The Washington times., 1904-12-22
QUEER RENDITION
Of GRAND OPERA
Society Will Hear 1t in New
Orleans Slums.
TO COST BUT TEN CENTS
One Italian Vocalist viii Sing An the
Parts and VIII Handle
Marionette ActoEs.

IN little theater inlprovised by
knocking down the partition between
two rooms and erecting a stage at one
end. mimic grand opera viii be given at
New Orleans this winter By q man who
IS the proprietor, stage manager COM
pStny and Drompter in one Many a the
atrfcai manager would give much 10 ce
&pse to retire into a back room W hen a
Play reaches his haSds that pIeases him.
ana there fashion the actors and actress
eS 10 Mt the parts
This is the glorious privilege OF the
proprietor of a mimic grand opera thea
! ter in the Crescent City's Italian Guar
ter. the sluTns of that CITY Nf1eTl he
has settled in his mind the particular
Play with which he viii regaie his pa
irons he proceeds to manufacture The
the players with his own hands His
knights ami ladies he Saryes from blocks
of wood, his testers ne provides by the
same convenient process. his chorus he
cuts out from any old pieces % humber
that he happens TO have lying around;
| his stage properties he fashions hinaseif
and his scenery he paints as he wants
It.
Having cut out his company, given
them the proper makeup with the aid OF
several pots OF paint and hung then on
elastic lines the proprietor OF the ItaI-
| ian Grand Opera Houss has nothing to
do bat 70 memorize The play. Including
the Songs and the music Il is abSOIuf e
/ " essential to the success of the per-
fornlanee that he commit the play 10
memory, for all The speaking and sing
/ ing Is done by him alone. When he
swings his company before the dazzled
eyes Of the audience ne has no oppoFtn-
nifty TO consult q book. his entire atten-
ton IS taken UP by the movements OF
the little wooden figures that are dane
ing before the footIights and to 1T the
! words and the songs TO the appropriate
moment OF delivery taxes his efforts
sufficiently without the handicap Of
half-Iearned parts
The Dro3rietor uossesses an .-amf1idex-
trous voice. He is called upon to hurI
forensic tnunderbolts at the villain of
the play one moment and the next ad-
dress pleading accents TO that same VII
lain on behalf OF the beauty in distress;
he must sing z song in a startling tenor,
during one scene and IN the next marble
scene following his versatility must
show itself in q love ditty rendered II
melting soprano All the time he is
causing his wooden figures TO speak or
sing he Is closely watching the figures
as they pranee back and forth, bow or
kneeI- or draw SWORD or lance 10 engage
! in mortal combat If he has his atten-
ton distracted for a moment he is apt
to be putting honeyed words into the
mouths of two knights who are engaged
at that moment IN the pleasing diversion
OF cutting each others throats. or TO IN
| fuse into a love scene the vitriolic ex-
element Of a battle piece
Admission 10 this unique PlayisouSs
costs the very moderate sum OF 10 cents
All the plays 10 be given are standard
/ dramas or operas. and no cheap n1elo-
dra mas viii be tolerated No language
but Italian viii be used at the Sheater.
for that IS the only language with which
the leading man. the leading lady The
company. and the chorus Is familiar
Members OF the Crescent Citys -four
hundred will get up parties this winter
for the purpose OF visiting the Italian
theate The entire house can be pur-
/ chased f0r the price OF box at a first
class theate-. so that there will be no
/ fear Of sqDalid Little Italy intruGins ca
/ society 5 stunning diversion