The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-30
GRAND OPERA TODAY

Inc Rose cecilia Shay Opera Company
envy this afternoon n the. Bohemian
Girl, and at night in Faust"
The company which Will support Miss
to be the strongest organization that has
come out of New York since the old
Mapleson days, always, of course, except
lng the Metropolitan Company Of New
has been pre-eminently the star of the
great French Opera Company In New
Orleans for the past two seasons, than
whom there Is no more brilliant artist on
the ,oper nc 10. as today; MANY, CRIT
les think him the bet Mephistopheles on
the cOnteuporaneous stage.
Joseph Fi-4dericks the leading tenor of
the company, the only member of Miss
Shays previous organizations to be re-
tanned has a voice of wonderful sweet
ness, fine range and absolute control. Ills
success last season was second only TO
Miss Shays.
William stevens, another of the COM
panys tenors, has been identified with me
hma JuSh Strand RAM s 9sa cobmny aHa
is an artist of the first water.
Lawrence Mooney Is said BY, critics to
lie the best baritone now singing on the
American stage Ills voice has been
heard but scarcely in this country.
The sopranos and contraltos of Miss
Shays company were selected IN New
York, by competitive examination. Tho
present members We're selected from more
than thousand voices.
Miss Shay has been fortunate In secur-
ing as musical director Signor Carlo
| Nicosa. NicOsia was for term OF years
Mascagni's old concert master. Ae was
given carte blanche to select full and
competent orchestra.
A train OF several cars Is required to
carry the company and Its scenery, It
will be remarkable II the engagement in
this city Is not the most brilliant social
event Of the early musical season.
In the history of the stage there has
been no dramatist who holds the mirror
up to nature as clearly as Ibsen, the Nor
Meglan odltmattit whose plays Stree the
strong holi on intellectual theatre,
goers, lbsen looks to life itself, instead
of conventions, Tor his irtnl'!+ M
| ing men and women OF our everyday en-
I lstence. He knows that character Is tho
| root OF all drama, and 1t is to the life
| Ike, convincing, consistent portrayal OF
| character that he devotes his powers
! The average theatre-goer shuns Ibsen
| because he thinks his plays too daring,
| too near the actual. When, however, ne
| does condescend to witness one, the al
cut, life-iike picture; the compelling Mt
tention obtained by the methods employed
by lbsen, usually makes a convert of the
scotfer and adds. one more to the ever
Increasing clientele OF great playwright.
In Ghosts the most widey-discussed
ot lbsen's dramas, the master has achieved
his greatest success. As played by AL
berta Gallatin and her company, it Is
most convincing OF dramas, even riyaling
those. OF SHAKESPEARE, Rostarl ana Bull
wer Lytton.
The production Of Ghosts at the
.Acnh"inH tomorrow 'Isnt will probably
be one OF The triHmrns - Ne yr;ir
Allen Dale, the celebrated New York
critic, says when you see a good show,
make "A note of it, Mr.. Dale made n
note OF 1.-TWO old Cronies' and wrote
up one of the best and fairest criticisms
ever given TO any musical comedy com
paAy, and the result was, on their ap-