Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05

an arid summer will be left behind when the
''Mikado" closes next Saturday night. The
company might have continued indefinitely.
but it was decided to make what Stage
| Manager Lawrence would call a safe exit
and close while the public Is warm in its
met with a liberal measure Of success in
its efforts to provide high-cass entertain
ment for the summer season. The audiences
have been large and approving. The Co
lumbia will soon be the one green spot on
the local amusement map and will no doubt
be valued accordingly.
Mr.. Chase declares that in bringing his
opera. season to a close next Saturday. he
will have the satisfaction of looking back
upon the most successful polite vaudeville
year in the history of his theater and I'M
doubtedly the most gratifying summer sea-
son ever given in this city. Although the
| season was intended to cover only four
weeks it has been extended to six, and
| judging from the capacity audiences that
gather at every performance, and from pub
bic expressions concerning the productions
the season could be further extended an in
definite number of weeks Mr.. Chase'S fam
lily is already snugly ensconced in cottage
overlooking the great South bay on Long
| Island. and tomorrow week he will be
speeding there for a two months rest. He
Will break the monotony by a two days
trip to New York every week, the metropO-
lis being only hours ride from his cot
tage, utilizing the time to transact the bust
ness connected with his position presi-
dent of the Association of Vaudeville Man
| ayers. During his absence the theater here
will be redecorated
Mr.. Chase himself is authority for the
| statement that he now possesses three of
| the most successful theaterS in the country
and is completing plans for the construc-
| tfon of two new play houses. He declines
| to state the location of the third theater he
admits he owns, but it is believed that he
has secured theater in Pittsburg, on which
| CITY he has long cast designing eyes as it
| is noted as one of the best show towns
| IN the country. WaShingtons prophet of po-
HE vaudeville Is very rapidly extending the
scope OF his operations and undoubtedly at
this time he IS one of the most important
hgures in American vaudeville, as Mr. Keith
| Is pushing his younger colleague with a dis
regard of his own high place that Is born
| of friendship and confidence MI Keith re-
signed the presidency of the Vaudeville
Managers Associations so that Mr. Chase
who is now serving his second term in the
| office. could be elected
| Perhaps no people in the world are more
! superstitious than actors and theatrical
| managers" remarked w. H Post the
| stage director of the stock company now
playing at the Columbia Theater, in reply
| to the query. do you believe in Jonahs
| and hoodOos?"
| personally, L do not believe in them
| continued Mr.. Post, but I'll be glad to tell
you what few of them 1 can remember
Whistling by one member of a company
in the dressing room of anoteher is a sign
that the company will close its season sud
| denly and sooner than expected.
| Coming perfect in a part at the first re-
| hearsal is proof conclusive that you will
STICK IN the lines at the opening perform
| ance.
| Thirteen members of an organiza ton Is
believed to signify that three of them Will
| be changed during the course of a season.
| Raising umbrella in a play is con-
sidered as forerunner that the business
| of all holidays and special performances
| will be curtailed by rain.
member of a company carrying a
| leather hat box is looked upon as a mis-
| chief maker.
ANY other pet than a dog is a sure sign
| of the serious Illness of some member of
| the company.
| There are q number of others in vogue.
| but to my mind there are only two Jonahs
| or hoodoos in our professionalism acting
| and bad management
4 !:
| Must an American singer go to Europe
| for that culture necessary to the success
| of her art? Ethel Houston Du Ere of the
| opera company at Chase's Theater takes
| the ground that it should be done In adj
| vancng. in an interview, her reasons, Miss
| Du Ere said: In the first place the young
| woman who studies among her friends and
| acquaintance in America is apt to have
| disquieting and distracting social duties
| which take her mind from her professional
| studies ard occupy hours which should be
| given to vocal practice.
| "On the other hand, the student who goes
abroad for teaching has social ties to
| occupy the mind. The student of painting
!
| atmosphere of the art which perpetuates
! itself in marble or on canvas, and the stu
dent of singing finds himself environed by
an atmosphere that inspires thoughts of
| operate art and nothing else. Broadly, 1
| should say, therefore, that one is able to
| concentrate the mind more strongly on the
| study in Paris than at home. This, of
| course, implies no disparagement to the
teachers in America. Only the atmosphere
of the musical centers of Europe is more
conducive to earnest study which means
progress than the atmosphere at home.
| Again, in foreign ctieS-in Paris, Dres-
den, Munich, Milan and even in Budapest
and st. Petersburg-the student of singing
may hear good opera well sung every night
in the year for trifiing price of admission
In America the Castle Square performances
alone provide such tuition at similar prices
The young singer in New York or Chicago
or St. Louis who wishes to hear and study
the singing of Melba, for instance, or Sem
brich or Schuman-Heinck In a series OF
roles can only do so during limited season
of Italian grand opera and at prices which
are absurdly inflated On the other side OF
the water those singers may be heard for a
trfiing fee throughout extended seasons
| Then again, Americas scorn for traditions
is a bar to learning here the accepted in
terpretations Of great roles by the great
artists who have made musical history tr
the past. Furthermore, the music makers
of the present and Of the future are not
found in America. Puccini Delibes, Mas
cagni and'the other composers of the houl
are always delighted to instruct earnest
students of singing in the phrases they
compose. Who can overestimate the yalu,
| to Frau Materna of lessons in the Wag
merriam roles from Wagner himself; or O
the benefit 1t must have been to Emma
Eames to have been coached in the part OF
Fro, in Fro and Leadre.' by Mancinelli
the composer?
eve all know that Christine Nilsson wa.
instructed in the role of Marguerite by
Gounod; that Bizet himself gave lessons tc
Calve in the role of Carmen. and that Verd
gladly coached Etelka Gerster and Adelina
Patti in the part Of Vioetta in La Travia.
| ta.' The immense advantage of this per
J soral acquaintance with the authors inten
ton regarding the singing of the roles hi
! has written, cannot be overestimated, an6
, Of course could never have been obtained
| in Az oil Mob