The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-28


rooms, oak paneled walls and stained
glass windows whisper of the interest
ing past the mansion has had 1t is
furnished in perfect taste and affords
delight to every serse.
At the last meeting of the American
Playgoers the subject of discussion
was Is the Opera a Necessity of Gull
ture or a Fad?' The majority of the
speakers expressed the opinion that ii
is fad Those who thought otherwise
were Aubrey Boucicault, the son of
the famous playwright, Dion Bouci-
cault. and himself a very clever ae-
tor; Mr.. Muhlmann of the Metropol-
itan Opera Company, and Charles Hen
~ Meltzer, who is Heinrich Conried's
press agent. 1t is not difficult to UNI
derstand why these last two should
pronounce it a necessity. The meet
ing was presided over by Madame Kir-
by lunn, whose work in the English
version of "Parsifal' has made her
name familiar wherever Savage's mag
nifcent production of that opera was
heard.
Shortly before their departure from
this city Mr.. and Mrs Forbes Robert
son Gertrude Elliott) were rendered
reception at the Pen and Brush Club.
They are both charming, and do not
say the conventional things customary
at such functions. Mr.. Robertson was
extremely pleased with a sonnet
CHANGED to have with me written on
his voice by the late Miss Maizie Turn
er, an alumna of the Columbia Insti-
tute. These beautiful verses were pub.
lished in the Pail Mall Magazine short
ly before her death, but had escaped
Mr.. Robertson's notice. He was very
grateful to me for making him ac-
quainted with them.
The weather clerk must have a
grudge against the Christmas shoppers,
for during the last week he has fur
nished nothing but rain. This, how
ever, does not deter those bent upon
aiding Santa Claus in his laudable
work
Among the Show Houses.
The phenomenal run of the English
version Of Puccini's Madam Butter
fly" at the Garden Theatre has ended,
not because 1t had ceased to attract
big audiences, but because it had to
fill engagements in some of the large
Western cities 1t will be followed on
Christmas day by Reginald de Koven's
opera, THE Student King In which
| the prima donna is Lima Arbanell, one
of the most versatile women on the
stage She was brought to this coun-
| try last year by M Conried to play
the principal roles at the Irving Place
| Theatre, the German theatre par ex-
| cellence of America. From there she
was transferred to the Metropolitan
Opera House, where her work, both
vocal and dramatic in "Hansel and
Gretel" created furore in this city.
| She speaks with equal ease half doz-
en- languages and performs upon the
piano with the same facility that she
sings In securing her Hr. Henry w.
| Savage has a star of the first magni
ture, and he has surrounded her with
company that will add TO her lustre.
The Student King is light, romantic
opera that is likely to rival in popular
! ity its composers earlier success,
Robin Hood. It's scene is in b.
hernia, and its plot is founded upon an
old custom of that country OF electing
student of Prague University to be
king of that country for one day.
One of the most delightful plays
now before the New York public is
The Girl Who Has Everything. by
! Clyde Fitch. The role of the girl thus
endowed, Silvia Lang, is charmingly
! interpreted by Eleanor Robson. She
is so simple and unaffected that
she impresses one with the realness
of the character she assumes. Her
voice while sweet has great carrying
power, and her enunciation Is so clear
that not one word is lost. That is a
gift not possessed by many actresses
who rank higher than Miss Robson.
The story of this new Fitch comedy
Is this: Guy Weens, the husband Of
Sylvia Lang's sister, is gambler
and drunkard A month before Mrs.
Weefns' death, realizing that her chill
dren will get nothing of her ample
fortune If their father Is left their
guardian she bequeathes II TO Sylvia.
The will Is drawn by young lawyer,
Phillip Waring, who becomes interest
ed in the legatee, a feeling which she
reciprocates. After Mrs. Weems'
death another will Is produced by the
dissolute husband wherein he is made