Omaha daily bee., 1905-09-17

and the American playKoer viii call for
something more than monkey TO make
just now we must be content with the
promise contained in the statement that
Of the ten new plays produced in the first
week OF the new season. seven were the
work OF Americans
Richard Mansaeld's Season.
The production next month OF Schiller's
play, Don Carlos" by Richard Mansfield,
is another of the distinguished and signih-
cant events for which American dramatic
history is indebted to this artist who be-
lieves that his pre-eminence entails obliga-
lions to do great things, and who dares
live up TO his belief. The uniform success
which attends these bold flights OF Mans
fields should be an example and an inspira-
ton to other actors less imaginative and
less DARING.
Richard Mansfield was the first TO intro
duce TO the American OF English stage the
then untried and unheard Of plays Of Ber-
nard Shaw or a drama by the rising hope
Of the French theater, Edmond Rostand;
the first to give in English the master work
Of Russias master dramatist. Tolstoi; the
first 10 open to our stage the store house
Of Moliere, Frances supreme dramatist by
his production last year OF The Nissan
thrope" which Is one of the rare promises
Of his approaching engagement here; and
now he ls leading the way into the store
house Of Germany's most precious treasures
by a great production Of its Shakespeare's
masterpiece.
Don Carlos" Is now in active rehearsal
in New York and It will receive its first
production on the stage of the Grand Opera
House, Chicago, on Monday evening, Octo-
Der Is. From detailed accounts Of the
preparations IL is evident that this is to be
one Of the most notable performances and
one Of the most elaborate productions this
artist has given the theater A long cast
OF distinguished English and American
artists will be supplemented by a large
corps Of skilled people for the panoramas
Of court life In Spain under Philip II,
large male chorus, musicians; and an ex-
tensive group of worxmen who bring the
total number of people concerned in the
presentation OF Don Carlos" up to III
Mr. Mansheld's season will also include
productions Of Moliere's comedy, ''The
Misanthrope," shakespeares THE Mer-
chant Of Venice" and king Richard III;"
Tolstois Ivan the Terrible and his peren-
nially popular Beau Brummel," "A Pari-
sian Romance" and, occasionally, "Dr.
Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde"
II is said that Mr. Mansfield has been
meditating the production of a Schiller play
for several years His heart has been set
on the fascinating story of Prince Carlos,
who so madly loved Princess Elizabeth OF
Valois when his father made the lovely
lady his own bride. His familiars have
long been accustomed to see Don Carlos"
on Mansheld's table. The well thumbed
pages and the multiplied annotations bore
evidence OF his scholarly and afrectionate
interest in the German masterpiece. OF
course he studied It in the original for
he could play It with equal facility and
effect in German or English.
OF all the Schiller plays Don Carlos"
is the most admirable and sympathetic In
its story. II has primarily the human. In
innate touch. The tale fires the i'm
agination and touches the heart. More
over remarkable as are individual char
acters in other plays, in no other single
play has Schiller grouped so many re-
rnarkable characters. In addition 70 Don
Carlos, so often referred TO as the German
Hamlet there is the Marquis of Posa, King
Philip II, the Duke OF Alva, Domingo the
Kings confessor, Queen Elizabeth OF Valois
and Princes Eboli. all and each demanding
exalted genius for their realization. 1t Is
said the Mansfield net has dragged the
American and English market for artists
for this play. He has had the originality
not to crowd his company with superan-
nuated or near-stars. AS one wRg said
after looking over the cast: Good? Bet
ter than an all-star cast"
An orchestra OF concert proportions is to
perform, incidental to the play, music from
Verdrs grand opera, Don Carlos" the
maestro's family having given assent to
Mansheld's use OF his score In this con-
nection. The scenes were sketched by Mr..
Mansfield himself from photographs and
paintings of the various chambers, CALLER
les and halls of the Escurial Palace, Mad
rid, and the garden enyironing them.
d
Coming Events.
At the very top OF the numerically few