The Indianapolis journal., 1903-07-05
Opening Of the Summer Season OF
SJapan by Night" Novelty to
New Workers.
HAS A BEAUTIFUL SETTING
BUT THE OPERA ITSELF COMES NEAR
BEING DEADLY DULL.
Bright, Breezy Letter on New York's
Summer Amusements by a Journal
Stan Correspondent.
STAN Correspondence Of the Journal.

Stan Correspondence Of the Journal.
NEW YORK, July 3.-After three post
ponements. made necessary by inclement
weather and lack of rehearsal. the only
novelty OF an uneventful theatrical week
5n New York was offered for the considera-
fion OF amusement seekers Wednesday
might. The occasion was the opening for
the summer season of Japan by Night"
on the Madison Square Roof Garden. The
garden presented a beautiful appearance.
"A pretty teahouse, with a curved CORFU
gated roof OF vanished wood. stood in the
dark shadow Of the great tower of the
building. which looms high up above the
roof. This teahouse formed the stage and
setting for the new Japanese opera, "Otoyo.'
which had its initial presentation and
which is expected to run throughout the
summer. The lights were low; japanese
lanterns hung everywhere and little
japanese walters hurried about among the
crowds OF people sitting at bamboo tables
for the roof was thronged-serving tea to
the few who cared for it, and-alas. for
Japan.-beer to the great majority. Along
the roof promenades were booths presided
over by serious-looking daughters of the
Mikado's realms, with native knick-knacks
for sale. also tea-if you wanted it. In a
dwarf palms. stood a magician's booth.
and here, between the two acts of the
opera, Seno Sonetaro. conjuror from Toxic,
performed wonderful feats.
AS for the opera "Otoyo." it was about
as un-Japanesy as an opera could be. The
story OF the thing is a mixture of the
"Mikado' and the "Geisha,' with a great
deal borrowed from various Broadway mu-
sical comedies. There is scarcely a bright
line in the entire book, the authorship OF
which is proudly claimed by Henry Pincus
and Melvin Winstock, but the lyrics, writ
ten by Robert L. Beecher-a granddaughter
of the late Henry Ward Beecher-are clever
and sparkling. while the music of Frederick
Peters is, for the most part, very well
written and quite tuneful. The bright mu-
sical numbers saved the piece from fall
ure. Songs that are pretty certain to win
popularity in New York this summer are
-'The Idol and the Maid" "A Yankee
Nobleman," "a Toast to the Moon" and a
catchy new coon ditty called MY Lallapa-
paloosa Girl" There are other good num-
bers in the opera, but these four are of the
sort that will be whistled and sung every
where.
The greatest surprise of the evening was
the temperance in the glare of the foot
lights OF the most talked-of. most written
about woman the modern American stage
has known-Bettina Gerard. She played
the title role of the opera and, although
her voice was not equal to the demands
of the score, she made a beautiful picture
fn her siiken Japanese gowns and acted
with inborn grace. She seemed as young
and pretty as when she played Bossy In
"a Texas Steer" years ago, and 1t was
hard TO realize all that this smiling. win
some woman had experienced. 1t has been
Only short time since certain sensational
Journals throughout the country were CIV
ing a great deal of space to what was
called 1.-THE Life Story of Bettina Gerard;
a Warning to Young Girls
Americans are the most indulgent, the
most courteous people on earth. The writer
recalls painful episode in a Partisan cafe
chantant when a famous singer, whose ca
reer had been similar to Bettina Gerard's.
made her temperance on the stage after
two years She was Kissed from the foot
lights by the men and women in the audi
ence when the fact became apparent that
her once beautiful voice was gone. There
was no pity for her-nothing but brutal dis
dain. Bettina Gerard's voice is gone, too.
but everybody wished her we'll last night;
struggled bravely through the high tones
of her most important musical number; the
night air seemed charged with current of
kindly sentiment, and the sweet-faced little
woman In the Japanese silks-sweet-faced
still in spite OF all-must have received in
her heart the message of good fellowship
that was waited to her the summer
night breeze-and must have felt grateful
for IT.
The various musical shows continue their
runs with uninterrupted popularity-that is,
all but one. AS predicted by the critics
upon its premier, THE Knickerbocker
Girl proved too idiotic even for New York
IN summer time. and the brief career Of
the piece at the Herald Square came to
an end a few nights ago. Fay Templeton-
and incidentally '"The Runaways"-will
doubtless continue to draw the big crowds
20 the Casino so much in evidence ever
since the favorite comedienne came to the
rescue of that operate comedy. In itself
"The Runaways" is a pretty poor enter
tainment and. although it is constantly
undergoing changes in both libretto and
music. IL doesn't seem to grow in merit to
any appreciable extent But New York
loves Fay Templeton. and not without
cleverest women on the American stage,
and her presence in the cast at the Casino
has transformed a nonpaying show into a
great financial success Her part OF the
entertainment is well worth seeing and
hearing, anc there are a few other bright
features scattered through the two hours
and a half OF so-called musical gayety.
''The Darling OF the Gallery Gods and
Ned wayburn's Minstrel GirIs"-particu-
Iarly the latter-have scored great hit at
the Crystal Roof Gardens. Junie McCree is
now in the cast of the piece burlesquing
David BeIasco's japanese play and, as
usual. hs succeeds In arousing a good deal
of merriment. He is well remembered In In
dfanapolis as the most original comedian
that struck town with burlesaue
show. In THE Darling of the Gallery
Gods he satirizes the English actor.
George Ariiss. who played the part OF the