiences voted entirely salts
factory.
Like TO rumblings of distant thunder
come hints that the stage hands Oh the
Washington theaters are likely to do des-
perate deeds, but they have not asserted
themselves beyond walking out no" ana
then and thereby causing the managers
more or less serious individual annoyance
The differences between the stage hands
and the managers have not as yet become
visible to the naked eye across the 1ool-
lights unless the auditor chances to be.
very keen observer indeed. During the per-
<oru,ance of The Emerald Isle II became
necessary for the attaches in front or the
house to remove their Tuxedo coats and get
to handling scenery. On that evening the
moon went wrong. 1t rose and set spas
medically, and at last a mans face appear
ed In it, The man was looking across the
stage to see whether the moon was proper
" focused. There appears to be an era of
general discomfort among the stage hands.
whose grievances arise rather from techni-
calities than from any general claim that
they are ,overworked or underpaid The
managers feel confident that the situation
has been satisfactorily and successfully
met and that hereafter the moons and the
rest OF the stage paraphernalia will work
OF schedule time.
Love Of flowers is a striking characteristic
Of the life OF Eleonora Duse, the famous
Italian actress, who will be seen in this city
next week, after an absence OF seven years.
Madame Duse carries this passion through
her plays, and when there are no flowers
she originates situations for them. 1t was
at Verona in the Juliet Of Shakespeare that
Madame Duse gave the first indication of
her marvellous art. She was only fifteen
at the time. and she came before the audi
ence decked with flowers In every scene
she appeared with blooms Of a different
color and the symbolism and beauty Of the
device delighted the spectators. In old
number Of the Revue de Paris, there is an
interesting account of this performance:
The idea OF flowers has remained a domi-
nant note in the stage life of Nine. Duse.
The moment In which Marguerite gives Ar
mard a camellia-a moment almost unno-
ticed by the audience in the Interpretation
OF other actre sses-is in that of Madame
Duse one Of the best executed and is
charged with a world OF meaning. What
promises and hopes lie IN the soft petals of
the camtlia! And when her eye waEders
from the flower TO Armand, and from him
10 IL again. when, after some hesitation, she
offers il TO him with a resolute movement
OF her extended arm-as II in that act were
the entire dedication Of her soul-what does
she not express by her sad smile and trou-
bled glance, In La Femme de Claude
when CCsarine prepares to seize the soul of
Antoire-what work of seduction does she
not assign TO that mass OF flowers with
which she thrills him by passing It over
the hands and face OF her prey. When
Cosimo Dalbo. in La Gioconda,' relates
the story OF the wonderful power of the
amulet. Silvia turns large piteous eyes
from time TO time toward Lucio, who
stands beside her, accompanying the look
with swift and furtive pressure to his
nostrils OF the roses she has in her hands.
In Ma gda. when Councillor Keller pre-
ents her with bouquet. she, with gesture
Of contempt and barely touching the flowers
with her hands, throws them on the table.
never averting her eyes, full of hatred and
ferocity, from his stupefied gaze. In the
beginning of "Hedda Gabler'' she lays
basket OF violets on the table, and now
and then takes them out in little Clusters
and buries her face in them, seeming to
drink their fragrance. In Francesca Da
Riminf' she tends red roses growing in
disused Byzantine sarcophagus. When
Cleopatra, in company with her women
and in the expectation of desired news has