Evening star., 1902-03-15

~
This week has been fruitful in surprises.
Dan Days show was the most surprising,
for It Is the first time Mr.. Daily has ap-
peared otherwise than to distinct advan-
tage. While his personal drolleries amused
this week as they always do, the material
provided for him and the players by whom
he was surrounded did not sustain the rec
ord Mr.. DAILY can bear an enormous bur-
den Of responsibility in amusing theater pa
trCns. Yet he Is but mortal clay. If The
New Workers." were as slow In real life as
they the stage, they would never
catch ferryboat.
Another surprise was the grand opera.
which did not arrive until Thursday night.
This also was an agreeable disappointment,
for it was not easy to understand how a
city like New Orleans could permanently
support so pretentious an organization. One
Of the most enthusiastic admirers of Due 8
really admira BILE tenor voice was Mr.. o.
Hammerstein of New York. Mr.. Hammer
stein was on his way south for recreation.
He heard the opera company. turned back
toward New York and will have the organ
ization at his Victoria Theater.
Mr.. Hammerstein's personality Is inter-
esting. Whether millionaire, or a man
who has just been sold out under mort
gage. he is always an influence TO be reck-
oned with in theatrical affairs. three
minutes conversation with him suffices to
explain how he manages to recoup losses
which would overwhelm most men. His
mind is always active without diffusing it
self in mere restlessness. He likes his fell
low man, wishes to amuse him, but is not
afraid OF him He has had more buffets
than fall to the share of the ordinary per-
Son. But he always comes up smiling ana
ready for the next round. He affects no
defiant poses, but maintains a genial self
confidence He has no fear of the wolf at
the door. The Hammerstein brains can al
ways be relied on to take care OF the Ham
1nerstein stomac ch. While in this city, he
took occasion to visit the patent office on
business for he is an inventor as well as
composer. author. architect, financier and
phianthropist 1t Is possible that the peo-
pie who are interested in the intellectual de-
yelopment of colored people will accord him
grateful recognition in the last-named ca
pacity, for in the theater which he intends
to build and which will be the largest of
al! that he has put up. he will reserve an
entire balcony for Afro-American patron
age.
* X
There was a wild outcry when the dis
covery was made that the New Orleans
Opera Company was billed for Baltimore at
lower prices than those charged during the
Washington engagement. 1t has happened
on number of occasions that Washington
has paid more for it's entertainment than
other cities. 1t Is not likely that the Gus
tom will be influenced by any ethical con-
cfi Is nkely TO
ask all that he thinks he can get for his
wares In the market for genius he takes
advantage OF the same laws of supply and
demand that regulate other salable things.
So long as the people continue to pay. no
amount of protest will cause the promoter
to take off his hat and humbly beg them to
allow him to save them money. So long as
there is a public that feels better when
maximum prices are charged. SO long will
maximum prices be demanded.
Another surprise was the "Trip to Buffa-
To- Expectations were not 50 high as they
would have been Il the piece had been
playing above those Of the Empire Theater
scale. The disappointment was therefore
the more agreeable. The chief attraction
IN the piece is Mr.. Lorraine's music. There
is always strong popular appetite for
something striking in melody and the play
going crowds will find it out when 1t is any
where near as unerringly as the root of a
rlant strikes out for water In spite of an
Interpretation under conditions which could
rot be expected to show the numbers OF
at their best the music OF "A Trip tc Buff
falo" attracted general and favorable at
tention. There are bits OF orientallsm In 1t
almost as striking as ''Salome." The men,
ton OF "Salome' does not fill Mr.. Lorraine
with the sense OF joyous self-appreciatioi
which might easily be pardoned in young
composer who had scored distinct hit
II has made many thousands OF dollars for
its publishers. Mr.. Lorraine sold 1t for a
sum which. compared to its earnings, Is
triiing. He is still writing In the languor-
Gus rhythms which suggest dark eyes
and lotus blooms. and has some plans with
reference to composition for the theatric
stage of more ambitious quality than
anything he has done before.
Kellar. like all magicians, appeals to two
very different classes of patronage; the peo-
ple who cannot understand his tricks and
the people who delight In explaining them
to their neighbors The latter may be the
more wise. but they are great nuisances
Among the gentle illusions which make life
pleasanter are those of Kellar. They should
not be dispelled.
Another surprise was the 'In Paradise
act at Chases. The piece was known as q
highly Objectionable French farce some
seasons ago, and its morals have not been
Improved In the process of condensation
The bill averaged high In merit. and the
bill enjoyed large patronage. as the bills
at Chase's always do. when they are up to
the theaters normal standard Of merit.
~ X
The Academy OF Music had what looked
on the bil board like a screeching melo-
drama Mr.. Howard Hail. the author, was
portrayed In q pensive attitude, clad In q
Largo bun QYercoat. He had that air of In