The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-29

wide and varied experience as a man
ager as any one in America. In 1888
he was the manager of the Mapleson
grand opera company which did To-
peka the honor of stopping long
enough to sing Il Trovatore. The COM
pany comprised 2S3 people and includ-
ed Patti, Niccolini and all the grand
opera stars of a quarter of a century
ago. The Topeka engagement was
filled just about at the time the pro-
hibitoTy law was being enforced in
Topeka and it was difficult to get
drink of liquor. Angelo was relied
upon to keep the stars in good humOr
and he was careful to see that their
supply of turntables was not ex
hausted. He went to a drug store and
made his wants known and he was al
lowed to buy what LIQUOR he wanted
by signing an affidavit that he had the
stomach ache. tt wasn't long until he
needed more but the druggist-and he
still lives in Topeka-demurred He
said that it wouldn't do to have one
name appear with such frequency on
his books. I'll fix that" replied the
resourceful manager. 81 will sign the
names of the members of the company
who want the liquor" He was accord
ingly allowed to sign the names of
Patti and the other stars to the af
ddavit for liquor specifying in each
case that it was for stomach ache.
IT would like to see that book said
Angelo today. ''It certainly contains
the names of the greatest singers of
the time. I didn't like to do it but it
wouldn't do to let them suffer. A per
son would think if he could look over
that book now that the MaplesOn
Grand Opera company was certainly
afflicted with an epidemic of stomach
ache. MaplesOn is gone and those old
days of grand opera are gone. The
people had money then and they were
willing to spend it. We cleared $S4,-
600 that season on the San Francisco
engagement alone and the tour was
great success.
Angelo was afterward the manager
for Gilmore's band when Campanini,
the great Italian tenor, accompanied
the band and he is brimful of stories
about all the great stars. He can dis
Cuss the idiOsyncracies of Patti from
a manag gers standpoint and the ieal-
ousies of stars of lesser magnitude. He
knows all about Campanini's troubles
with the govt and laughingly tells
about how Gilmore played at Pine
Bluffs, Ark when the total receipts
were 1918. He was acquainted with
/ Richard Wagner and frankly says he
doesn't like his music. He has crossed
the ocean times and never was sea-
sick. He is one of the most interesting
men who has ever visited Topeka and
1 his autobiography would read like a
romance. He ought to write It.
Here is a story on Campanini and
4 incidentally on Angelo himself: 1--WE
were travelling in Arizona with Gill
more. Campanini had the govt and
/ had run out of medicine so went into
a drug store in a little mountain town
4 to have the bottle refilled. The drug
1 glst took the bottle and studied 1t a
moment and then began cursing US
What do you mean he said, by COM
! ing into my store asking for anything
/ like this2 You must take me for q
4 blankety blank fool He reached
/ to hi ~r1x nd
/ made an effort to quiet him. I told
/ him that my friend had run out Of
1 medicine and was suffering and de-
| sired to have the bottle rehlled. Well
you are bright ones, he said; you
ought to know better than to ask for
/ medicine Of that kind here. I don't
keep #. Do you think any one in
Arizona has the gout?' So Campanini
didn't get his medicine"
Angelo is Of Arabic descent and
speaks this language as well as Itai-
ian, French, German and English. His
l wife, who is travelling with him, was
born in New York Of Dutch parents.
They have son, Eugene, seven and a
half years old, who Is with his par
ents. Eugene IS terror.
Two big audiences heard the Banda
i Rosa yesterday afternoon and even
Bands popularity locally grows with
every concert. The programmes yes
terday were good and contained some
novelties which were gratefully re
ceived by music lovers. who grow
tired of the inevitable concert mum.
bers played by every travelling band
good as they are and well as they may
be played. On last nights programme
the selection from Puecini's s'Sanon'
and the Orlesienne Suite of Bizet were
notable numbers Three of the con.
ductor's own compositions were played