The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-22
At St. Paul Theaters

b c. Whitney's big musical comedy,
The Isle of Spice,'' will close its en-
gagement at the Metropolitan oDera
mouse with a matinee this afternoon at
z:SO and a last performance tonight at
SID 1t has the same cast and elab-
crate scenic and costume production
tnat were features of the $50 nights run
In New York at the Majestic theater.
which has just been completed. There
are many reasons that will account for
the success that THE Isle of Spice"
has achieved. The story is well told.
full of comedy situations and bright
dialogue. while the music is tuneful,
JirSly and original.
The many playgoers of this city who
have heard of Henry NJ Blossoms fas-
clnating comedy, Checkers" during its
engagement in the east during the past
TWO seasons. will be delighted to learn
that it will playa weeks engagement
at the Metropolitan opera house, be-
ginning next Sunday night. The play
VIII be produced here with the original
company, headed by Thomas w. Ross.
One of the problems which has al
ways FACED those in charge of the per-
formances of "Parsifal" at Bayreuth
has been the government of the invis-
lble choruses in the grail scenes. Those
choruSeS are placed high up in the fly
galleries on either side of the stage out
of sight of the conductor and practi-
cally out of hearing of the orchestra,
and ii has always been most difficult
for the assistant conductors in charge
OF them to give them their cue az the
right time and to have them sing ex-
actly in the tempo of the conductor
As result, these choruSeS have not al
ways been a source of unmitigated
pleasure. An ingenious invention is
made use of by Henry W. Savage in
his production in English of "Parsifal"
On the conductors desk are four cleo
trio buttons. easily in reach of his left
hand. These buttons are connected by
wires with small boxes, on which there
are spaces corresponding to the but
tons When he presses the buttons in
order, on these spaces appear the fig
ure. l. 2. 3. 4. in bright electric lights.
Thus the conductor with his left
hand may keep time by means of these
buttons for the invisible chOruses as
effectively as he beats time with his
right for the orchestra and the singers
on the stage. These little signal boxes
may be placed in any part of the thea
ter and may be moved about so that
they are used for all the music behind
the scenes.
'.Parsifal' will be the attraction at
the Metropolitan opera house tomor-
row night and for the balance of the
week. including matinee on Satur-
day. There are plenty of good seats
left for every performance.
The first popular priced matinee of
Charles Z. Blaney's new play, More
Be Pitied Than Scorned." will take
place at the Grand today at 2:30. This
piece is a strong melOdrama, with an
interesting tale of love and villainy as
the plot. The play is we'll woven to-
gether and holds the attention of the
audience. The story is of a jealous
woman trying to separate a young
couple who had been clandestinely
married. A bogus marriage certificate
apparently shows that the husband
had committed bigamy, but the villains
are exposed in the end and the young
married couple are reunited.
The attraction at the Grand next
week. beginning Sunday matinee, will
be lyon Yonson." 1t is a Swedish dia-
lect comedy. David Brattstrom in
terprets the role of the Swede Just
over" AS the play progresses 'Yon"
shows the evidence of gradually be-
coming AmericaniZed. 1t is said that
since the death of Gus Heege no one
has assumed the character so success
fully as Mr.. Brattstrom, who origi-
mated the role in England. The play is
staged with new scenic equipment and
accessories. During each act a num-
Der of refined specialties will be intro
duced, including the now famous
lumbermen's quartette.
The radium dance is the feature of
the bill at the Star this week. This
novel application of the greatest dis
covery Of modern science is proving a
great drawing card in a well balanced
bill.