The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-28
OPERA
new YORK SUCCESS
"The Yankee Consul" Has
Achieved a Success in the
Metropolis.
MODEST VIEWS OF AUTHOR.
Man Who Wrote "Checkers" and
Is Far From Being Satisfied
With His Successful Ac-
complishments.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. Feb. 27.-Henry NJ. Blossom
and Alfred G. Robyn of St. Louis have re-
versed the saying, You'll have to show
me-" applied to Misosurians generally and
are showing New Workers a thing or two
In matters very close to their hearts-how
to produce successful plays and operas
and to convert the productions into ready
money.
Checkers" made into a play from Mr..
Blossoms own book, is just finishing up a
fifteen weeks run, and THE Yankee Con-
SUI bids fair to make its headquarters at
the Broadway Theater for a much longer
period.
Mr.. Robyn, who furnished the music for
the opera. has done things before. His
Answer" and "Manzanilla'' are known
from Harlem to the Cliff House.
Since he first began to make his rounds
of the managers offices with his rolls of
manuscripts, Mr.. Blossom has made his
home in New York. Mr.. Robyn. who is
one of the shining lights in the musical
world, centered in st. Louis, continues TO
shine out in the Wetsern city.
MI. Blossoms bachelor apartment. on
Thirteenth street. is the headquarters for
many st. Louisans. who are scoring sue
cesses in New York. Almost any time one
can lind Macklin Arbuckle, Gus Thomas
and a host of other Western men there.
MIR. BLOSSOMS AMBITION.
Il don't know that 1 have anything in
terestins to say" was Mr.. Blossoms reply
to the query of how the widen SUCCESS of
THE Yankee Consul" In New York af-
fected him.. 1T is. of course, gratifying to
find that the press and the public in a
general way commend ones work. This
gIauneauon Is, however. always tinged
II mo lnrnnSlRnrn hvn r.s~rof that ,I~
work Is not a great ceal better. | sup
pose there are few writer's with anything
like artistic aspirations who are any
tnlng ike as practical rs / am.
The writing 1 have done so far has
been for revenue only The successes
/ nave made with my poems and short
play. are gratifying to me, because they
have proved substantial successes.
The Yankee Consul bids fair to out
strip them all as a producer and in just
that far l am pleased. but / confess to
having dreams of what 1 may some day
do, II i am ever abe to afford 1t, both
in the way Of ramati and musical pro-
duction.
Doubtless. I shall need the accrued
successes to pay for my indulgence in
my dreams of what might be.
Pray do not understand me to even
suggest that / am in n way dissatis-
fed with the production, the cast or the
stage management of The Yankee Con-
Sbi III Ahk. blooSSAh iACoL1J
O the contrary. l wish very decided
ly to say that, but for Mr.. Sayage's more
than adequate production and MIR. Mari
should have made but a sorry showing.
What everyone who does things seems
to lack. apparently, IS practically in his
ART has not hat the drawing power
Of nature and atmosphere seems but
a species Of unsanitary ventilation.
n musical piece has been produced. to
that hasn't been criticised more or less
unfavorably for its book. No doubt the
criticisms worthy. the name were Just.
there is scarcely a s~emblance'-but no one
looks for plot in musical comedy these
days-has done its duty nobly and is
rooms awaiting the next production.
ENHANCING INTERRUPTIONS.
Possibly there is a phase of the diff
Guilty met by librettists which some of
the critics have not entirely allowed for.
If. for example, in a drama, there We're an
interruption of eight minutes during which
music, movement, color. and other extra
neous matters occupied the time and at
tention Of the audience. causing them to
forget the situation in mind at the time
Of the interruption, would 1t not be hard at
the end Of this eight minutes to agaln
pick up the story and center the interest?
/ think SO. More than all, when these in
%terruptiOns of music, movement and ecior
are exploited by a contingent o. very
young n pretty girls. Is not the els.
tracing Internationally the greater?
What chance has any mere story against
a little blonde song bird in tights?
'I am sitting up here talking, however,
like a second Harry B. Smith. when, as
a matter OF. fact, l have written one little
opera, If 1 may even dignity it by. that
name, and have had next to no experience.
l was sta AIDING in the back Of the theater
last night enjoying Mr.. Hitcheock's per
Torrance. when a stranger sided over to
me and said, IF this amt a rotten show
/ never saw one. The gags are old and
the music punk I looked at him a mo-
ment and then asked: Nhat the name
Of your opera"
Mr.. Blossom has completed a new COM
edy for a male star that will be put on
next season. 1t Is said to be the best
thing that the young writer has done.