Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-02-20
BEN HUR-


Klaw and Erlanger's original pro
duction of ben Hur, with cast.
scenery, equipment. horses and
camels, begins limited engagement
AZ The Academy of Music, Baltimore,
Monday, February 24ta. This inn
posing spectacle is asers ION in varied
speech, illustrated By al tand music.
Its trend of suggestion is forward
and upward. The curtain rises ON
the tableau OF the Three Wise Men
in the Desert and the tanning Star
Of Bethlehem, the men s hands raised
in awe and reverence a. they group
about their camels. The dreamy
waste OF aridity is won 1erfully i'm
pressive. Then comes the brilliant
ly eolored pictures Of tie house tops
of Jerusalem, the terra e of the Pal
ace OF Hur. Next is on OF the great
scenes OF the play-the dim interior
Of the Roman galley ship-the mus
cular, grim visaged slaves Juggling
in rhythmic motion Of the oars, then
the wreck, Ben Hur AM his captain
struggling in the waves. The scene
changes to the home Of Simonides, a
moment later comes the vision of the
sunlit Grove m Daphne with the Su-
perb temple, reared tothe God Apol-
10; Roman maidens dance ioyously,
but the central figure is Ben Hur,
the soldier, stern and unrelenting.
Again the scene char ges, and We
are at the Fountain OF Castalia-a
lake dancing in the pale moonlight,
with gliding boats and Il owery shores
in the cool gray shadow s-with Iras,
the Egyptian, trying tie wiles of a
Cleopatra on Ben Hur
After this is the chariot race,
probably the most vivi lily thrilling
moving picture that the stage has
ever known. A rumble is heard in
the background, the hurrying clat-
ter of horses feet. Two chariots,
each drawn by four horses, form the
centre Of the picture. The animals
with far stretched necks and dilated
nostrils, run like mad, urged on by
the whips of the charioteers, Ben
Hur and his deadly enemy, MESSIAH.
4
The wheels of the chariots rumble
and sway. Now dur is ahead, now
MESSIAH, then Hur again, and the
race is won.
The last scene is a fitting climax
to the brilliant stage pic. Ires. 1t
represents the Vale of Hinnom, which
becomes transparent, revealing the
Mount Of Olives and the City of Je-
rusalem. Great multi;udes come
out to greet the Nazarene, singing
hymns OF praiseand alteration. The
mir .cle of the cleansing ofthe lepers
is performed, but the Chrst's per-
sonality is not represented, His pres
ence IS indicated by great shaft of
white light, which tradition says
was reflected from His person. Ben
Hur, his mother and sister are united
amid a great GLORIOUS of thanksgiving,
swelling out from the hillsides all
around, as the final curtain falls.
The music, which Stillman Kelly
has composed for the production,
has much to do with the success of
ben Hur" 1t is scholarly and
creditable alike for its dignity and
serious purpose.
To present the remarkable play
no less than $50 people are required.
In the chariot race there are twelve
horses contesting. but four more
trainedanimals are always kept close
by in csse OF accident.
Patrons of this fine dramatic spec
tacle are earnestly requested TO be
in their seats promptly at eight
O'Clock in the evening and two o clock
in the afternoon. The spectacle of
the appearance OF the Star of Beth
lehem requires the ntireauditorium
TO be darkened, and it will be impos-
sible TO seat anyone until after the
prelude is over.
ben Hur" will remain at the
Academy of Music, Baltimore, for O
limited engagementonly. The man
agement will Gil orders for seats for
any ofsthe performances, if accom-
panied by check or money order,
in the order Of their receipt after
the opening of the sale. The box
Office sale of tickets opens Tuesday,
February Is. The engagement be-
gins Monday, February "a
James Jay Brady.
Business Manager, Academy of Mu-
sic, Baltimore.