New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-11

or bricklaying! The champions of reform were
outdebated by the Greeks. but they could well
afford to take their defeat gracefully and phil
osophically. The changes which they were adj
vocating were inevitable. the Greeks themselves
being the witnesses
The experiment of bringing the San Carlo
Opera Company to London has been SO success
full that music lovers are encouraged to believe
that Covent Garden will be opened for their
benefit nine or ten months in the year instead
OF three. For six weeks the old opera house
has been always we'll filled and often crowded;
and the performances have been of high artis-
tic merit. The scenic resources of the opera
house have been placed at the disposal of the
foreign company. and every opera has been
well staged. This has been a great gain; but
1t would have counted for little II the orchestra
under Signor Campaninis direction had not
been well balanced and admirably managed,
or If the singers and chorus had not done their
work well. Croakers predicted at the outset
that Verdi would not draw and that the house
could not be filled after Signor Caruso's de-
parture for America; but neither forecast was
fulfilled. The was devoted almost ex-
clusively to Italian opera and Verdi occupied
the most prominent place In the list; and SO
popular have been the programmes that 1t has
not been necessary to introduce more than one
novelty. This Cilea's "Adrana Lecou-
vreur. which was we'll received and repeated
several times. La Boheme." La Tosca" and
"Otelo' have been favorite productions, the
last deservedly when the veteran NJ. Maurel
was repeating his fine work as Iago, and NJ
Due, a newcomer from Paris. acting we'll
as Othello. If singing hoarsely from cold. Some
of the more familiar works, notably Aida"
were produced with exceptional brilancy and
new beauties in the scores were revealed: and
Nv
Buonnsegna, Nine. Wayda and Mime. de Chs
neros and NJ. Samarco NJ. Anselmi, NJ Ancona
and NJ. Due. became favorites with music low
ers. There is reason to believe that the expert
ment will be repeated next autumn with longer
season, and that an interesting series of works,
such as Giordano's Andrea Chenier'' and "Si-
beria," Mascagnis "LAmico Fritz" Orefice's
Chopin" and Eiliasfs Manuel Menendez,"
may be produced at Covent Garden.
Mr. Otto Stuart has held back THE Tanning of
the Shrew" at the Adelphi until 1t is in time for
a good holiday rum and he has produced It with
fine scenery with song and dance and in a spirit
of Christmas revelry. The first night audience
received it with bosterous mirth and genuine
enthusiasm, as though it were new play and It
has been so seldom during recent years
that 1t had the effect of novelty 1t is nearly
ten years since Miss Rehan and Mr.. Drew pre-
scented this play to London audiences and
acted the principal parts with brilliancy Of
style, and during the interval Mr. Benson has
occasionally produced It in London and moro
frequently in the provinces Mr.. Stuart was
Mr.. Benson's manager for two years. and he
now conducts what may be called post graduate
Bensonian courses. He has rallied about him
a company Of players who learned their lines
and proved their capacity for Shakespearian
parts under Mr.. Bensons coaching. and 1.-THE
Tanning of the Shrew'' is converted into a holl-
day revel of madcap jollity and animal spirits
The fun that is In 1t is brought out OF it, and in
that way shakespeare's memory is indicated
II the induction ends in pillow fight and there
is a lot OF horse play and rompng In the COM
edy, with bits Of daring byplay and new bust
ness. nobody is the for 1t. Tho move
ment Of the play is rapid. and the actors have
genuine comic spirit and good feeling one for
another. The comedy delights stalls and gal
leries. and playgOers are asking why Mr.. Tree
has neglected to produce it at His Majesty's
Mr.. Oscar Asche opens the evenings enter
tainment with a delightful impersonation of
Christopher Sly, the sot in front OF the alehouse
and the bewildered understudy for a lord in the
gilded chamber. He plays the part broadly yet
artistically. and sets the key for evening of
frolic and good nature AS Petruchio he cracks
the whip, swaggers about the stage, carries off
Katharine his shoulder. and has rough and
tumble time with servants and bride. He is so
noisy and beligerent that one is not reminded
that Petruchio was IN reality gentleman from
Verona, who was not tanning the shrew for his
own amusement, but for her good and be-
cause he loved her. His performance would be
improved for critical minds by little more reti-
cence and refinement but it is most amusing
and does not lack variety. Miss Lily Brayton is
not overwhelmed by his superior stature and
vitality and by his irresistible swagger. She
makes a good fight Of it, frightens everybody in
Baptista's household by her tantrums. falls
upon her sister and the music master. cuffs ears
and slaps faces to right and to left, howls with
sulen rage. II want my supper" and does not
surrender until Petruchio has been we'll bruised
and is forced TO give battle at every turn. She
forgets that Katharine was a lady OF Padua as
well as a shrew; but, alack! Miss Rehan alone
in this generation has been able, with her fine
carriage and subtle art to make the distinction
between the low bred vixen and the high bred
woman who had never learned to control her
temper, yet never wholly forgot her social dig
nifty Yet Miss Brayton's performance is dis
tinctly good and is proof that she is an actress
capable Of mastering a part not suited to her
charming winsome personality Mr.. Walter
Hampden who has been playing the gloomy
monk in THE Prayer OF the Sword" is trans
lated into a frolcsome lover as Lucentio, and
Mr. Alfred Brydone. who has been laundering
out the imprecations of accommodation, tones
down his voice Baptista A spirit of joyous
ness pervades the merry play, and all the actors
do their work in unity OF spirit l. n. f.
REMsEN NOT THINKING OF CHANGE.