The Washington times., 1905-11-26


OF course the opening of the opera
season has oveTshadowed all else in the,
theatrical world this week. And such an
oneniug as it was. Everybody who IS
ANYBODY in New York was there in full
panoply, and the display of jewels was
beyond anything ever before seen even
in New York. La Giaconda' opened the
season Monday night, with Nordica,
Caruso Scott and PIancon in the
leading roles. Conried never before has
shown his fine qualifications as director
OF magnificent entertainments as he has
this week The demand for seats was
something phenomenal. and the specu-
lators reaped rich harvest. get
ting all the way from s. for a single
admission ticket TO $50 for an orchestra
seat without trouble, and even higher
prices were obtained in some instances
The opeTagoers of the present genera
ton on Wednesday had their first OPP
portunity 20 see The Queen of Sheba,
with Mines. Walker. Rappold Cwho made
her debut and Alien and Messrs.
Knote. and Van Rooy. SembrIch made
her first appearance in "Rigoietto' Fri
day evening and on Saturday at the
matinee Engelbert Humperdinck over
saw the production of his "Haensel and
GreteI." with Mines Abarbanell. Alien.
Homer and Weed and Mr. Goritz in the
principal characters The first week or
her season was ended Saturday evening
with -Tannhauser." Jomelli made her
American debut in the principal female
character. The audiences were uni
formly appreciative, the singers were in
fine shape. and Herr Conried is fully
justified in making the declaration that
never in the history of grand opera IN
New York has there been so favorable
an OPENING.
Another event in the theatrical WORLD
of more than usual note was the arrival
Of Nine Sarah Bernhard She is the
same divine Sarah who has for so many
years charmed the world with the fire
of her genius. Her stay in New York
was measured by minutes almost. and
she started on a record breaking trip 20
Chicago within three hours after she
! landed from La Touraine. Nine. Bern
hardt seems to have wrung from nature
the secret OF perpetual youth. While she
| acknowledges to sixty years. she could
well pass for a woman OF half that age
so far as her appearance goes. That she
has lost none Of her American popularity
is evidenced by the great crowd OF ad-
mirers that assembled at the pier TO
] T
herself as keenly interested in the move
ment TO start an American National
Theater. such a theater" she declar-
! ed would be a great thing for Amer
] lea Not only would II encourage good
! acting biit what Is s'Ist q 8 important. Il
would encourage young authors; and
authors are sadly needed nowadays. The
| Theater Fracais has done such work for
French actors and French outhors.
This has been a red letter week for
all the theaters. The ma gnihcent wealth
er and the crowded condition Of the city
has made standing room at a premium
I in every theater in the city One of the
most important OF the new productions
OF the week was Charles -Klein's drama
! in four acts The Lion and the Mouse,
At the Lyceum. The play deals with high
aance and graft and bears the ear
mark OF success. Miss Julia Marlowe
and u II. Sothern closed their engage
ment at the Knickerbocker Theater with
/ Romeo and Juliet" This Engagement
has been noteworthy in demonstrating
that New York is willing TO pay FOR
shakespeare when it Is properly present
ed Romeo and Juiie." was also pre-
scented TO the people Of Harlem Monday
night for the first time by Proctor s
stock company. at the l25th Street Thea
ter William ] Kelly and Beatrice Nor
gan were in the title roles and gave a
very acceptable performance. On Tues
dav night Grace George reopened the
Garrick Theater in drama tizatio IT., on
Mrs Humphrey Wards novel. me
! Marriage of William Ashe." A fine pro
auction was given and the play bid fair
TO be a success.
The features Of the week in music
were these: Sunday at the New York
Hippodrome Walter Oamrosch and the
New York Symphony Orchestra III a
concert; Victor Herbert and orchestra
in concert at the Majestic Theater
TUESDAY at Mendessohn Hall, the
Kneisers Quartet's opening concert; sat
urdav matinee at Carnegie Hail. Frank
Damrosch's first symphony concert FOR
young people
New York managers are preparing Tor
a vigorous campaign against Western
) play pirates Practically every New
York success, 1t Is said, is promptly pir-
ated by far Western managers, ana IL