Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-05

House Messrs. De Koven and Smith found
the inspiration for their light opera, Rob
Roy,' in the Waverley novel. Amy Rob
sart and the story of kenilworth were the
inspiration of grand opera by Isadore de
Lara, first seen in London at Covent Gar
den, July 20, 1898. The story of the Heart
of Midlothian was used for a pretentious
opera in four acts, called "Jeanie Deans"
Liverpool, February %, 1872. All this is
Interestingly set forth with studious detail
in current magazine article, of
series by Paul Wilstach, which the Book
man is publishing. The first was on Dram
atlzations of Dickens" The second part of
'Dramatizations of Scott is yet to appear,
and articles on dramatizations of Thacke-
ray and of Bulwer will follow.
X
When Julia Marlowe was in London last
summer she spent much time visiting
scenes and places mentioned in when
knighthood Was in Flower" During one
of her trips over the old part of the city
she discovered that Ducks Foot lane near
Cannon street, has nothing at all to do, so
far as the origin of its name is concerned,
with ducks, but was named after the
first Duke of Suffolk This Is the title
which Mary wheeded from Henry VIII for
her humbly born lover, Charles Brandon.
nero of When Knighthood Was in Flow
er. He and many of the subsequent dukes
of his line lived in Ducks Foot lane, and
their town house was called the Manor Of
the Rose. The nearby Cannon street got
it's name, not from heavy artillery but
from candles which were made in it when
1t was known as Candlewick street.
x x
When arrangements were begun In the
summer Of 1900 for the organization of the
"Florodora" company the offices of Fisher
& Ryley in the New York Casino building
were invaded daily by small army of peo-
pie ambitious to be among the ''Pretty
Maidens" and Kind Sirs'' Of the "Floro-
dora chorus, The majority Of them were
the regulation chorus girl type, and some
of the feminine applicants boosted engage
ments that covered the whole category of
successes from the "Bla ok Crook" down.
There were hundreds of them who had alb
solutely no vocal ability.
One day ray of inspiration struck Mr..
Fisher. A young lady came in the office,
confessed that she had had no theatrical
experience, but was quite anxious to secure
a place in the chorus. She informed Mr.
Fisher that she was Of a large party of
young ladies who had come to New York
city to take course at one OF the con-
servatories, and while under ordinary cir
cumstances she would not think OF joining
a theatrical company, that she had seen
Florodora' and was impressed with the
hlgh-toned character Of the performance
and would be glad to secure a position In
the ranks. Mr.. Fisher turned her over to
his musical director, John McGhie, and she
proved to have an exceptionally good voice.
Before she left the Casino she carried a
contract with her for the present season
Then Fisher & Ryley started out on a
new tack They sent a representative to
all of the prominent Conservatives in
search of material for the chorus, and while
they found that to secure girls of this class
would mean salaries that almost doubled
the usual weekly stipend Of the chorus they
deemed the extra expense advisable