The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-07
SONNENTHAL PLAYS FABRICIUS-
TANNHAVSER AT THE CENTURY.

pOlllG luldtlC, pore jill liz piiOi VI 49,
eccentric comedy business, and Mae Sailor
as Fiji, the small little lady, who appears
in the wedding creation. is a very DAINTY
ingenue. Laura Witt. Gertrude Rut!edse
and Maude Courtnay are some Of the other
pretty young women who make the show
bright and lively. James Darling, as Ken
meth Mugg. made the best OF that rather
limited part. The chorus is one OF the best
features OF the show. and it is to be com
mended for the manner in which it brings
out the heavy ensemble music in this pro-
duction.
The call for tickets for the Nordica re-
cital to be given next Thursday evening in
the Odeon indicates that the great prima
donna is still, a favorite with the local con-
cert-going public. This recital will be the
last opportunity for some years of hearing
Nine. Nordica. as on the I'D Of this month
she sails FOR Europe on the Kaiser VIII
helm der Crosse. Nine. Nordica is just
finishing a recital tour which has extended
from Maine to Mexico and from New York
to San Francisco, covering tens Of thou
sands Of miles.
In the fall Nine. Nordica will fill engage
ments as eoloist with the Liverpool Phil
harmonic Orchestra, at the big music fes-
rivals at Leeds. Norwich and Sheffield, and
with the Royal Oratorical Society in Lon
don. She will also sing at nine Of the Har-
rison concerts. which will leave, as may be
seen, very little time for rest before Jam
uary l, 1908.
Nine. Nordica will be assisted Thursday
evening by Mrs. Katherine Fisk. contralto.
and Mr.. E. Romayne Simmons. accompa-
mist. The programme will end with the ia
nous sextet from Lucia sung by Mines.
Nordica and Fisk and Messrs. George Car
rie, James Rohan, Homer Moore and James
Garfield Stanley of this city.
sss
There were a lot of sensational develop
ments in the production Of The Great
White Diamond which opened q weeks
engagement at Havlin's Theater yesterday
afternoon. and at both performances. which
Were played to crowded houses. the play
proved a success as a return engagement.
The story is a rather weird one in detail
and satisfactory In denouement. 1t cannot
be called consistent, but from the conven-
tional melodramatic viewpoint Is no doubt
satisfactory to Its auditors.
The story of Il lost diamond, the most
valuable one In the world, should be good
material ON which to base a story with a
deep mystery and Walter Fessler, the au-
thor. has conceived many intricate situa-
tons to arouse the feelings of the playgoer
at popular prices! The character Of the
Nyctalops Is perhaps q little vague. 1t IS
claimed that a certain portion of the medf-
cal fraternity have been interested In It's
conception. There have been such people.
i. e., one who Is blind in the daylight and
possessed OF sight in the darkness. Mythol-
ogy has also taught the existence of one
who can see but cannot be seen. Accord
ing to the author the two are not OF tne
same class.
Louis Howard as the Nyctalops made an
impression as the villain who in his greed Tor
possession Of the wonderful valuable stone
goes to all extremes to place the hero and
heroine out of the way. Thomas Irwin as
Robert Thorne. the hero. was forceful with
out ranting. Florence Huntley is a good
ingenue and made the best Of her part. while
Venie York as the bankers daughter. Louis
Dempsey as the landlady and Harry West
as the henpecked husband deserve special
mention for their good work.
Lost In New York" one Of the oldest.
melodramas touring the priced
houses. was presented at the Imperial
Theater yesterday afternoon and night to
large audiences.
That the play was we'll mounted, the ne
cessity for tina condition being evident
from the age Of the play. goes without say
Ing. The scene formerly called a tank
scene" showing the East River with its
small water craft plying to and fro from
Randall's Island and the insane pavilion.
was especially effective.
Nettie DeCoursey, as Jennie Williams, the
child, who was taken from the orphan asy-
lum to be the servant of the adventures.
and is later restored to her blind mother,
Is one of the few bright soubrettes In mel
odramas Of the present day. Her specill-
ties were all well rendered and received
especially the song. Il Hates to Get Up
Early in the Morning." Virginia Seaton as
Mrs. Wilson, did the best she could with
the part which. while sympathetic, is not
always the most grateful kind Of a role
in which to emphasize talent
"~Tannhauser' at the Century last night
with Sheehan and Josephine Ludwig in the
cast, was an adequate performance. Miss
Ludwig contributed much Of dash and
melody. Sheehan, in the duet at the begin
ming of the second act. seemed to awaken
from a temporary affection of stickis.ness.
Thenceforth he conducted himself as the
star tenor should. and interpreted the
sweeping strains OF the piece in an emo
tional. stirring manner Especially. at the
conclusion of the last act. in the presence
of Wolfram. his former brother minstrel.
!, when as Tannhauser, he sang that the
curse Of the devil was upon him, he gave
that discouraging message, an angelic
rather than a devilish, quality.
T~annhauser's excursion to Venusburs
, struck one as being rather tame. Not that
Venus-Maude Ramey rendered the part-
acted as II he had little interest in the pro-
ceeding. But when 1.-The phantom Of her
+, frolic grace" Venus, was snatched away
upon a sliding SOFIA process which though
done in stage night was not invisible
! from in front of the footlights-Tannhause,
evinced some signs Of the awakening to
come.
The Minnesingers and the Landgraye Of
\ Thuringia, as they gathered about him, i'm.
ploring him to return to his former hom,
and Elizabeth, imbued him with definite
emotions, which crept into his voice. Later
In the Wartburg. after the meeting will
Elizabeth. the volume Of sound as the tenol