The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-16
AT THE THEATER
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1.-The Wizard of the Nile" closed it's
Savannah engagement last night. De-
spite some adverse criticism that the
company has received, the production
is given in a very acceptable manner,
and the leading people all handle their
parts with ability. 1t has received the
most favorable criticism in those cities
where it has appeared this season.
Mr.. Charles B. Hanford, supported
by Miss Mary Drofnah and a company
which is said to be the strongest that
has ever supported him. will be seen
to-day in two productions. At the
matinee Tanning of the Shrew" will
be presented, and at night Much Ado
About Nothing. " The coStumers' art
has been lavishly drawn upon for Mr..
Hanford's Much Ado About Nothing"
The ladies of the company all appear
in delicate brocades and the gentle
men in the elegance in which the Eliza
bethian period revealed. AS a series of
stage pictures alone, the production
promises unusual interest, and added to
this is the charm of a carefully select
ed company. So unvaryingly excellent
has been Mr.. Hanford's work that he
is welcome whether he is to produce a
new play or tread the boards in scenes
whose familiarity only endears them
the more from season to season. Miss
Drofnah, the leading lady of the com
pany, has been accorded a firm place
in the affections of theater-goers, her
work fully warranting the bestowal of
full credit UPON her for responsibilities
she has hitherto assumed on numerous
occasions with splendid ability. The
a lima Ya1-inn &c o1,tI
dren admission to the balcony Csc A
handsome souvenir, will be given away
to every lady holding a coupon for a
reserved seat at either performance.
That Rose Cecilia Shay, prima donna
of the Gordon-Shay Grand Opera Com
pany, which will present Carmen" to- i
morrow night. is one of the singers of
her time is no surprise to Pietro Mas
| cagni, the celebrated composer of
"Cavalleria Rusticana." Mascagni fore
saw her future and prophesied it when
she still was a student at the Conser-
vatory of Music in Milan.
"A magnificent voicel A divine tenn
perament!" he exclaimed one day on
hearing her sing by chance. Himself
the head of the Pesaro Lyceum, a mu-
sic school founded by Rossini, he was
guest at the Milan institution. "Who
is the signorina?" he inquired, and
when told she was a young American
he was more interested than ever and
insisted upon meeting her.
When Mascagni had been introduced
to Miss Shay, he asked if she had yet
studied "Cavalleriai Rusticana" For
answer, she walked to the piano and,
playing her own accompaniment, sang
for him Santuzza's prayer. 'I'll hear
you sing that in an operate perform
ance some day." he said enthusiastic
cally when she was done. 1T never
sounded more beautiful-no not even
on the night the opera, after many
long delays, was first produced at the
Costanzi in Rome"
Mascagni's prediction was true. He
was present one, night not many
months later when Miss Shay, then an
accomplished artist and not a nervous
student, bore the burden of his Sicilian
heroine in production of ''Cavalleria
Rusticana" in the iC6mnunale Theater,
in Trieste, Austria.
Again the composer sought the singer
and added to the praises he had al
ready bestowed He said no one had
ever more closely realized his ideal of
the role either in singing or acting. On
leaving the happy prirna donna, he said
enthusiastically to a friend, 'I'll write |
an opera for her some day
Miss Shay will sing Carmen in Sa- |
vannah tomorrow night.
Nine. Helene Mold, another soprano |
of the company, is a woman of almost |
equal charm of presence and a. repu- |
tation among artists. For several sea- |
sons she has been'aidentified with the |
Scalchi and Metropolitan Opera Com |
panies. Miss Pauline Johnson yet an
other soprano, was last season identi- |
fled with the American Grand Opera |
Company, and also sang with eminent |
success with the National Grand Opera |
Company. Eloise Bishop, the first con- |
tralto, made her early successes with |
the American Grand Opera Company. |
The Don Jose will be a young tenor, |
JOSEPH Fredericks, who has already |
met with remarkable success. He is a
handsome lad and forms a pleasing |
contrast to the dark beauty, Carmen. |
John Dunsmore, the first basso. is a |
master of his art,l and his voice will |
take rank with that of Emil Fisher |
and other artists who have won fame |
in basso roles. He has from time to |
time been identified with the Bostoni- |
ans, the La Scala and the Royal Opera |
Companies of Melbourne, Australia. |
Achille Alberti the famous baritone |
of the company as, in previous seasons, |
has been identified with the Metropoli- |
tan, the Mapleson, the Scalchi, the |
Royal Italian and also Nine. Nevada's |
Concert Company. He is an artist of |
the first water and as Escarnillion |
has won for himself almost endless
praise. Guiseppi Tressi, the conductor |
of the company, first became famous |
as the musical director of the Krulrs |
Theater of Berlin.a&
The sale of seats for Frank Daniels |
presentation of Miss Simplicity Sat-
urday night viii open this morning.
Daniels met with the most elaborate |
success of his career during his run |
in Miss Simplicity" at the Casino in |
New York last season.
His company this season is said to |
be the strongest he has ever carried. /
Among the principals are Will DAN /
forth. Frank Turner, Mark Lahe, John |
Wheeler, Grace Orr Myers, KITE TART, |
May Lowrie Florence Holbfook and |
Isabelle D'Armonde. The chorus is |
also said to be a remarkable organiza-
ton in point of beauty