Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-08

i AIR&1
ing the pianoforte myself with my friend.
Mr.. Alfred Collier, at the harmonium. and
that when the Covent Garden orchestra did
come We should have a very much finer
band than we could get in New York.
Then l went to a friend. New York
newspaper man. and asked him to write an
article in the shape of an interview with
me on the subject, which he did. and 1
launched out freely with my opinions. The
upshot Of 1t all was that the band gave in.
and everything went along smoothly. VI
course, the idea of getting the Covent Car
the ludicrous idea of using the pianoforte
and harmonium in big theater: but, fortu-
nately, public opinion was with me, and my
one game of bluff was successful
Another strike incident, the recital OF
which used to please Sir Arthur, concerned
himself. w. S. Gilbert his collaboration, and
a chorus girl. The composers version of
the episode runs this way:
"One day at a rehearsal a girl came up
to us crying, and Gilbert asked her the
cause of it. Between her sobs she told us
that she had been insulted. We at once as
sured her that we would look into the mat
ter, and that no girl should be insulted in
our company, but what was 1t all about?
She said that Miss X, one of the costumer' 8
assistants. had been very rude to her. and
had said to her, You are no better than
you ought to be- Gilbert Immediately
looked very sympathetic, and said to her
Well. you are not are you. my dear? to
which she replied promptly, Why OF
right. he said. and she went away per-
fectiy comforted.''
Two illustrations that show that Sir Ar
thur had humor of his own and sense
of it in others. besides
Amelia Bingham has decided views. and
In the engagement Of the people who not
only surround her personally, but In the
other organizations directed by her, her
peculiar theories are exploited. 1t is not
generally known that Miss Bingham Is
deeply interested in philosophy. is an ON
nivorous reader. and while not declaring
her absolute beliefs, has inclination for the
psychic OF course. 1t would be trite to
say that such a thing as personal mag
netism exists in the equipment OF stage
people: every one knows 1t.
That some possess 1t more largely than
others and not a few, even though they
have acquired a certain technique, appear
to be absolutely negative, Is self-eyident
But Miss Bingham has tried to solve the
Interesting question whether the woman
who is attractive on the stage to feminine
auditors is equally so to the male contln-
gent, and after several experiments she has
decided that there Is a difference. She says
that there are a great many women who
appear to their own sex as intellectual,
dainty, piQuant and magnetic who abSo-
lutely fail to arouse the same expression
from men, and vice versa 1t is to be pre-
sumed that the very question of sex enters
largely into this. and while the general at
tributes of feminine and masculine quail
ties are discernible to the masses, the COM
pIexities of modern civilization recognize a
differentiation just as science demonstrates
that there are colors which the Caucasian
eye cannot perceive and wave sounds ex-
listing that do not reach the tympani of civ
ilized man. Her views on this matter are
exploited in the selection of the actors who
appear with her in "A Modern Magdalene."
which is said to be teeming with psychic
touches. thus lending opportunities for YER
flying Miss Bingham's theories.
x
Thus speaks the managerial nterateur for
Eleanora Duse:
mo other actress surrenders herself SO
absolutely to her art as does Eleanora Duse,
who will be seen at the Columbia for a
short engagement, beginning Monday even
ing, November "a. When her season begins
she gives UP all the ordinary pleasures Of
a star and devotes herself solely to her
work She enters her dressing room and
puts herself in the care OF her theater maid
She reads her part and begins to assume It,
When she leaves the stage at the close Of
the night, nothing must break the spell
which she has forced upon herself She
goes straight to her room. She speaks to
no one. sees no one but her maid, and Will
not be interrupted in the possession of the
mood that is on her. Other Camilles, who
are dying and in misery may bound back
to the dressing room to chat with the lead
ing man, to be interviewed, or to re ceive
visit from merry callers, but Madame Duse
lives the life of Camille. and is charged
through flesh. blood and bone with her emo
ton As for the rest the italian actress
wants nothing from the people on the stage
and Is pleased with whatever she gets. She
shows her pleasure In her own quiet, re-
signed and sadly matter-of-fact way.
Madame Duse Is a pessimist. 1t Is not
true as has been said. that she is con-
sumptive, or that she Is sickly in any way.
Her Illness, at intervals, does not denote any
organic malady. But she is pessimistic
Life" she says, is not worth the pain 1t
brings" And every now and again she
adds: 1T is good that life is so short"
Buses appreciation of the fact that life is
short. and therefore to be speedily i'm
proved. is shown by the fact that for her
performances prices in all parts of the
house will undergo slight raise.
James Byrnes is young man who Is
courageously trying to live down the fact
that he was once a prodigy. James used to
be boy soprano but in the natural course
of events his vocal register began to grav-
itate toward the bass clef. He is now wait
ing to see whether he Is going to be Jean
or an EdouarJi de Reszke and In the mean
time Is hustiing to put himself in the way
to get college education. His present po-
siticn is one Of responsibility. as it is his
business TO go ahead Of the Fatal Wedding
Company and secure additional members
for Gertrude Haynes Choir Celestial" that
appears in the church scene. He has Sc
cured what he considers a very satisfactory
corps of Juvenile singers In this city. includ-
ing Hugo Stahl, r. G. Coleman. Vim. Mes
bine. Frank Huntoon. Jos. Martin, Chas.
Austin. Ed Layton. Chas. Ferguson, D.
Thomson. John Haynes, Chas. Bailey.
Frank Reed. Robert Taylor, Arthur Ruder-
man. ]. Borchof. Paul Morris. Thomas Nc
Carthy and Sam Brooke.
Il
Blanche Bates In new Beiasco play will
make the week of November II an impor-
tant and interesting one In washington.s
theatrical calendar. 1t has been the habit
of this progressive and artistic manager to
come to Washington for his first-night vsr-
diets. and the result has almost invariably