Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-20
TALES OF THE THEATRE.

vi the great Mascagni, who brings
to the Illinois Christmas night his
grand opera company of 100 people.
the Portsmouth On. H.)ChronicIe, of
Dec. 4, 1902. says: "Mascagni has
come He has bowed his greeting and
his farewell to the people of Ports
mouth, but the memory of his visit
will not soon be effaced from the
minds of those who comprised the
audience in Music hall Wednesday
evening The great Italian gave
Portsmouth something new. some
thing the like of which ii had never
seen or heard before, and the like of
which it is not likely to see or hear
again in many years. The large audi
ence IN Music hall last evening was
by all odds the SWEETEST and the most
cultivated which has ever gathered in
the local playhouse. 1t was composed
almost wholly by the people who are
best fitted to appreciate and under
stand the splendid music. which was
provided by the singers and the mu-
sicians under Mascagni's direction. As
a director, Sig. Mascagni has few
equals. and it will be questioned if
he has any superiors. His control
of his orchestra and his singers is
marvellous. One sits spell-bound,
thinking of nothing but the man and
hearing nothing but the sweet sounds
he evoIes. The word music has u
different meaning after one has seen
Mascagni. Mascagni's company is as
nearly perfect as any organization,
composed of men and women. could
possibly be. The SoloiStS are artists
and the members of the orchestra
and chorus fall but little below the
rank. The supreme effort of the cho-
rus was the drinking song in 'Caval-
leria Rusticana.' The tempo. precis-
ion and volume left nothing to be de-
sired, ana the accompanying solo by
Sen. SchiavaZzi was Il marvel of har-
mony and pure tone. The gem of the
evenings program. probably, was the
GrcheStra's rendition of the intermeZ-
TO- There are very few people who
have not heard the intermeZZo from
'Cavalleria Rusticana' dozens of
times. To hear it played. however. by
an orchestra chosen, drilled and led
by the composer himself. is quite an
other thing. If everything that Mas
cagni has written, save this one Sc
lection. should suddenly be blotted
from the memory of man, his fame
would still be secure. 1t is one of the
finest bits of music written by a
modern composer. but after hearing it
played. in Music hall last night, one
forgets that one has ever heard it
before. As Mascagni's musicians
play it. it has beauties that could be
brought out by no one else, and its
real splendor is realized for the first
~ Hoosier Daisy" G.. Ii. Eldon's
successful comedy drama, comes to the
Illinois today. matinee and night. The
play deals with life as seen in small
Indiana town and is said TO be one
of strong morals and an interesting
plot, enlightened by better dialogue
than is usually found in the ordinary
run of comedy dramas. 1t will be
made notable by some pretty stage
pictures and will be interpreted by a
company of well-known actors and
actresses in their particular line of
work. Miss Clifton. who assumes the
title role. has at once jumped to the
front rank of successful stars. Since
its initial performance the play is
said to have met with favor in all