The San Francisco call., 1904-07-10

Girl-fully as important a person IN ia
pan as in America-who loves to sit
in the theater as long as possible and
weep over the play. For. to the gen
tie mOusme, the theater is essentially
the place for weeping. japanese girls
are extremely sentimental. and a play
without narrowing situations would not
appeal to them in the least The mu-
sical cOmedy-as presented in America
and England-is quite unknown in ia
pan, for which we Japanese should per-
haps be devoutly thankful
When a japanese makes up his
mind to go to the theater. he proceeds
first by interesting his neighbOrs. II he
is married man. he cOnsults his wife
and daughters If he is bachelor, he
gets together a party Of friends. The
Japanese women are passionately de-
voted TO the drama. 1t Is usual for a
party to book a box through a tea
house connected with the theater and
at the same time make arrangements
for what refreshments they wish
served. The Japanese maiden makes
the most elaborate preparations days
beforehand. and when the eve Of the
known to sit up all night so as not to
oversleep herself the next morning To
be at the theater on time, playgoers
must rise with the sun. and all their
meals, including breakfast. are eaten
in the tiny box in the playhouse. 1t is
not an easy task to reach ones seats,
and once the family has settled down,
nothing but a catastrophe would in
duce it to leave its box. They eat in
it. smoke in it. nurse babies in it, and
put themselves thoroughly at their
ease In each box there is a small
stove. at which they light the short
Japanese pipe, and at their side is the
plate of rice and FISH with the tradi
tional chop sticks, and a bottle Of sake
(rice brandy and cups Of tea, which
are filed as often as emptied. The
women chew candy and the men par
take freely of sake as the play goes
on A man who has been obliged to
escort his women relatives is often TO
be seen fast asleep, for politeness TO
women is not seriously discussed IN
Japan During the intermissions, at
tendants with cakes, confectionery and
tea pass up and down the elevated
aisles Offering their wares"
Fannie Francesca CFannie Nicholson
of this city). who has been making
name for herself in grand opera in Eu-
rome. is said to be considering offers
from the New York Metropolitan Opera
mana cement. Miss MichaelsOn has just
finished a long engagement in grand
opera at Amsterdam. and goes TO Paris
in the near future. 1t is eleven years
since the singer left San Francisco
Melba will sing but four times with
the Metropolitan Opera this season as
her concert tour viii take up all other
dates. Conried has arranged for her
appearance during the holiday time IN
some Of the special productions. Her
concert tour viii reach from the At
lantic TO the Pacific and from the Gulf
TO British Columbia
The Venetian Romance" goes upon
the road next year heralded as the only
musical show written by woman ever
produced in New York City. Mrs Cor
neIia Osgood Tyler. wife Of Colonel A.
c. Tyler. U. S. A, retired. and a cous-
in of the President, enjoys the distinc-
ton of being the author of this sue
cess romantic comedy opera.
Henry W. Savage's English Grand
Opera Company will greatly extend its
field next season. proceeding as far
west as San Francisco. to Canada on
the north, New Orleans as the south
ernmost point. with New York as the
chief objective center in the East. In
all, some sixty-five cities will be visited
by this unique organization
'aThe Prince Of Pfsen" has met with
such a cordial reception at the Shaftes-
bury Theater, London. that its run Is
continued for an indefinite period The
advance sale in the Libraries extends
into thousands of pounds
Henry W. Savage's massive pictorial
production Of "Parsifal' in English IS
now completed and the entire cast has
been formed. The first representation
Of the Wagner music drama will be
given in Boston October 10.